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Ruby Snappers are widely distributed throughout northern Australian waters. There are two biological stocks. The Northern Australia stock encompasses all Australian waters west of Torres Strait (i.e. waters off the NT and WA), while the Eastern Australian stock occurs off the east coast of QLD, extending south into NSW. The Northern Australia stock is sustainable, while the Eastern Australia stock is currently undefined, although the level of catch is very low.

Photo: Stephen Newman, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Western Australia

Andrews et al. [2016] examined the phylogeny of deepwater snappers of the genus Etelis using two mtDNA loci and two nuclear introns. The analyses of Andrews et al. [2016] indicated that species identified as Etelis carbunculus is comprised of two distinct, non-interbreeding lineages separated by a deep divergence, i.e., it was comprised of two cryptic species, E. carbunculus and a larger Etelis boweni (described by Andrews et al. 2021). Both cryptic species exhibit overlapping Indo-Pacific distributions, with E. carbunculus being more widespread across the Indo-Pacific, whereas the larger E. boweni is reported mainly from the Indian Ocean and Western Central Pacific [Andrews et al. 2016]. While these two species are morphologically similar, there are differences in the coloration of the upper-caudal fin tip, the shape of the opercular spine, differences in adult body length, body depth, and head length, and otolith morphometrics that can be used to separate the species [Wakefield et al. 2014; Andrews et al. 2016]. These species are now commonly referred to as pygmy ruby snapper (E. carbunculus) and giant ruby snapper (E. boweni). The main species landed in northern Australian waters is E. boweni [Andrews et al. 2021]. 

Andrews et al. [2020] investigated the population structure of E. carbunculus and E. boweni (as well as Etelis coruscans) across their distributional range in the Indo-Pacific. Andrews et al. [2020] examined a total of 1,064 specimens of E. carbunculus from 11 regions, and 590 specimens of E. boweni from 16 regions. Samples of E. carbunculus were analysed using mtDNA and 9–11 microsatellite loci, while E. boweni was analysed with mtDNA only. Etelis carbunculus exhibited low but significant levels of isolation for the Hawaiian Archipelago, and divergence between Tonga and Fiji. Etelisboweni exhibited little structure except a strong pattern of isolation for both Seychelles and Tonga at the edge of their distribution (east and west, respectively). This indicates populations are structured on the wider scale of ocean basins and the capacity for widespread dispersal throughout the Indo-Pacific region. As such, Australian populations of Ruby Snappers are likely to form a single biological stock in the Western Pacific area (east coast) and the eastern Indian Ocean area (west coast). 

Here, assessment of stock status of Ruby Snappers is presented at the biological stock level—Northern Australia (Western Australia, Northern Territory, Commonwealth, Queensland); and Eastern Australia (Queensland, Commonwealth, New South Wales).

Eastern Australia

In Queensland, Ruby Snapper species are reported as a single group, likely comprised primarily of Etelis carbunculus and Etelis boweni, but potentially also including similar-looking species (e.g. Flame Snapper, Etelis coruscans). Additionally, some catch of Ruby Snappers may be reported in the Unspecified Tropical Snapper catch category. Commercial harvest of Ruby Snapper in Queensland is constrained by a multi-species Total Allowable Commercial Catch, in addition to species-specific harvest control rules as part of the newly implemented Reef Line Fishery Harvest Strategy [QDAF 2020]. For secondary target and by-product species like Ruby Snapper, this includes catch reference points that trigger stock assessments and implementation of a species-specific Total Allowable Commercial Catch. Estimated commercial catch has stayed consistently low over the past decade (less than 3 tonnes (t)). Most recent catch estimates were 2 t and 76 days effort in 2021-22. The recreational harvest of Ruby Snapper in Queensland is considered to be low with no reported catch in the most recent recreational fishing survey [Teixeira et al. 2021].

Catch of finfish in the Commonwealth Coral Sea Fishery (CSF) is also managed as a diverse group of species, including the Ruby Snapper species group, caught by line gears and there are no species-specific catch limits. Commonwealth commercial catch of the Ruby Snapper species group averaged less than 1 t per annum during 2017–18 to 2021–22 financial years and was less than 1 t in the 2021–22 financial year. Line fishing in the Commonwealth managed part of the stock is unlikely to be having a negative impact on the stock. 

In NSW, two species from the genus Etelis are reported in commercial catches; the Flame Snapper (Etelis coruscans) and Ruby Snapper (E. carbunculus). This assessment presents only data for the latter. Reported catch of Ruby Snappers in NSW is very low, with the total commercial catch since 2016 below 1 t per year and recreational and indigenous harvest are unknown. 

No formal stock assessments have been undertaken to quantify biomass levels of Ruby Snapper on the east coast of Australia, and there are no estimates of indigenous or recreational harvest for this species or species complex. The reported catch is low relative to the distribution of the species on the east coast. There is insufficient information available to confidently classify the status of this stock.

On the basis of the evidence provided above, the Eastern Australian biological stock is classified as an undefined stock.

Ruby Snappers biology [Wakefield et al. 2020]

Distribution of reported commercial catch of Ruby Snappers

Western Australia – Recreational (Catch). Boat-based recreational catch is from 1 September 2020–31 August 2021. These data are derived from those reported in Ryan et al. 2022.

Western Australia – Recreational (Management Methods). A Recreational Fishing from Boat Licence 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.

New South Wales – Recreational (Catch). Murphy et al. [2022].

New South Wales – Indigenous (Management Methods). https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fishing/aboriginal-fishing

Queensland – Indigenous (Management Methods). For more information see: https://www.daf.qld.gov.au/business-priorities/fisheries/traditional-fishing

Queensland – Commercial (Catch). Queensland commercial and charter data have been sourced from the commercial fisheries logbook program. Further information available through the Queensland Fisheries Summary Report: https://www.daf.qld.gov.au/business-priorities/fisheries/monitoring-research/data/queensland-fisheries-summary-report

Queensland – Recreational Fishing (Catch). Data with high uncertainty (Residual Error > 50 %) has been excluded and listed as unknown. More information available at: https://www.daf.qld.gov.au/business-priorities/fisheries/monitoring-research/monitoring-reporting/statewide-recreational-fishing-surveys

Queensland – Commercial (Management Methods). Harvest strategies available at: https://www.daf.qld.gov.au/business-priorities/fisheries/sustainable/harvest-strategy

Northern Territory – Charter (Management Methods). In the Northern Territory, charter operators are regulated through the same management methods as the recreational sector but are subject to additional limits on license and passenger numbers.

Northern Territory - Indigenous (Management Methods). The Fisheries Act 1988 (NT), specifies that: “Unless expressly provided otherwise, nothing in this Act derogates or limits the right of Aboriginal people who have traditionally used the resources of an area of land or water in a traditional manner to continue to use those resources in that area in that manner.”

Commonwealth – Commercial (Management Methods/Catch). Data provided for the Commonwealth align with 2021–22 financial year.

Commonwealth – Recreational. The Australian government does not manage recreational fishing in Commonwealth waters. Recreational fishing in Commonwealth waters is managed by the state or territory immediately adjacent to those waters, under its management regulations.  

Commonwealth – Indigenous. The Australian government does not manage non-commercial Indigenous fishing in Commonwealth waters, with the exception of Torres Strait. In general, non-commercial Indigenous fishing in Commonwealth waters is managed by the state or territory immediately adjacent to those waters.

Commercial catch of Ruby Snappers - note confidential catch not shown

1. Andrews, KR, Copus, JM, Wilcox, C, Williams, AJ, Newman, SJ, Wakefield, CB and Bowen, BW 2020, Range-wide population structure of three deepwater Eteline snappers across the Indo-Pacific basin. Journal of Heredity
2. Andrews, KR, Williams, AJ, Fernandez-Silva, I, Newman, SJ, Copus, JM, Wakefield, CB, Randall, JE, and Bowen, BW 2016, Phylogeny of deepwater snappers (Genus Etelis) reveals a cryptic species pair in the Indo-Pacific and Pleistocene invasion of the Atlantic. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 100: 361-371.
3. DPIRD 2017, North Coast demersal scalefish resource harvest strategy 2017 – 2021, Version 1.0, Fisheries Management Paper No. 285, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Government of Western Australia, Perth, Australia, 35 pp.
4. Murphy, JJ, Ochwada-Doyle, FA, West, LD, Stark, KE,Hughes, JM and Taylor, MD 2022, Survey of recreational fishing in NSW, 2019/20. NSW DPI - Fisheries Final Report Series No. 161.
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6. Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries 2020, Reef line fishery harvest strategy: 2020–2025. Brisbane, Queensland.
7. Ryan KL, Lai EKM, Smallwood CB. 2022. Boat-based recreational fishing in Western Australia 2020/21. Fisheries Research Report No. 327 Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Western Australia. 221pp.
8. Teixeira, D, Janes, R, and Webley, J 2021, 2019–20 Statewide Recreational Fishing Survey Key Results. Project Report. State of Queensland, Brisbane.
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10. Wakefield, CB, Williams, AJ, Newman, SJ, Bunel M, Dowling, CE, Armstrong, CA and Langlois, TJ 2014, rapid and reliable multivariate discrimination for two cryptic Eteline snappers using otolith morphometry, Fisheries Research 151: 100–106
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