PELAGICS FROM THE ROCKS
EVERY year there’s an influx of tropical pelagic species along the NSW coast. This phenomena is driven by the East Australian Current (EAC), which acts almost like a “superhighway” that transports marine fauna to the sub-tropical waters of the south. The EAC is strongest during the summer months, where its flow can reach 90 centimetres per second.
Some of the first warm water pelagic species we begin to see delivered by the EAC along the coast of NSW are baitfish. Schools of frigate mackerel, slimy mackerel and yellowtail scad start to feed on the surface. The increase in water temperature at this time of year also sees more frequent encounters of big yellowtail kingfish in inshore waters that are in spawn.
It’s around Christmas time that dolphinfish or mahi mahi and billfish turn up in numbers. Inshore, small black marlin begin to appear around bait schools and reef systems. Offshore, striped and blue marlin can be found patrolling warm currents.
Soon thereafter, usually in January, the first sprinkling of predatory mackerel and
