The Nature Coast Marine Group (NCMG) columns have thus far dealt with all kinds of pretty, curious and sometimes rare beasts of the sea, which you may find while snorkelling, diving, or just fossicking about the sea shore.
But what about the less glamorous beasties - those included in the extensive "rubbish" family, as classified by that lord of the sea, the recreational fisher.
On a recent trip to South Australia, I was informed that everything except King George Whiting and Snapper are called "s*%@ties" - which sure saves an awful lot of time worrying about fish IDs....
Two of my favourite local rubbish fish are the rock cocky (or rock cale, Aplodactylus lophodon) and the eastern kelpfish, sometimes called a rock cod - and probably a lot worse (Chironemus marmoratus).
The rock cocky doesn't seem to bother line fishers, but is often the first target of neophyte spear fishers, as it is relatively large, and common. It grows to about 45 cm, and is often seen at or near that size.
It has the largest ratio of guts to flesh of any fish I have seen (presumably to deal with the relatively indigestible algae which appear to form part of its diet), and is said to be inedible.
It isn't poisonous, so perhaps it's worth a try in the interests of gastronomy, as sometimes inedibility is a state of mind, often enhanced by an ignorant cook. Australian salmon is a case in point...
But I digress. The eastern kelpfish grows to about 40 cm and will readily take bait offered in the hope of luring black drummer (rock blackfish) or bream - or actually anything other than the poor kelpfish. It is also said to be inedible, or at least is rejected by fishers as a take-home trophy, except perhaps by accident.
Both species thrive in that most difficult environment, the surge zone off rock platforms. They can wedge themselves into crevices, and often use their pectoral fins to move about as they hug the bottom.
At first glance they look alike, both being a mottled grey or brownish grey colour; but the rock cocky has a rounded (cockatoo-shaped) head, while the eastern kelpfish has a more pointy-head.
Divers and snorkellers more commonly see the rock cocky, perhaps because line fishers don't often catch it.
So why care about rubbish fish? Well, they are a natural part of the marine environment - they are not introduced or feral - so they must have a place. Just what that place is, is hard to say.
Being of no commercial or recreational interest, they have been little studied, so who knows what knock-on effects there might be if they disappeared (fortunately, unlikely at this point).
At a basic level, they are food for other species perhaps of more interest to humans, such as wobbegongs and other sharks.
I like them because they are survivors. Anyone watching storm waves pound the coast will get some appreciation for how hard it must be to survive in that zone. And the rock cocky is often the last sizable fish remaining in heavily fished areas - so at least they provide something to see there.
But does that mean that there are 'too many' of them?
Certainly, finding only rubbish fish suggests a system out of balance. Sanctuary zones in marine parks provide the opportunity for the majority of species to reach some kind of balance, free from human predation.
In achieving that balance, there will be winners - and losers, too. It is a common misconception that 'everything' increases in numbers in a sanctuary zone.
Regrettably, I have seen recreational fishers 'punish' eastern kelpfish when they inadvertently catch them; ripping the hooks out and heaving them up the shore, to make sure they die, thus reducing the population... a practice that says a lot more about the individual than the fish.
It's got to be better to create a network of marine sanctuary zones to allow natural communities to re-establish, just as we do with national parks on land. In any case, surely ethical fishing requires you to kill only what you need, and deal with the rest as humanely as possible. Fortunately the latter attitude seems much more common.
The Nature Coast Marine Group has an extensive program of activities where members can have fun learning about the marine environment. To find out more about the Group and to see other columns in this series, visit the website ncmg.org.au.
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