The growth, mortality, movements and nursery habitats of red-legged banana prawns (<em>Penaeus indicus</em>) in the Joseph Bonaparte Gulf

During October to December 1997, estuarine habitats in the Joseph Bonaparte Gulf (JBG) were beam trawled to determine the distribution of juvenile red-legged banana prawns, Penaeus indicus (H. Milne Edwards, 1837) and white banana prawns, Penaeus merguiensis (de Mann, 1888). In total 229 beam-trawls at 185 sites were performed, mostly over a 100 m path (3 min duration) between Pearce Point (north of the Victoria River) and just west of the King George River (including Cambridge Gulf). A Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver was used to verify site location. During October to December 1998, three of the rivers that were sampled in 1997 were intensively re-sampled to confirm the gulf-wide distribution of P. indicus and P. merguiensis and to investigate the microhabitat use of P. indicus. Sample sites were chosen from previously-sampled and new sites in Forsyth Creek (eastern Joseph Bonaparte Gulf), the Lyne River (Cambridge Gulf), and the Berkeley River (western Joseph Bonaparte Gulf). A total of 249 trawls were done at 21 sites, mostly over 100 m. Salinity, temperature, secchi, tide and sediment samples were also collected.