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Painted Sweetlips are found throughout the tropical Indo-West Pacific region, from the Red Sea and East Africa to Japan and New Caledonia. There are six stocks in Australia of which two are considered sustainable, two are undefined and two are negligible.

Photo credit: NT Fisheries

The Painted Sweetlips Diagramma pictum is a member of the family Haemulidae broadly distributed throughout the tropical Indo-West Pacific region, from the Red Sea and East Africa to Japan and New Caledonia [Randall et al. 1997; Allen 2018]. Sweetlips exhibit high degrees of phenotypic plasticity and morphological variation, and the taxonomy of this group has been the subject of considerable debate in recent years. Five geographically discrete subspecies of Painted Sweetlip were described by Johnson et al. [2001], however most subspecies have since been elevated to the status of species rank [Tavera et al. 2018; Damadi et al. 2023]. As of 2023, Painted Sweetlips comprise two recognised sub-species within Australian waters – D. p. pictum and D. p. labiosum [Damadi et al. 2023]. Reported catch of Painted Sweetlips likely also includes morphologically similar species (e.g., Plectorhinchus caeruleonothus). The stock structure of Painted Sweetlips in Australian waters is unknown.

Adults are found in shallow coastal waters and coral reefs to a depth of 80 m and juveniles often occur in weedy areas [Allen 2018]. In Australia, Painted Sweetlips are distributed from the Houtman Abrolhos Islands in Western Australia, throughout the Northern Territory and Queensland down to waters off Sydney in New South Wales. While there have been no studies on the biology of Painted Sweetlips in Australian waters, overseas studies indicate that they are relatively productive, maturing at less than three years of age, albeit in an overfished stock in the Arabian Gulf which has likely been subjected to fishing-induced reductions in length and age at maturity [Grandcourt et al. 2007; Grandcourt et al. 2011]. 

Here the assessment of stocks will be presented at the management level for Queensland East Coast and Queensland Gulf of Carpentaria, and the jurisdictional level for the Commonwealth, New South Wales, Northern Territory and Western Australia.

East Coast

Most of the commercial harvest is taken as part of the Reef Line Fishery (RLF) within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, though a minimal amount (< 1 t on average since 1992–93) is also harvested from the East Coast Inshore Fishery (ECIF). Within the RLF Painted Sweetlip is retained as a by-product species. Commercial harvest in the RFL is managed through a multi species total allowable commercial catch (TACC) quota. Commercial catches within the RLF over the last four years have increased, approaching an average of 6 t per financial year (and a record high of 5.8 t in 2021–22). Similar catch trends were seen in the period from 2007–10, before catches dropped. There is some potential for greater targeting of species within the commercial fishery as quota is not species specific. In addition, species-specific harvest control rules and catch reference points were introduced through the RLF harvest strategy in early 2020 for by-product species (including Painted Sweetlip) [QDAF 2020a]. This harvest strategy provides additional control of fishing pressure and effort shift. These thresholds have not yet been met and the species remains a small portion of the total commercial RLF catch. The recreational and indigenous take is unknown. Charter catches are small with less than 1 t reported in 2021–22. Size limit of 25 cm is in place for all sectors and an individual possession limit of five fish applies for the recreational sector. There is insufficient information available to confidently assess this stock.

On the basis of the evidence provided above, the Queensland East Coast management unit is classified as an undefined stock.

Gulf of Carpentaria Queensland

Painted Sweetlips are taken as by-product in the Gulf of Carpentaria Developmental Fin Fish Trawl Fishery (GOCDFFTF). During the period from 2007–12, harvest of Painted Sweetlips in the GOCDFFTF averaged approximately 27 t. There is no estimate of maximum sustainable yield (MSY) for this species but harvest in some years has exceeded catches of some primary target species in the fishery (tropical snappers). From 2013–14 onwards catch within the GOCDFFTF has been low, following revised estimates of MSY for the entire fishery [Leigh and O’Neill 2016]. Fishing ceased entirely in 2016 and recommenced in 2020 after new permits were issued. The species is now managed as part of a multi species total allowable catch. Harvest in the period since October 2020 has been approximately 21t. Fishery independent surveys in 2021 provided updated estimates of relative biomass for the fishery [Knuckey et al. 2022] but uncertainty remains around stock structure and basic biology of the species. There is insufficient information available to confidently classify the status of this stock.

On the basis of the evidence provided above, the Gulf of Carpentaria Queensland management unit is classified as an undefined stock.

[Loubens 1980; Grandcourt et al. 2011] 

Distribution of reported commercial catch of Painted Sweetlip.

Commonwealth – Commercial (Management Methods/Catch). Data provided for the Commonwealth are for the 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 the Torres Strait. In general, non-commercial Indigenous fishing in Commonwealth waters is managed by the state or territory immediately adjacent to those waters.

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 – 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 based at the whole of Queensland level and derived from statewide recreational fishing surveys. Estimates have been converted to weight (tonnes) using best known conversion multipliers. Conversion factors may display regional or temporal variability.   

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

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

Western Australia – Recreational (catch). Boat-based recreational catch between 1 September 2020 and 31 August 2021 from Ryan et al. [2022]. Please note that catches of Barramundi are underestimates as shore-based and boat-based fishers that only operated in freshwater were out of scope of the survey.

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.

Commercial catch of Painted Sweetlip - note confidential catch not shown.

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