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.

1997年10月至12月，研究人员对约瑟夫·波拿巴湾（Joseph Bonaparte Gulf, JBG）的河口生境开展桁杆拖网采样，以探明幼红腿香蕉虾（斑节对虾，*Penaeus indicus*，H. Milne Edwards, 1837）与幼白香蕉虾（墨吉对虾，*Penaeus merguiensis*，de Mann, 1888）的分布情况。本次研究共在185个采样点完成229次桁杆拖网作业，采样航线大多位于皮尔斯角（维多利亚河以北）至乔治王河西侧（含剑桥湾）之间，单次拖网航程约100米、作业时长3分钟。研究采用全球定位系统（Global Positioning System, GPS）接收机对采样点位进行定位验证。1998年10月至12月，研究人员对1997年已采样的3条河流开展集中式复采样，以确认两种对虾在海湾全域的分布格局，并探究斑节对虾的微生境利用特征。复采点位选自福赛斯溪（约瑟夫·波拿巴湾东部）、莱恩河（剑桥湾）以及伯克利河（约瑟夫·波拿巴湾西部）的原有采样点与新增布设点位。本次复采共计在21个采样点完成249次拖网作业，单次拖网航程大多为100米。此外，研究团队还同步采集了盐度、水温、塞氏（Secchi）透明度、潮汐数据与沉积物样品。