Mulloway

Interesting Info

• Mulloway, also known as Jewfish, are a prized and highly sought-after fish species in Australia, found along the southern coastline from Western Australia to New South Wales and parts of southern Queensland.
• They have an elongated, silver-grey body that is slightly compressed and can grow up to 1.5 meters long and weigh up to 60 kilograms, making them one of the largest estuarine fish species in Australia.
• Mulloway or jewfish are opportunistic predators and feed on a variety of prey. In estuarine environments, Mulloway primarily feed on fish such as mullet, whiting, bream, and herring, as well as crustaceans such as crabs and prawns. In deeper offshore waters, they feed on a wider range of prey, including squid, octopus, and various species of fish such as salmon, trevally, and snapper.
• Mulloway have a unique way of hunting their prey called “mouth fishing.” They use their large, expandable mouth to create a vacuum that sucks in unsuspecting prey.
• Mulloway are protandrous hermaphrodites, meaning they are born as males but can change into females later in life. They reach sexual maturity at around 5-6 years of age.
• They typically spawn in the winter months from May to September, with females releasing eggs into the water column, and males fertilising them externally. Their larvae are pelagic, and they move downstream to estuaries and the ocean, where they mature.
• Estimates of lifespan are up to 30 years.