Growth rate and mortality of Australian bass, Macquaria novemaculeata, in four freshwater impoundments in south-eastern Queensland, Australia

Growth and total mortality of Australian bass, Macquaria novemaculeata Steindachner, were studied in four freshwater impoundments using data from a cooperative angler tagging programme. Growth was modelled using the computer program GROTAG. Annual growth increments varied among impoundments, ranging from 5.0 to 7.8 cm yr^-1 among fish 20-cm total length (TL) and 1.7 to 4.9 cm yr^-1 among fish 30 cm TL, but exceeded previous estimates for the species. Annual total mortality rates, based on the decrease in recapture rate with time, ranged from 0.03 to 0.07 and were lower than for other comparable species, presumably because of the prevalence of catch and release fishing in the impoundments studied.