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Black Jewfish is assessed as sustainable in WA, Regional NT, the Darwin Region and on the QLD East Coast. Stocks in the Gulf of Carpentaria are undefined, with limited information available.

Black Jewfish is a widespread Indo-Pacific species found from Exmouth Gulf in Western Australia, across Northern Australia to the central East Coast of Queensland. The stock structure for this species has been investigated across its entire Australian range. Recent research shows contrasting results in terms of the spatial extent of stocks based on different marker types. In the Northern Territory and Western Australia genetic markers suggested stock connectivity at spatial scales of 100s of kms, while parasites and otolith chemistry have indicated that stocks may exist at scales as low as 10s of kms [Porter et al. 2023; Randall et al. 2023; Saunders et al. 2016a; Taillebois et al. 2017], In Queensland waters, recent tagging and population genetic analysis suggested stock connectivity over 100s of kms, fish moving up to 250km, and genetic stock structure of up to approximately 700km [Williams et al. 2023]. Genetic stock structure research also showed a shared biological stock is present across Queensland and Northern Territory waters within the Gulf of Carpentaria.

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

Western Australia

Black Jewfish is caught primarily within the North Coast Nearshore and Estuarine Resource (NCNER) by the Kimberley Gillnet and Barramundi Managed Fishery (KGBMF) in small quantities as by-product. It is also caught in very small quantities as by-product in the Pilbara Fish Trawl Interim Managed Fishery, the Nickol Bay Prawn Managed Fishery, and the Pilbara Line Fishery. Black Jewfish is assessed primarily on the basis of the status of Barramundi and King Threadfin as indicators species [see Newman at al. 2018] for the NCNER. As these two species are classified as sustainable stocks in Western Australia. Given, the status of the indicator species, the level of risk associated with the sustainability of Black Jewfish in the NCNER is assessed as low. This assessment for Black jewfish is also supported by predictions for biomass and harvest rate from a data-limited Catch-MSY assessment model, with catches compared periodically to a model prediction for maximum sustainable yield (MSY).

Catch levels for Black Jewfish across the NCNER over the last 10 years (2013–22) have ranged from 2.5–5.5 t, with a mean annual catch of 3.8 t. This is consistent with averages catches across the previous 10 years being 3.8 t. In recent years, overall commercial effort directed towards this species, and associated catches have declined, in part due to two commercial gillnet licenses being removed in 2013 from the Broome coast area of the fishery [Newman et al. 2022], along with closures to commercial gillnet fishing along the Pilbara coast and Eighty-mile beach in the mid-2000s. This large area of the fishery is thus now only exposed to recreational, charter, and indigenous fishing. Black Jewfish are mostly caught by commercial fishing, with the recreational and charter component of the total catch averaging approximately 34% in the past 10 years. The Catch-MSY model applied to data on annual catches for this species since 1976, indicate that since the early 2000s, annual catches have remained at or below the mean predicted value for MSY, which is consistent with the predicted values for biomass in recent years being above B_MSY, and fishing mortality remaining below F_MSY. However, it is important to recognise that Catch-MSY is a data-limited technique with relatively strong assumptions dependent on user inputs. For this assessment, these included specified ranges for initial depletion (0.8–0.975, based on assumed low catches pre-1976), final depletion (0.4–0.8, was based on the non-targeting nature and large closed areas within its distribution) and low resilience (r=0.1–0.6, noting that this species has a longevity of approximately 13 years). The above results for Black Jewfish and current status of the two indicator species for the NCNER indicates that the biomass of Black Jewfish is unlikely to be depleted and that the current level of fishing mortality is unlikely to be sufficiently high to cause this stock to become recruitment overfished.

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

Black Jewfish biology [Phelan 2002; Welch et al. 2014; Williams et al. 2023]

Distribution of reported commercial catch of Black Jewfish. The Commercial Catch distribution of black jewfish in Queensland is limited by data confidentiality and management arrangements. As a result the map is not representative of the species distribution or catch distribution in Queensland

Western Australia – Recreational (Catch). Boat-based recreational catch if 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.

Western Australia – Active Vessels. Data is confidential as there were fewer than three vessels operating in the Pilbara Fish Trawl Interim Managed Fishery.

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.

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

Queensland – Recreational Fishing (Catch). Data with high uncertainty (Residual Error > 50 %) have 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 (Catch). Queensland commercial 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 – Commercial (Management Methods). Harvest strategies are available at: https://www.daf.qld.gov.au/business-priorities/fisheries/sustainable/harvest-strategy

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