The NMDC gift shop offers an impressive selection of ocean-inspired merchandise - from souvenirs to books, as well as Western Fisheries - WA's own journal of marine science and the aquatic environment.
Sea Fishes of Southern Australia
There are thousands of different fish species and it is important to know what you are looking at for a number of reasons.
You may like to learn more about a fish species you have seen while snorkelling or diving. Some fish species are venomous or poisonous. Other species are protected, and sometimes knowing the difference from one species to another can mean the difference between a great day out fishing and a fine from a Fisheries and Marine Officer.
Some fish look very similar to each other…I'll give you an example: juvenile Australian salmon are very similar in appearance to Australian herring but each of these fish have very different bag and size limits. So when fishing, knowing that Australian herring have black dots at the end of its caudal (tail) fin and juvenile Australian salmon don't, is very important.
The NMDC Gift Shop has recently received stock of a great fish identification book, Sea Fishes of Southern Australia by Barry Hutchins & Roger Swainston. As well as being beautifully illustrated, this book provides information on species distribution, habitat and even an edibility rating. For only $29.95 it is great value for money.
