The historical accounts provide limited information about the fish species caught by the local inhabitants. Snapper, bream and mullet are the only names specifically mentioned. Other species that were caught are known from the fish bones found in Aboriginal shell middens that line the coast and estuarine shorelines.

Particular parts of fish skeletons, such as the jaw bones and otoliths, are unique and often identifiable as belonging to specific species. Otoliths are small bones that grow inside fish ears. In the Sydney region, snapper head bones are readily identifiable, especially by their distinctive frontal bone and supra-occipital crest.

Also unique and easily recognisable are the dorsal spines of leatherjackets.

Comparing excavated fish bones with present-day reference collections of identified fish skeletons often enables the excavated bones to be identified to family, genus or species level.

Yellow-Finned Bream
Acanthopagrus australis
X-ray: Taken by James King

Mulloway
Argyrosomus hololepidotus
X-ray: Taken by James King