Sustainable Seafood - Snapper

Benefits of seafood

Seafood products from Victoria’s fisheries are some of the cleanest in the world, coming as they do from unpolluted marine and estuarine waters. These sustainably harvested and fresh products are keenly sought in Victorian markets and by interstate and overseas fish consumers.

Not only is seafood widely available and quick and easy to prepare but is also an important part of a healthy diet and is becoming a food of choice for the health-conscious.

Omega 3 oils provide many health benefits particularly in the fight against coronary disease, high blood pressure, arthritis, asthma and depression.

As well as being the best natural source of Omega 3, seafood is typically: low in kilojoules, high in readily digestible protein, low in saturated fat, high in good fats (such as omega 3’s and omega 6’s), low in cholesterol, high in vitamins A B E & D and high in minerals iodine and calcium.

Snapper - Fish facts

Snapper is one of the most popular seafood species in Victoria Snapper stocks in central and western Victoria are currently in very healthy condition.

Most of the Victorian commercial snapper catch is taken from Port Phillip Bay, with small quantities from open coastal waters.

Snapper also supports a large and diverse recreational fishery in Port Phillip Bay and along Victoria’s coastline.

The most important snapper nursery area in Victoria is in Port Phillip Bay, but small juvenile snapper are also found in Western Port bay, Corner Inlet/Nooramunga, the Gippsland Lakes and Mallacoota Inlet.

Juvenile snapper remain in nursery grounds in the shallow sheltered waters of bays and estuaries for the first few years of their lives and then are likely to move into deeper waters.

DPI Fisheries Victoria research scientists have been monitoring the settlement of small juvenile snapper in Port Phillip Bay for over a decade. The results of this monitoring help to predict variations in snapper stock abundance, ensuring that fishery management arrangements can be adapted to suit the circumstances.

Snapper is an increasingly popular table fish with a mild, delicate and sweet taste, low oiliness and is relatively moist in texture.

Snapper is available all year round, with a peak supply of local product in spring and early summer.

Management of the fishery

As most Victorian consumers are choosing to buy fresh fish, there is a need for vibrant commercial fisheries in Victoria.

Harvesting of these valuable fisheries resources is managed by Fisheries Victoria, who work in partnership with both commercial and recreational fishing stakeholders to ensure that fishing is kept at sustainable levels and there is fish for the future.

Victorian commercial fisheries are managed primarily by input (effort) controls such as limits on the number of commercial licences, fishing equipment restrictions and area/seasonal fishing closures, as well as indirect catch controls such as minimum size limits.

These controls are intended to both protect the fish stocks from excessive fishing pressure and to minimise undesirable interactions with other users of public waters.

Sustainable seafood

Victoria has many sustainable seafood choices for consumers to enjoy, including snapper, rock lobster, eels, abalone, bream, flathead, garfish, King George whiting and calamari.

For more information on the management of these fisheries visit www.dpi.vic.gov.au/fisheries

If you would like to receive this information/publication in an accessible format (such as large print or audio) please call the Customer Service Centre on 136 186, TTY 1800 122 969, or email customer.service@dpi.vic.gov.au.

Published by the Department of Primary Industries Fisheries Victoria, March 2010.

ISBN: 978-1-74264-060-0 (print)
ISBN: 978-1-74264-061-7 (online)