Matthew D. Taylor’s research while affiliated with New South Wales Department of Primary Industries and other places

Contamination of estuaries with per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), such as perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), may impact recreational fishers who consume their catch. However, the presence and concentration of PFAS across commonly harvested estuarine taxa is rarely quantified. We used data from a statewide survey of recreational fishers to design and conduct a sampling program for assessing PFAS contamination across two recreational fishing havens (Lake Macquarie and Botany Bay, New South Wales, Australia). Perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) and PFOS were the primary contaminants in edible tissues of recreationally harvested species, and concentrations were highly variable. In Lake Macquarie, all samples were below screening criteria, as were invertebrates in both estuaries. In Botany Bay, some fish exceeded screening criteria, but the most frequently harvested recreational species had the lowest concentrations of all fish across both estuaries. Ecological factors likely contributed to substantial variation in PFAS accumulation levels among different recreational species. Recreational fisheries surveys provide a solid foundation to frame investigations of exposure risk and support the development of spatially tailored dietary advice.

Context Successful fish stocking relies upon releasing cohorts directly into habitat containing suitable supporting resources. To facilitate this, an emerging trend has seen fish released onto artificial reefs. Aims We compared the residency and movement patterns of juvenile sparids (yellowfin bream – Acanthopagrus australis), stocked on artificial reefs and natural habitat, to determine the suitability of incorporating artificial structures as release sites in future stocking programs. Methods Forty hatchery-reared yellowfin bream were evenly divided and stocked on either artificial reef or natural habitat within an east-Australian estuary, and tracked using acoustic telemetry. Key results Artificial reefs provided greater habitat complexity than the natural habitat and fish stocked onto these structures showed greater fidelity to their release site and were detected for longer periods of time than those stocked into less complex natural habitat. Conclusions The high residency levels of fish around artificial reef sites indicate they contain resources to support stocked juvenile sparids. Implications Stocked yellowfin bream can tolerate a range of salinity and temperatures, allowing flexibility in stocking programs. Future stocking of bream or other sparids should consider releasing fish onto artificial reefs where available. Additionally, the deployment of reefs could aid existing stocking programs.

Tag-recapture programs to monitor the movements of fish populations are among some of the longest-running citizen-science datasets to date. Here, using half a century of yellowtail kingfish (Seriola lalandi, Carangidae) tag-recapture data collected through citizen-science projects, we report novel insights into population connectivity in Australia and New Zealand (NZ). Despite the importance of kingfish in commercial and recreational fisheries, substantial knowledge gaps about their stock structure and connectivity between jurisdictions hinder current management efforts. Between 1974 and 2022, 63,432 releases and 4636 recaptures (7.3%) of tagged kingfish were collected in Australia and NZ. Most tagged individuals (51.4%) were recaptured within 10 km of their original release location up to 14 years post-release (mean: 225 days), indicating some degree of site fidelity. However, 656 (14.2%) kingfish were recaptured over 100 km from their release location, with one fish travelling at least 2834 km in 702 days. Seasonal variability was evident for releases and recaptures, with more releases occurring in summer and autumn in most jurisdictions. Network analysis of recaptures revealed no connectivity between tagged kingfish from western and eastern Australia, supporting genetic delineation. By contrast, extensive connectivity exists across eastern Australia and NZ, with 87 kingfish moving between five Australian state jurisdictions, 316 individuals travelling across 15 bioregions and six kingfish moving between Australia and NZ. Our findings provide important new insights into the structure and connectivity of the eastern Australia kingfish stock and suggest increased collaboration between state and international fisheries jurisdictions may support improved stock assessment and management.

Valuing the ecosystem services provided by nature is essential for estuarine habitat conservation and restoration. Recreational fisheries rely on fish stocks that are dependent on productivity derived from the plants that comprise estuarine habitats, however the value of these habitats to recreational fishing is rarely considered. Here, we consider expenditure on recreational fishing activities as an indicator of coastal wetland habitat value, by synthesising data on routinely collected recreational effort, catch, and expenditure from telephone surveys alongside trophic subsidy models within a simple framework. The approach is demonstrated for the Clarence River and the Hunter River estuaries (New South Wales, Australia). Expenditure on recreational fishing activities was apportioned to mangrove and saltmarsh habitats via the ‘trophic subsidy’ (or nutrition) originating from primary producers in these habitats that fuels the biomass of important recreational species. The values estimated exceeded that of similarly apportioned commercial fisheries revenue, with the biggest difference observed for saltmarsh in the Clarence River (∼$17 million AUD per annum [recreational expenditure] compared to ∼$8 million AUD per annum [commercial fisheries total output]). When considered in an additive fashion and standardised by habitat extent, the values attributable to coastal wetland productivity were as high as $86 459 per hectare per annum for saltmarsh, and$20 611 per hectare per annum for mangroves. These values reflect the dependency of fisheries activities on the extent and condition of coastal wetland habitats, and the framework presented here is widely applicable for considering the economic value of these activities i.e., fishing) as an indicator of habitat value.

Extreme weather events across coastal environments are expected to increase in frequency under predicted climate change scenarios. These events can impact coastal recreational fisheries and their supporting ecosystems by influencing the productivity of fish stocks or altering behaviours and decision-making among fishers. Using off-site telephone/diary survey data on estuarine and oceanic recreational fishing activity in eastern Australia, we analyse interannual and geographic variability in bream (Acanthopagrus spp) and snapper (Chrysophrys auratus) catch, total effort and total catch per unit effort (CPUE) through a period (2013/2014, 2017/2018 and 2019/2020) that encompassed severe drought, bushfires and flooding. Interacting spatial and temporal differences were detected for bream and may reflect spatial variation in the intensity and extent of some of the extreme weather events. The catch of snapper did not change temporally, providing little evidence that this species’ catch may be influenced by the extreme weather events. Independent bioregional and temporal effects on effort were detected, while CPUE only showed significant bioregional differences. Although adverse conditions created by the extreme weather events may have dissuaded fisher participation and impacted effort, we propose that the observed temporal patterns in effort reflect the early influence of socio-economic changes brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic on coastal recreational fishing, over and above the impacts of extreme weather events. This study demonstrates how interrelated ecological, social and economic factors can shape coastal recreational fisheries and facilitates development of management strategies to address future threats to the sector.

In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we will compile and query a comprehensive database of studies on PFAS biomagnification in aquatic and terrestrial food webs. We will estimate the overall and compound-specific trophic magnification potential to assess what compounds are more likely to biomagnify in wildlife food webs. Considering the substantial variation in study methodologies, this meta-analysis seeks to combine the results from various studies and quantify the overall trophic magnification estimate and its sources of variability. We will also identify data gaps and methodological and conceptual challenges within the literature and outline suggestions for future research on biomagnification.

Background: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of widely used anthropogenic chemicals. Concerns regarding their persistence and potential adverse effects have led to multiple secondary research publications. Here, we aim to assess the resulting evidence base in the systematic secondary literature by examining research gaps, evaluating the quality of reviews, and exploring interdisciplinary connections. Methods: This study employed a systematic evidence-mapping approach to assess the secondary literature on the biological, environmental, and medical aspects of exposure to 35 fluorinated compounds. The inclusion criteria encompassed systematic reviews published in peer-reviewed journals, pre-prints, and theses. Comprehensive searches across electronic databases and grey literature identified relevant reviews. Data extraction and synthesis involved mapping literature content and narrative descriptions. We employed a modified version of the AMSTAR2 checklist to evaluate the methodological rigour of the reviews. A bibliometric data analysis uncovered patterns and trends in the academic literature. A research protocol for this study was previously pre-registered (osf.io/2tpn8) and published (Vendl et al., Environment International 158 (2022) 106973). The database is freely accessible through the interactive and user-friendly web application of this systematic evidence map at https://hi -this-is-lorenzo.shinyapps.io/PFAS_SEM_Shiny_App/. Results: Our map includes a total of 175 systematic reviews. Over the years, there has been a steady increase in the annual number of publications, with a notable surge in 2021. Most reviews focused on human exposure, whereas environmental and animal-related reviews were fewer and often lacked a rigorous systematic approach to literature search and screening. Review outcomes were predominantly associated with human health, particularly with reproductive and children’s developmental health. Animal reviews primarily focused on studies conducted in controlled laboratory settings, and wildlife reviews were characterised by an over-representation of birds and fish species. Recent reviews increasingly incorporated quantitative synthesis methodologies. The methodological strengths of the reviews included detailed descriptions of study selection processes and disclosure of potential conflicts of interest. However, weaknesses were observed in the critical lack of detail in reporting methods. A bibliometric analysis revealed that the most productive authors collaborate within their own country, leading to limited and clustered international collaborations. Conclusions: In this overview of the available systematic secondary literature, we map literature content, assess reviews’ methodological quality, highlight data gaps, and draw research network clusters. We aim to facilitate literature reviews, guide future research initiatives, and enhance opportunities for cross-country collaboration. Furthermore, we discuss how this systematic evidence map and its publicly available database benefit scientists, regulatory agencies, and other stakeholders by providing access to current systematic secondary literature on PFAS exposure.