Striped Trumpeter

Interesting Info

• The Striped Trumpeter is a striking silvery fish with bold dark stripes running from its head to tail and a powerful, forked tail for speed.
• In Australia it lives along the southern coastline — from southern New South Wales through Victoria and Tasmania, across South Australia to southern Western Australia.
• Worldwide it also occurs in New Zealand, around the subantarctic St Paul and Amsterdam Islands, and even parts of South America and Atlantic islands.
• Juveniles gather in shallow bays, kelp forests and coastal reefs, while adults move offshore to deeper rocky reefs and steep slopes.
• They range from just a few metres deep down to 300+ m (985+ ft) in offshore waters.
• Their diet includes crabs, shrimps, squid, mussels and small fish, all crushed with strong jaws.
• Juveniles often form large schools, while big adults are more solitary or travel in small groups.
• Spawning occurs from winter to spring (June–October in Tasmania), with adults migrating offshore to release eggs into open water.
• They grow slowly and don’t reach maturity until around 10 years of age.
• Some individuals live beyond 40 years, making them one of the longest-lived southern reef fishes.
• Because of this slow growth and late maturity, populations are very vulnerable to overfishing.
• They are considered one of the best eating fishes in southern Australia, with firm, mild, white flesh.
• In southern Australia the stock is officially assessed as depleted, and strict fishing regulations are in place to aid recovery.
• Other common names include “trumpeter” and “stripy trumpeter.”
• Those bold stripes act as camouflage, breaking up their outline in kelp forests and reef shadows.