South Australia floats three-year ban on snapper fishing

There are already statewide seasonal closures for snapper between November and mid-December. As well, last year SA extended seasonal closures in several parts of the state that coincided with snapper breeding seasons.

However, the latest call came in the wake of a report from the South Australian Research and Development Institute released last year that identified snapper stocks in parts of the state were “depleted” – in other words, fish numbers are critically low and without a change, snapper stocks are unlikely to recover.

It is the first time that SA’s snapper stocks have been described as “depleted”. The three-year closure would protect fish stocks for four breeding seasons.

A consultation paper from SA Primary Industries Minister Tim Whetstone proposes a closure on taking snapper until January 2023 after the latest assessment of snapper numbers showed an alarming 87 per cent decline in Gulf St Vincent, and 23 per cent in the Spencer Gulf.

An alternative plan proposes extended snapper season closures that will run for longer in the western part of the state’s coast, and a complete ban in the eastern part until 2023.

The report showed the state’s 277,000 recreational fishers were taking significantly more fish, up from 384,000 in 2007-08 to 437,300 in 2013-14. But what is really hurting fish numbers is the retention rate; the number of fish released rather than being kept has fallen from 74 per cent to just 53 per cent over the same time.

“South Australia faces a serious challenge in relation to the future management of snapper in this state,” a Primary Industries and Resources SA report proposing the closure says.

The South Australian government is seeking feedback on both snapper season closure proposals before making a decision on how to manage stocks in the future.