Despite occurring across much of our coastline, there are still significant knowledge gaps in the life history, movement patterns and population structures of mulloway.

With anglers dedicating their life to catching that metre long silver ghost, scientists at Nature Glenelg Trust are using citizen science to advance their knowledge of this species.

The research program, funded by Victorian Recreational Fishing License Fees, began in late 2014 and since this time, more than 60 anglers have collected and donated almost 300 frames. 

?With each frame, scientists record the length, sex and reproductive condition of the fish.

Ear bones or ‘jewels’ are extracted from the skull and used to determine the age of the fish. Angler Rory Brackley, donated his 138 cm mulloway to research and testing revealed the fish to be just nine years old

?Over the next four weeks, scientists are focused on collecting samples from mulloway caught in eastern Victoria and southern New South Wales.

Anglers in these regions are urged to get involved by donating either their whole mulloway frames or simply a small tissue/flesh sample.

Anglers are then asked to get in touch with Lauren Veale at the Trust who will organise sample collection on lauren.veale@ngt.org.au or 0439 034 390. These samples will enable scientists to gather the necessary genetic information on mulloway populations across south-eastern Australia- information that is critical to species management.