Snapper (Chrysophrys auratus) is a species of teleost fish in the family Sparidae.  It is a large, long-lived, demersal, finfish species that is broadly distributed throughout the Indo-Pacific region, where its extensive distribution includes the coastal waters of the southern two-thirds of the Australian continental mainland as well s northern Tasmania.  Throughout this distribution, Snapper occupy a diversity of habits from shallow bays and estuaries to the edge of the continental shelf across a depth range to at least 200m.  The stock structure for Snapper in Australian waters is complex, as there are considerable differences in the spatial scales over which populations are divisible into separate. A recent study indicated that there are three stocks that occur in South Australian coastal waters.  The Western Victorian Stock (WVS) is a cross-jurisdictional stock that extends westward from Wilsons Promontory, Victoria into the south eastern waters of South Australia (SA) as far west as Cape Jervis. There are also two wholly South Australian stocks, i.e. the Spencer Gulf / West Coast Stock (SG/WCS) and Gulf St. Vincent Stock (GSVS).

Source:  Assessment of the South Australian Marine Scalefish Fishery in 2018.  Report by PIRSA

Provenance

Typically aggregating on open water structures (natural or man made) to spawn, Spencer and Gulf St. Vincent dominate the supply.

Sustainability

Gulf St. Vincent – Sustainable
Spencer Gulf / West Coast – Depleted Western Victoria – Sustainable

Source:  FRDC

SEAsonality

Traditionally, September marks new season Snapper with production peaking over Summer months. November and December dominate peak supply, with June and July the lowest. Production of this long lived species exhibits long-term fluctuations (feast and famine) due to strong environmental influences on its reproductive success.