SA fishers roll the dice on snapper tag ballot system
The South Australian government announces a tag-based lottery for as few as 600 recreational fishers keen to catch an iconic snapper in the stateSouth Australia has launched a ballot-based system for recreational fishers keen to snag a snapper as the state locks out the species for the next three years to rebuild natural stocks.
Primary Industries and Regions South Australia has announced it will accept applications for a “limited number” of recreational fishing tags for snapper, handed out via a lottery-style ballot.
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Anglers in the state will not be allowed to land snapper without having a tag.
PIRSA said the tags were devices similar to a large zip tie that can be attached to fish. Each tag will wear a unique serial number used to identify who the tags were allocated to.
The tags will be supplied free of charge to fishers who win an allocation in the ballot. The South Australian government says 3030 tags will be released as part of the scheme with each recreational fisher being allocated five tags, meaning only around 600 anglers will be successful.
“If you are a recreational fisher, you must apply for recreational snapper tags to be able to fish for snapper in the 2020 season, which opens February 1, 2020,” PIRSA said in a statement announcing the ballot.
“Without a recreational snapper tag you cannot fish for snapper in the South East. All recreational fishers must be in possession of tags in their name at all times when fishing for snapper.”
The tags will not be transferrable between people.
The state introduced sweeping bans in November last year after recognising it faced a serious challenge relating to future management of snapper.
A South Australian Research and Development Institute study released in June last year showed that over the past five years, the snapper biomass in the Spencer Gulf had reduced by an estimated 23 percent. In the Gulf St Vincent, the number was even more alarming, falling by an estimated 87%.
“Serious action will be required from all fishing sectors – commercial, recreational and charter – to achieve longer term improvement to return the snapper fishery to sustainable stock levels,” the government said.
Snapper fishing in the state’s south-east is open from February to October each year, with the South Australian government setting a total allowable catch for snapper across all sectors. The tag system will also apply to charter boat operators.
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