Commercial fishery: The fishery is concentrated in large coastal bays and estuaries along the New South Wales coast such as Wallis, Macquarie, Tuggerah and Illawarra lakes and Jervis Bay. Small catches are also made by netting inshore in southern Queensland, mainly in Moreton Bay. Fishing is mostly done during the day using haul nets, power hauling nets, ring nets (Ref. 27011) and small mesh garfish seines (Ref. 26431) in water to about 5 m deep. About 10% of the commercial catch in South Australia is, however, taken at night with dab nets, using lights to search for fish on the surface. Eastern sea garfish are mostly caught with specialised ring nets, sometimes with purse seines. They are marketed fresh chilled, either whole or as butterfly fillets. Eastern sea garfish are also used as bait by recreational anglers; and small quantities are sold for 'sashimi' (raw fish) through the Sydney Fish Market. Recreational fishery: Eastern sea garfish are popular target fish for recreational anglers, especially during summer and early autumn (Ref. 27018). They are caught with handlines from shore, boats and jettties, with bait nets in Queensland.

Resource status: As of 1993, the status of eastern sea garfish resources is unknown in most States. The effect of seagrass bed degradation throughout the species' ranges could affect the resource status (Ref. 26431).

Also known from Norfolk and Lord Howe islands (Ref. 8879). Also Ref. 7300.