Snapper stock assessments and management timeline

The following timeline highlights snapper stock assessments and management responses since 2010.

2022

Snapper Stock Assessment Report 2022 (PDF 11.0 MB)

  • Spencer Gulf/West Coast stock remains depleted
  • Gulf St Vincent stock remains classified as depleted
  • South East region (which is part of the Western Victoria stock) remains sustainable

Management response:

  • The Marine Scalefish Fishery Management Advisory Committee (MSFMAC) recommended the continuation of the closure for the Spencer Gulf / West Coast and Gulf St Vincent stocks. The State Government supported the recommendation and extended the closure to 30 June 2026.
  • The South East region was classified as sustainable and remains open to fishing under a total allowable catch (TAC).

2021

Marine Scalefish Fishery reform

Management response:

Implementation of major reforms to the commercial Marine Scalefish Fishery from 1 July 2021 including:

  • Four fishing zones established
    • West Coast
    • Spencer Gulf
    • Gulf St Vincent and Kangaroo Island
    • South East.
  • Individual transferable quota (ITQ) management systems established for King George Whiting, Snapper, Southern Garfish and Southern Calamari for the Marine Scalefish Fishery and the Rock Lobster Fisheries, managed by a total allowable commercial catch.
  • Separating the commercial taking of Vongole and Sardine from the Marine Scalefish Fishery and the creation of the new fisheries under their own regulations.
  • The voluntary surrender of 100 commercial licences from the Marine Scalefish Fishery.

2020

Snapper Fishery Assessment Report – September 2020 (PDF 8.3 MB)

  • Spencer Gulf/West Coast stock remains depleted
  • Gulf St Vincent stock reduced from depleting to depleted
  • South East region, part of the Western Victoria stock, remains sustainable.

Management response:

  • Total allowable catch limits set for the South East region in the 2021 season.

2019

Public consultation on management scenarios for Snapper management in South Australia (PDF 1.0 MB)

Snapper Fishery Assessment Report – September 2019

  • Spencer Gulf/West Coast was depleted (overfished).
  • Gulf St Vincent stock classified as depleting for the first time.
  • Western Victoria (South East) stock classified as sustainable.

Management response:

  • Stakeholder and public consultation undertaken to gauge feedback on possible management scenarios.
  • New management arrangements announced.
  • The new management arrangements included the closure of the Spencer Gulf / West Coast and Gulf St Vincent stocks to fishing from 1 November 2019 to 31 January 2023.

2018

Assessment of the South Australian Marine Scalefish Fishery in 2017 (PDF 8.6 MB)

Snapper stock/status:

  • Spencer Gulf/West Coast was classified as depleted (overfished).
  • Western Victoria (South East) stock sustainable.

Management response:

  • Spatial closures revised to include Point Lowly, Tapley Shoal and Sellicks Grounds.
  • Daily bag limits reduced for recreational fishers on a charter boat.
  • Commercial, trip and hook limits, weekend restrictions continued.
  • Further consultation with commercial, recreational and charter sectors to continue in 2019 regarding future management arrangements for Snapper.
  • Restricted the transfer of Marine Scalefish Fishery licences to 1 in every 5 years.

Relevant report (not publicly available): Memorandum of understanding (MoU) between PIRSA and Victorian Fisheries Authority (VFA) regarding the management of the Western Victorian Snapper Stock.

Snapper stock/status:

  • Western Victorian/South East Stock.

Management response:

  • PIRSA and VFA establish a multi-jurisdictional MoU to support management on the Western Victorian stock.
  • The MoU is to formalise the communication between PIRSA and VFA to ensure a more cohesive approach to the management, engagement and stock assessment of the western Victorian Snapper stock.

Marine Scalefish Fishery reform

Management response:

  • Commercial Marine Scalefish Fishery Reform Advisory Committee established to develop a reform package for the Marine Scalefish Fishery, to explore:
    • introducing zones
    • fleet rationalisation
    • introducing a modernised fisheries management system.

2017

Developing a fishery independent estimate of biomass for Snapper (PDF 2.5 MB)

Snapper stock/status:

  • Snapper daily egg production (DEPM) report published.

Management response:

  • Management arrangements continued for all sectors.

Marine Scalefish Fishery strategic review.

Management response:

  • Recommendations from strategic review of Marine Scalefish Fishery focused on modernising the fishery management framework and restructuring/rationalising the fishery through a voluntary structural adjustment process.

Management Plan for Recreational Fishing (PDF 1.8 MB)

Management response:

  • Released in September 2017.
  • Goals and objectives to support managing recreational fishing.
  • Harvest strategy with decision rules.
  • Co-management arrangements.

2016

Snapper Stock Structure Report (PDF 18.3 MB)

Snapper stock/status:

  • The influence of fish movement on regional fishery production and stock structure for South Australia's Snapper Fishery Report.

Management response:

  • The report revised the stock structure of Snapper and indicated that there were three biological Snapper stocks:
    • Gulf St Vincent
    • Spencer Gulf/West Coast
    • Western Victorian/South East SA.

Relevant reports:

Snapper stock/status:

  • Spencer Gulf/West Coast stock assessed as transitional depleting.
  • Gulf St Vincent and Western Victoria (South East) stock sustainable.

Management response:

  • Seasonal closure continuation.
  • Spawning spatial closures continuation.
  • Daily trip limits reduced to 200 kg in Spencer Gulf and 350 kg in Gulf St Vincent / South East for commercial fishing sector.
  • Restrictions to longlining on weekends for commercial sector.
  • Snapper must be landed in the same region in which they were taken.
  • Bag and boat limits reduced for recreational fishing sector following recreational fishing review.

Strategic review of Marine Scalefish Fishery (PDF 3.2 MB)

Management response:

  • Marine Scalefish Fishery Strategic Review Working Group established to develop a new strategic direction for the management of the fishery.
  • Discussion paper developed and distributed, port meetings held with commercial fishery.

2015

Management response:

  • Management arrangements continued for all sectors.

2014

Snapper stock/status:

  • Northern Spencer Gulf, Southern Spencer Gulf, Southern Gulf St Vincent and South East all assessed as transitional depleting.
  • Northern Gulf St Vincent sustainable.
  • West Coast undefined.

Management response:

  • 2013-14 recreational fishing survey undertaken.
  • Management arrangements continued for all sectors.

2013

Relevant report: Snapper Fishery Assessment Report 2013 (PDF 6.2 MB)

Snapper stock/status:

  • Northern Spencer Gulf, Southern Spencer Gulf, Southern Gulf St Vincent and South East all classified as transitional depleting.
  • Northern Gulf St Vincent sustainable.
  • West Coast undefined.

Management response:

  • Daily trip limits reduced to 500 kg for commercial fishing sector.
  • Maximum three-day multi-trip limit introduced.
  • Hook limits reduced in the gulfs from 400 to 200.
  • Snapper must not be transhipped at sea.
  • Spatial spawning closures implemented in Spencer Gulf and Gulf St Vincent for all sectors.

Relevant reports:

Management response:

  • Management plan released October 2013.
  • Goals and objectives to support management of Marine Scalefish Fishery.
  • Snapper harvest strategy with decision making framework.
  • First allocations between the:
    • commercial 81%
    • recreational 18%
    • Aboriginal traditional 1%.
  • Co-management arrangements.

2012

Management response:

  • 800 kg a day trip limit introduced in Spencer Gulf and Gulf St Vincent for commercial sector.
  • Prior reporting requirements for the commercial sector.
  • Extended the state-wide seasonal closure from 1 November to 15 December for all sectors.

2011

Management response:

  • PIRSA established a Snapper Working Group in response to stock concerns.

2010

Relevant reports:

Snapper stock/status:

  • High estimates of biomass in each region (Northern Spencer Gulf, Southern Spencer Gulf, Southern Gulf St Vincent, Northern Gulf St Vincent) as a result of good recruitment in the 1990s and early 2000s.
  • Nevertheless, catches from Northern Spencer Gulf and Southern Spencer Gulf have declined in recent years.
  • Spencer Gulf could benefit from a strong year class recruiting into the fishery.
Page last reviewed: 25 Jul 2023

 


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