AB 12:147-155 (2011)  -  DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/ab00332

ABSTRACT: Despite a broad Indo-Pacific distribution, the movement patterns of barramundi Lates calcarifer have gone largely unstudied, particularly in freshwater systems. This study examined the short-term movement and dispersal patterns of 60 barramundi in a seasonally closed freshwater system in 2 seasons (warm and cool). Data indicated that individuals generally moved small distances during up to 18 d of monitoring and that size was not a factor in movement patterns. Individuals moved farther and had larger activity spaces in the cool season than in the warm season, indicating different behaviour between seasons in this freshwater habitat. However, in both seasons, individuals remained in the permanently flooded sections of the billabong with limited movement into seasonally flooded regions. Further examination of long-term presence and movements of freshwater barramundi populations is required, but these data provide insight into short-term movements in a freshwater system.

KEY WORDS: Telemetry · Seasonal · Movement · Freshwater