Victorian Snapper Stock Assessment Summary 2011
Victoria’s snapper stocks
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| Snapper, Chrysophrys auratus. Photo credit: Lauren Brown |
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| The location of western and eastern snapper fisheries in Victoria |
Two separate stocks (i.e. populations) of snapper (Chrysophrys auratus) occur in Victorian waters (see map):
- The fisheries to the east of Wilsons Promontory including Corner Inlet are based on the eastern snapper stock
- The eastern stock is distributed up the east coast of Australia through NSW into southern Queensland waters
- The fisheries to the west of Wilsons Promontory, including Port Phillip Bay and Western Port, are based on the western snapper stock
- Port Phillip Bay provides critical spawning and nursery habitat for the western snapper stock
- Most of the adult snapper found west of Wilsons Promontory, were spawned and raised in Port Phillip Bay.
The fisheries based on the eastern and western snapper stocks are managed separately.
Victoria’s snapper fisheries
In Victoria snapper are caught in:
- Port Phillip Bay
- Corner Inlet
- Coastal waters
- Western Port.
In Victoria most of the snapper are caught from bays, inlets and coastal waters to the west of Wilsons Promontory (i.e. they belong to the western stock).
Types of fisheries
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Port Phillip Bay snapper long line operations. |
Both commercial and recreational fisheries for snapper occur in Victoria. Snapper are also caught in inshore coastal waters by commercial trawlers.
Commercial fisheries
Commercial fishers catch snapper using long-lines (65%) and haul seines (24%). Commercial fisheries operate mainly in Port Phillip Bay (suppling 92% of the catch), coastal waters (5%) and Corner Inlet (3%). A small catch comes from the Western Port long-line fishery.
Recreational fisheries
Recreational fishers catch snapper mostly from boats using baited hooks and lines, though some shore-based line fishing occurs.
Most of the recreational catch of snapper comes from Port Phillip Bay, though small fisheries operate in coastal waters to both the west and east of Wilsons Promontory and in Western Port.
Management of Fisheries
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| Recreational anglers prize snapper. |
Fisheries Victoria is responsible for managing fisheries and fish resources under the provisions of the Fisheries Act 1995 and the Fisheries Regulations 2009.
National guidelines for ecologically sustainable development (ESD) of fisheries are used to identify environmental, biological, economic, social and governance dimensions for individual fisheries.
These ESD principles underpin the three key strategic goals of Fisheries Victoria:
- 'Securing' fisheries resources
- 'Sharing' fisheries resources
- 'Growing' or developing the value of the resource for the benefit of the community.
Stock assessments
Stock assessments are designed primarily to provide information on the status of fish stocks in Victoria’s bays and inlets to help address the biological sustainability and management arrangements.
Snapper Stock Assessment 2011
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| Healthy snapper stocks gurantee great fishing. |
A formal assessment of Victorian snapper stocks was conducted at the Department of Primary Industries, Queenscliff, Victoria in May 2011.
The assessment workshop was attended by:
- Representatives of the commercial and recreational fishing sectors
- Fisheries Victoria managers and scientists
- Experienced recreational and commercial fishers.
Status of the Western Snapper Fishery
Stock condition
Victoria’s western stock of adult snapper is in good condition.
Spawning success
Exceptionally strong year classes spawned in 2000/01 and 2003/04 are driving current record high catch rates for both the commercial and recreational fishing sectors.
Despite major recruitment failures in 2005/06 and 2010/11, recent consecutive years of moderate recruitment (2007/08, 2008/09, 2009/10) are expected to provide average abundance of ‘pinkies’ over the next few years.
Future fishery strength
A reduction in catch rates of larger snapper is expected over the next few years; however, this will be moderated by the strong 2003/04 and 2004/05 year classes, and in the longer term by the moderate 2007/08 to 2009/10 year classes.
Management arrangement
Fishery and scientific survey data presented to stakeholder and Departmental participants at the May 2011 stock assessment workshop did not indicate the need for a review of snapper management arrangements, and participants supported that the current management regime should be maintained.
Areas of concern
A recent increase and current high take of snapper by Commonwealth vessels necessitates additional data collection.
Data required to assess the impact of this catch on the western snapper stock include:
- Age and length composition of the catch
- Age and length composition of the discarded fish
- Catch data and effort data reported at both spatial and temporal scales.
More data on the coastal water snapper fishery by both the commercial and recreational sectors are required to improve the western snapper stock assessment.
| Stock Condition - Good |
| Break down by fishery indicators |
Recent spawning success (Port Phillip Bay) ↓
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Catch rates – Port Phillip Bay
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Catch rates – Western Port
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Catch rates – Coastal waters
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Stock structure– Port Phillip Bay
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Stock structure– Western Port
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Management settings
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Flagged issues
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| Good condition. |
| ↑ Improving |
| ↓ Decreasing |
| Poor condition |
 Requires close monitoring |
| Limited data |
Status of the Eastern Snapper Fishery
Stock condition
The condition of the eastern stock of snapper is unknown.
Catches from Victorian waters in the snapper fisheries are low and unlikely to have a major impact on a stock that extends north to Queensland.
Spawning success
Unknown.
Future fishery strength
Unknown.
Management arrangement
Fishery and scientific survey data presented to stakeholder and Departmental participants at the May 2011 stock assessment workshop did not indicate the need for a review of snapper management arrangements, and participants supported that the current management regime should be maintained.
Areas of concern
More data on the snapper fisheries to the east of Wilsons Promontory by both the commercial and recreational sectors are required to improve the assessment of the eastern snapper stock.
| Stock Condition - unknown |
| Break down by fishery indicators |
Recent spawning success
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Catch rates – Corner Inlet
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Catch rates – Coastal waters
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Stock structure
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Management settings
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Flagged issues
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| Good condition. |
| ↑ Improving |
| ↓ Decreasing |
| Poor condition |
| Requires close monitoring |
| Limited data / unknown |
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