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Brownstripe Snapper is widely distributed throughout northern Australia. The WA and NT jurisdictional stocks are classified as sustainable, as is the  Gulf of Carpentaria management unit (shared between QLD and the NT). The QLD East Coast management unit is undefined with limited information available.

Image courtesy of Queensland Government

Brownstripe Snapper are widely distributed throughout the western Pacific and eastern Indian Ocean region, ranging from New Caledonia and the Gilbert Islands to southern India, extending northwards to southern Japan and are also found in the Seychelles (Anderson and Allen 2001). In Australian waters, Brownstripe Snapper occur from the Houtman Abrolhos Islands in Western Australia, around the northern coast to Moreton Bay in southern Queensland.

There is little information on biological stock structure and population connectivity for this species in Australian waters. Brownstripe Snapper are broadly distributed across the continental shelf at depths ranging from 20 to 120 m, with a dispersal capacity via a pelagic egg and larval phase that may contribute to widespread gene flow. However, geographic separation of some populations and the likelihood of limited adult movement suggests separate management units are appropriate.

Here, assessment of stock status is presented at the jurisdictional level—Western Australia and Northern Territory—and the management unit level—Gulf of Carpentaria (Northern Territory and Queensland) and East Coast Queensland.

Western Australia

Brownstripe Snapper is caught primarily on the north west coast of Western Australia as a component of the multispecies Pilbara Demersal Scalefish Fisheries (which include the Pilbara Fish Trawl (Interim) Managed Fishery, the Pilbara Trap Managed Fishery and the Pilbara Line Fishery) in the Pilbara management region of the North Coast Bioregion; and also as a component of the Northern Demersal Scalefish Managed Fishery (NDSMF) in the Kimberley management region of the North Coast Bioregion of Western Australia [Newman et al. 2020].

Brownstripe Snapper is assessed on the basis of the status of several indicator species (including, for example, Red Emperor and Goldband Snapper in the Kimberley region) that represent the entire inshore demersal suite of species occurring at depths of 30–250 m [Newman et al. 2018]. The major performance measures for these indicator species are estimates of spawning stock levels estimated using an integrated age-structured assessment. The target level of spawning biomass is 40 per cent of the unfished level, with a threshold reference level of 30 per cent and a limit reference level of 20 per cent of the estimate of initial spawning biomass [DPIRD 2017]. Indicator species assessments determined that the spawning biomass levels of each of the indicator species were greater than 40 per cent of the unfished level in the Pilbara Demersal Scalefish Fisheries in 2015 (the year the last integrated assessment was undertaken). The spawning biomass levels of the indicator species were at the threshold level in the NDSMF in 2017 [Newman et al. 2020]. The above evidence indicates that the biomass of this stock is unlikely to be depleted and that recruitment is unlikely to be impaired.

The catch of Brownstripe Snapper in the Pilbara Demersal Scalefish Fisheries over the past 10 years (2010–19) have ranged from 80–208 tonnes (t), with a mean annual catch of 128 t. The catch of Brownstripe Snapper in the NDSMF has been low and stable for the past 10 years (2010–19), ranging from 3–18 t, with a mean annual catch of 11 t. A small amount of Brownstripe Snapper is caught in the Gascoyne region of WA with catches <1 tonne per year. The above evidence indicates that the current level of fishing mortality is unlikely to cause the stock to become recruitment impaired.

On the basis of the evidence provided above, Brownstripe Snapper in Western Australia is classified as a sustainable stock.

Brownstripe Snapper biology [Newman et al. 2000; Palla and Sotto 2021]

Distribution of reported commercial catch of Brownstripe Snapper

Queensland – Indigenous (management methods) for more information see https://www.daf.qld.gov.au/business-priorities/fisheries/traditional-fishing

Western Australia Active Vessels data is unreportable as there were fewer than three vessels operating in Pilbara Fish Trawl Interim Managed Fishery and Pilbara Trap Managed Fishery.

Western Australia – Recreational (Catch) Boat-based recreational catch is from 1 September 2017–31 August 2018. These data are derived from those reported in Ryan et al. [2019]. Shore based catches of Mangrove Jack are not known.

Western Australia – Recreational (management methods) A Recreational Fishing from Boat License is required for the use of a powered boat to fish or to transport catch or fishing gear to or from a land-based fishing location.

Western Australia – Indigenous (management methods) Subject to application of Section 211 of the Native Title Act 1993 (Cth), and the exemption from a requirement to hold a recreational fishing licence, the non-commercial take by Indigenous fishers is covered by the same arrangements as that for recreational fishing.

Commercial catch Brownstripe Snapper - note confidential catch not shown

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