School Whiting is the marketing name for 3 regional species distinguished by a silvery white stripe along the middle of their sides. Available wild-caught, they are marine fish found from Bowen (Queensland) south to Shark Bay (WA), including Tasmania, schooling close to sandy bottoms, usually from 0-70m, with juveniles in estuaries or close to the coast.
Eastern (distinguished by a row of rusty brown spots on the upper side) occurs from Noosa (Queensland) south to Port Lincoln (SA).
Southern occurs from Western Port (Victoria) along the southern coast to Geraldton (WA). Stout (distinguished by a yellow blotch between the eye and pectoral fin) occurs on the western coast from Fremantle to at least Shark Bay, and on the eastern coast from Bowen (Queensland) to Newcastle (NSW), and in NT.
School Whiting are mainly caught in eastern Bass Strait by Danish seines, as well as with otter trawls off Queensland, NSW and WA and, in smaller quantities, off Victoria and Tasmania. A lot of the catch is frozen whole and exported. They are endemic to Australia.