| Ecosystem |
North Australian Shelf |
| Type |
Sea/Bay/Gulf |
| Salinity |
saltwater |
| Other Names |
|
| Location |
|
LME SAU No 39. Northern and northwestern Australian coast. Includes Timor Sea and Arafura Sea (163). LME2002, LME2006, SAU 2008. |
9° S 22° S - 113° E 142° E |
|
| Location Map |
North_Australian_Shelf.png |
| Size Ref |
|
River Length |
|
Area |
779892 km2 |
Drainage Area |
|
|
| Depth |
|
Average Depth |
|
Max Depth |
|
Ref |
|
|
| Temperature |
|
| Description |
The continental shelf of northwestern Australia supports a diverse and productive demersal fish community, historically fished by foreign fleets for Lethrinus, Nemipterus, Saurida, and Lutjanus species. A small domestic trap fishery for Lethrinus, Lutjanus, and Epinephelus also exists in areas subjected to little trawling. After examining several possible management regimes, the government of Australia divided the area into three zones and closed two of them to pair trawling. It is anticipated that trap fishery expansion will be attempted in the two closed areas after the species composition changes induced by trawling are reversed (http://www.na.nmfs.gov/lme/text/lme39.htm). |
| Comments on faunal list |
Area from SAU (November 2015). |
| URL 1 |
http://www.seaaroundus.org/lme/39.aspx |
| URL 2 |
|
| Ecosystem Checklist Link |
|
| Total |
|
Species |
Families |
Species |
Families |
Reference |
|
1794 |
220 |
|
|
|
|
