Snapper Monitoring Update

[Gad]

Taken from Septembers DAFF email newsletter

Snapper is arguably one of Queensland’s favourite fish. Given its popularity with recreational and commercial fishers alike, Fisheries Queensland collects a range of information routinely and assesses the status of the snapper population to help ensure this fish is around to be enjoyed by future generations.

Since 2006, our scientists have been collecting length, sex and age information from snapper caught by recreational and commercial fishers as part of the Rocky Reef Fish monitoring program.

Link to view results from the monitoring program:

/>http://www.vision6.com.au/download/files/10433/1677962/Snapper%20Monitoring%20Update.pdf

This information is collated with data from other sources and analysed against historical results to help assess the status of the snapper stock and the sustainability of the fishery.

Snapper is currently classified as overfished. Recreationally, there is a possession limit of four fish per person, with a minimum legal size of 35cm and no more than one fish over 70cm.

For more information on snapper or our monitoring programs, visit the Fisheries Queensland website, email fisheriesmonitoring@daff.qld.gov.au or call 13 25 23.

[Binder]

Looking at their numbers, it doesn't look like an overfished species to me.

Your allowed 1 in 4 of the fish you catch to be over 70cm.

Doesn't look like there is a large skew to the smaller fish, ie it looks like roughly 1 in 4 of the fish caught were over 70cm. (Based on a 10yo fish from Figure 3, being roughly 70cm, then estimating the numbers from Figure 4)

If it was an overfished species I would expect to see mostly only just legal fish caught.

[ellicat]

Maybe Tim doomsayer Flannery has taken a position :whistle: