What happens to the fish that come down the EAC at the end of the season?

[MikeR]

Hi guys - For any marine scientists on the board... a bit of a question I've pondered this time of year for a few seasons now... with all the marlin, mahi, and other tropical species that come down the coast with the EAC, what happens to them when they get too far south and the current starts to thin out? And where do they go at the end of the season?

Thanks guys!

[GoingFishing]

I would assume they head north again to find the warmer waters

[Houdini]

They get cold and die

[Blackfish]

I recon Pelagics head back.

Smaller tropical fish do what Houdini said.

And some stay like Spangled Emperor, maybe a Jack as well plus I know of Purple Cod, Blue Bar Parrots caught here and down at the Banks. You would not think of them as migratory fish.

Thats my "guess" I'm not a marine scientist.

Edited March 8, 2016 by Blackfish

[MikeR]

thanks guys.

I've seen some tropicals in the middle of winter scuba diving in Botany Bay - but with all the reports of marlin and such was curious to see people's thoughts on what happens when the music stops!

[finin]

Pelagics, well they just move with the currents. Mike look up the great marlin race, interesting reading. Considering kingfish tagged here have been found in NZ, a tagged white left Australia went to south africa and came back again, look up tagging programmes and see the results.

As for other non pelagics, well tend to agree with Houdini, there is a resident mangrove jack population around longreef though.

Edited March 9, 2016 by finin

[Blackfish]

MikeR, I recon the water doesn't get really cold to late Winter so middle of winter still could be bearable for those Tropicals.

I remember a couple of years back had some 14 deg water in late January around Merries Reef/ Stink pipes.