*

Snapper is widely distributed in Australia and managed as twelve stocks. Six are sustainable, one is recovering, four are depleted and one is undefined.

Jurisdiction	Stock	Stock status	Indicators
Western Australia	West Coast	Depleted	Catch, fishing mortality rate, spawning potential ratio
Western Australia	Shark Bay Oceanic	Recovering	Catch, CPUE, estimated biomass
Western Australia	Shark Bay Inshore Freycinet Estuary	Sustainable	Catch, estimated biomass
Western Australia	Shark Bay Inshore Denham Sound	Sustainable	Catch, estimated biomass
Western Australia	Shark Bay Inshore Eastern Gulf	Sustainable	Catch, estimated biomass
Western Australia	South Coast	Sustainable	Catch, fishing mortality rate, spawning potential ratio

Snapper has a wide distribution in Australia, ranging from waters off the north coast of Western Australia, around the south of the continent, and up to northern Queensland around Hinchinbrook Island [Kailola et al. 1993]. Within this broad distribution, the biological stock structure is complex and there are considerable differences in the spatial scales over which populations are divisible into separate stocks.

Recent genetic studies of Snapper using microsatellite markers have led to a refined understanding of stock structure for the east Australian coast that have indicated greater complexity than previously thought. Snapper from Queensland to south coast New South Wales show little genetic differentiation and are considered to represent a single genetic stock [Morgan et al. 2019], consistent with earlier studies using allozymes [Sumpton et al. 2008]. This stock is referred to as the East Coast stock, with the Queensland and New South Wales components managed and assessed at the jurisdictional level. Snapper within the East Coast biological stock is thought to be largely resident; however, some individuals do move long distances [Sumpton et al. 2003; Harasti et al. 2015; Stewart et al. 2019]. The majority of commercial landings in New South Wales are thought to consist of fish that recruit from local estuaries [Gillanders 2002]. In addition to the limited mixing within the stock, key biological traits of Snapper (such as the size and age at maturity) vary with latitude [Stewart et al. 2010]. It is therefore appropriate to manage and report on stock status of the East Coast biological stock of Snapper at the jurisdictional level as Queensland and New South Wales jurisdictional stocks.

Snapper from eastern Victoria are now recognised as genetically differentiated from those that inhabit the southern coast of New South Wales, i.e. north of Eden [Morgan et al. 2019]. As such, Snapper from Wilsons Promontory to southern New South Wales are considered a separate biological stock that is referred to as the Eastern Victorian stock. Although there is low genetic variation between the eastern and western sides of Wilsons Promontory [Meggs and Austin 2003; Morgan et al. unpublished], separation between these populations has been supported by tagging and otolith chemistry studies [Coutin et al. 2003; Hamer et al. 2011]. Snapper to the west of Wilsons Promontory, including the important fisheries of Port Phillip Bay and Western Port, constitute the Western Victorian biological stock. This stock extends westward from Wilsons Promontory to near the mouth of the Murray River in south-eastern South Australia [Sanders 1974; Donnellan and McGlennon 1996; Hamer et al. 2011; Fowler et al. 2017].

The South Australian fishery was originally divided into six management units, due to uncertainty about movement among different regional populations [Fowler et al. 2013]. However, a recent study evaluated the stock structure and adult movement among regional populations within South Australia and western Victoria [Fowler 2016; Fowler et al. 2017], based on inter-regional comparisons of otolith chemistry, otolith increment widths, and population characteristics. The study differentiated three stocks. The Western Victorian stock extends westward into south-eastern South Australia, and depends on recruitment into, and subsequent emigration from, Port Phillip Bay in Victoria. As such, this is a cross-jurisdictional stock, although the components from the two states are still managed independently. The two other stocks are wholly located within South Australia. The Spencer Gulf/West Coast stock depends on recruitment into Northern Spencer Gulf from where some fish eventually emigrate to replenish the populations of Southern Spencer Gulf and the west coast of Eyre Peninsula. The third is the Gulf St. Vincent stock, which relies on recruitment into Northern Gulf St. Vincent, and subsequent emigration to Southern Gulf St. Vincent and Investigator Strait [Fowler 2016; Fowler et al. 2017].

In Western Australia, Snapper is currently divided into six management units. At the smaller geographic scale inside Shark Bay within the Gascoyne bioregion, genetically related but biologically separate stocks have been identified in the Eastern Gulf, Denham Sound and Freycinet Estuary based on otolith microchemistry, tagging and egg/larval dispersal modelling [Johnson et al. 1986; Edmonds et al. 1999; Bastow et al. 2002; Moran et al. 2003; Nahas et al. 2003; Norriss et al. 2012; Gardner et al. 2017]. At the larger scale, Snapper in oceanic waters off the Western Australian coast that comprise the three remaining management units, i.e., Shark Bay Oceanic, West Coast and South Coast, show low levels of genetic differentiation over hundreds of kilometres consistent with gene flow that is primarily limited by geographic distance [Gardner and Chaplin 2011; Gardner et al. 2017; Bertram et al. 2022]. Recent analyses of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs, neutral loci) identified genetic discontinuities between three broad-scale genetic stocks (i.e., upper west coast, lower west coast and south coast) [Bertram et al. 2022], however, differences in biological and fishery characteristics within these boundaries supports the need for assessments to be undertaken at finer spatial scales [Jackson et al. 2023]. Otolith microchemistry has indicated residency of adult Snapper in the Gascoyne, West and South Coast bioregions, but with recruitment likely coming from multiple nursery areas [Wakefield et al. 2011; Fairclough et al. 2013; Jackson et al. 2023]. Tagging studies support these findings with most adults tagged at the key spawning locations in the Gascoyne and West Coast bioregions recaptured within 100 km, as well as philopatry of adults that aggregate to spawn in embayments on the west coast [Moran et al. 2003; Wakefield et al. 2011; Crisafulli et al. 2019].

Here, assessment of stock status for Snapper is presented at the biological stock level—Shark Bay inshore Eastern Gulf, Shark Bay inshore Denham Sound, Shark Bay inshore Freycinet Estuary (Western Australia); Eastern Victoria (Victoria), Western Victoria (Victoria and South Australia), Gulf St Vincent, Spencer Gulf/West Coast (South Australia); the management unit level—South Coast, Shark Bay Oceanic and West Coast (Western Australia); and the jurisdictional level–Queensland and New South Wales.

Shark Bay Inshore Denham Sound

Since 2003, there have been very conservative management arrangements and correspondingly low levels of catch from the Denham Sound biological stock. The commercial catch of Snapper has averaged around 1 t since 2003 and was less than 1 t in 2022, which was well below the target of less than 4 t. In 2022, the recreational catch, which included the charter sector, was estimated at approximately 6 t, which was well below the target of less than 12 t.

The most recent integrated model-based stock assessment that included data to 2015, indicated that spawning biomass in 2015 was well above the target reference level of 40% of the unexploited spawning biomass [Jackson et al. 2015]. More recently, a Catch-MSY analysis using catch data from all sectors for the period from 1980 to 2019 produced an MSY-estimate of 12.87 t (95% CLs 10.15–15.36) (DPIRD unpublished data). 

The above evidence indicates that the biomass of this stock is unlikely to be depleted and that recruitment is unlikely to be impaired. Furthermore, 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, the Shark Bay Inshore–Denham Sound (Western Australia) biological stock is classified as a sustainable stock.

Shark Bay Inshore Eastern Gulf

Since 2003, there have been very conservative management arrangements and correspondingly low levels of catch from the Eastern Gulf biological stock. The commercial catch of Snapper has averaged less than 0.5 t since 2003 and was 0.5 t in 2022 (target of less than 4 t). In 2022, the recreational catch, which included the charter sector, in 2022 was approximately 2 t, which was well below the target of less than 12 t. 

The most recent integrated model-based stock assessment included data to 2015 and indicated that spawning biomass in 2015 was well above the target reference point of 40% of the unexploited spawning biomass [Jackson et al. 2015]. In 2020, a Catch-MSY analysis using catch data from all sectors for the period from 1980 to 2019 produced an MSY-estimate of 24.50 t (95% CLs 17.18–35.12) (DPIRD unpublished data).

The above evidence indicates that the biomass of this stock is unlikely to be depleted and that recruitment is unlikely to be impaired. Furthermore, 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, the Shark Bay Inshore–Eastern Gulf (Western Australia) biological stock is classified as a sustainable stock.

Shark Bay Inshore Freycinet Estuary

Since 2003, the commercial catch of Snapper from the Freyicent Estuary biological stock has been almost nil (target of approximately 1 t). In 2022, the recreational catch, which included the charter sector, was approximately 13 t, which was considerably higher than the target of less than 4 t. However, this level of fishing mortality is around the estimated mean Catch-MSY and is unlikely to cause the biological stock to become recruitment impaired.

The most recent integrated model-based stock assessment included data to 2015 and indicated that spawning biomass in 2015 was well above the target reference level of 40% of the unexploited spawning biomass [Jackson et al. 2015]. In 2020, a Catch-MSY analysis using catch data from all sectors for the period from 1980 to 2019 produced a MSY estimate of 13.86 t (95% CLs 10.83–16.86) (DPIRD unpublished data). Given the very conservative management arrangements that have been in effect since 2003, and the level of catches against the target ranges for much of the period since then (see below), the biological stock is not considered to be recruitment impaired.

On the basis of the evidence provided above, the Shark Bay Inshore–Freycinet Estuary (Western Australia) biological stock is classified as a sustainable stock.

Shark Bay Oceanic

InIn 2021–22, the commercial catch of Snapper from the Shark Bay Oceanic management unit was 42 t, which was below the TACC of 51 t. During the same period, the combined catch from the recreational and charter sectors was approximately 25 t. This level of fishing mortality, where total catch is maintained at less than 100 t, is expected to continue to assist the stock recovering to above the threshold level of 30% of unfished levels over the next five years (consistent with the Snapper Recovery Plan and Harvest Strategy).

The most recent integrated model-based stock assessment included commercial catch, catch rate and age composition data to the 2020–21 season and indicated that spawning biomass in 2021 had rebuilt to 0.27 of the unfished level (95% CLs, 0.13–0.42) [Jackson et al. 2023]. 

The above evidence indicates that the biomass of this stock is likely to be depleted and that recruitment is likely to be impaired. Although the current value of spawning biomass was below the threshold of 0.3, Shark Bay Oceanic Snapper is expected to recover to above this level over the next five years if the current low level of catch is maintained.

On the basis of the evidence provided above, Shark Bay Oceanic (Western Australia) management unit is classified as a recovering stock.

South Coast

The most recent stock assessment of Snapper on the south coast of Western Australia included data to 2014 and indicated that estimates of fishing mortality rate and spawning potential ratio were between the management target and threshold levels [Norriss et al. 2016]. The stock was not considered to be recruitment impaired. The assessment concluded there was no capacity for increased catches beyond historical levels before risk becomes unacceptable.

Annual commercial catches from 2015 to 2021 averaged 33 t compared with the average of 50 t during the preceding decade. The total commercial catch of Snapper from the South Coast management unit in 2022 was 27 t. The recreational catch in 2020–21 was aprroximately12 t. While there are no formal catch limits in place, the current catch levels are well within the historic range.

The above evidence indicates that the biomass of this stock is unlikely to be depleted and that recruitment is unlikely to be impaired. Furthermore, 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, the South Coast (Western Australia) management unit is classified as a sustainable stock.

West Coast

Catches of Snapper in the West Coast Bioregion (Western Australia), which have primarily been retained by commercial line fishing, increased rapidly in the 1980s to a peak over 500 t in 1988. Annual catches have fluctuated widely as a result of variability in recruitment of this species, with subsequent minima and maxima of around 200 t and 400 t, respectively, in 1993 and 2004. Total Snapper catches of the commercial and recreational sectors have generally remained below 250 t since 2010, when significant management action was taken to reduce fishing effort and catch of demersal scalefish in the West Coast Bioregion. A 20-year recovery plan is in place to monitor the recovery of the West Coast Demersal Scalefish Resource (WCDSR). In addition to the periodic assessments of indicator species [Newman et al. 2018], annual reviews of retained catches and estimates of post-release mortality (PRM) for key species are also undertaken against recovery benchmarks for each sector to inform management of the resource [DPIRD 2021].

In the West Coast Bioregion, Snapper catches retained by the commercial and recreational fishing sectors in 2020–21 were 109 t and 80 t, respectively, with the latter comprising 52 t landed by private-boat-based fishers and 28 t landed by charter fishers [Ryan et al. 2022; Fisher et al. 2023]. The combined retained catch and estimated PRM (referred to hereafter as total fishing mortality) of Snapper by the commercial sector exceeded the original recovery benchmark for this species of 138 t from 2010 to 2014 but has been maintained below this benchmark level since additional management action was taken in 2015 to reduce effort entitlement in the Mid-west and Kalbarri management areas (133 t in 2021–22). Estimates of total fishing mortality of Snapper in the WCB by the recreational sector have exceeded the original recovery benchmark of 35 t in each survey year since the Statewide recreational fishing survey commenced in 2011–12 (96 t in 2020–21).

The last assessment of Snapper in the West Coast Bioregion was based on biological data collected up to 2017-18 and fishery information (e.g., catches) up to 2020 [Fairclough et al. 2021]. For the first time, the assessment applied an integrated stock assessment model that incorporates relevant biological and fishery information, catches from all fishing sectors, commercial catch rate data as an index of abundance, and age composition data sampled from the catch of commercial and recreational fishers. The model accounts for the PRM of fish that are selected by fishing gear but are not retained due to being below the minimum legal length of 500 mm in the southern (South-West and Metropolitan) management areas, and 410 mm in the northern (Mid-West and Kalbarri) management areas. 

The 2021 assessment of Snapper in the West Coast Bioregion estimated that spawning biomass (B, relative to unfished levels) in 2020 was just below the limit reference point of 0.2 [Fairclough et al. 2021]. While the estimated B for the combined southern management areas in 2020 was more optimistic than that for the combined northern management areas, it was only slightly above the limit reference point. The model outputs show that the decline in B at the bioregion level has been halted since management action was taken between 2007 and 2010 to reduce catches, however, there was limited recovery by 2020. Model projections based on future catches being equivalent to the original catch limits (recovery benchmarks) outlined in the harvest strategy demonstrated that B at the bioregion level would unlikely rebuild stocks to above the threshold by 2030. 

Catch curve estimates of long-term, average fishing mortality (F) for fully-selected Snapper, calculated from age composition data from 2015–16 to 2017–18 using a model that accounts for recruitment variability [Fisher 2013], were above the limit reference level of 1.5 times the value of natural mortality (M) in the Metropolitan, Mid-West and Kalbarri management areas [Fairclough et al. 2021]. The estimated F for the South-West area was between the limit and the threshold level of M. These results, and the continued low proportion of older (greater than10 years) Snapper in the West Coast Bioregion, indicate that fishing pressure has remained too high, particularly in the Metropolitan, Mid-West and Kalbarri management areas. 

Following a review of the 2021 assessment outputs against the WCDSR Harvest Strategy [DPIRD 2021], management action was taken in February 2023 to reduce the original recovery benchmarks for the demersal suite and key species by 50% for both sectors. The indicator species approach is based on management being focused on species at highest risk to further depletion, to ensure the WCDSR is sustainably fished [Newman et al. 2018]. Although action has been taken to reduce the recovery benchmarks for Snapper in the West Coast Bioregion (to 69 t commercial and 17.5 t recreational, comprising both retained catches and PRM), there is not yet any evidence to show that the new management arrangements have reduced the total fishing mortality to the levels required to rebuild Snapper stocks by 2030.

The above evidence indicates that the biomass of this stock is likely to be depleted and that recruitment is likely to be impaired. Furthermore, the above evidence indicates that current fishing mortality levels are expected to prevent the stock recovering from a recruitment impaired state.

On the basis of the evidence provided above, the Snapper West Coast (Western Australia) management unit is classified as a depleted stock.

Snapper biology [Jackson et al. 2010, Stewart et al. 2010; Wakefield et al. 2015; Fowler et al. 2016; Wakefield et al. 2016; Jackson et al. 2023]

Species	Longevity / Maximum Size	Maturity (50 per cent)
Snapper	30–40 years, 1300 mm TL	2–7 years, 220–560 mm TL

Distribution of reported commercial catch of Snapper

	Western Australia
Commercial
Hand Line, Hand Reel or Powered Reels
Squid Jigging
Line
Dropline
Gillnet
Beach Seine
Haul Seine
Fish Trap
Longline (Unspecified)
Charter
Spearfishing
Hook and Line
Rod and reel
Recreational
Hook and Line
Indigenous
Unspecified

Method	Western Australia
Charter
Licence
Commercial
Catch limits
Gear restrictions
Limited entry
Size limit
Spatial closures
Recreational
Bag and boat limits
Catch limits
Gear restrictions
Licence
Possession limit
Seasonal closures
Size limit
Spatial closures

	Western Australia
Commercial	162.33t
Charter	39 t (2021–22) , 22 t
Indigenous	Unknown
Recreational	79 t (2020–21) (all stocks/management units combined), 77 t (2017–18)

Western Australia - Recreational (Catch). Ryan et al. 2022.

Western Australia – Recreational (Management Methods) In Western Australia, total recreational catch limits (that is, maximum catch limits) have been applied to stocks of Snapper in inner Shark Bay and the West Coast, to aid recovery of stocks.

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

Queensland – Recreational Fishing (Catch). Data are based at the whole of Queensland level and derived from statewide recreational fishing surveys. Where possible, estimates have been converted to weight (tonnes) using best known conversion multipliers. Conversion factors may display regional or temporal variability. In the absence of an adequate conversion factor, data presented as number of fish.

Queensland – Commercial and Charter (Catch). Queensland commercial and charter data has 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 – Commercial (Management Methods). Recent management changes are available at https://www.daf.qld.gov.au/business-priorities/fisheries/sustainable/legislation and harvest strategy information is available at https://www.daf.qld.gov.au/business-priorities/fisheries/sustainable/harvest-strategy  

New South Wales – Recreational (Catch). Murphy et al. 2022; Stewart 2023.

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

Victoria – Indigenous (Management Methods). A person who identifies as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander is exempt from the need to obtain a Victorian recreational fishing licence, provided they comply with all other rules that apply to recreational fishers, including rules on equipment, catch limits, size limits and restricted areas. Traditional (non-commercial) fishing activities that are carried out by members of a traditional owner group entity under an agreement pursuant to Victoria’s Traditional Owner Settlement Act 2010 are also exempt from the need to hold a recreational fishing licence, subject to any conditions outlined in the agreement. Native title holders are also exempt from the need to obtain a recreational fishing licence under the provisions of the Commonwealth’s Native Title Act 1993.

South Australia – Recreational (Catch). Beckmann et al. 2023.

Commercial catch of Snapper - note confidential catch not shown

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