Crimson snapper stock assessment
Chart of 2021 Australian east coast stock assessment biomass estimates and key management actions for crimson snapper
© Queensland Government
Chart of estimated harvest for Queensland east coast crimson snapper from 1958 to 2021
© Queensland Government
Why did we assess the crimson snapper stock?
In 2021, Fisheries Queensland completed the first stock assessment of the east coast crimson snapper stock. It used the most current biological data, and commercial and recreational catch data to:
- determine the sustainability of the stock
- help inform management decisions
- inform the application of the reef line harvest strategy.
This assessment estimated that the crimson snapper stock was between 21% and 45% of unfished levels, and most probably at around 44%.
How was the stock assessment conducted?
The 2021 assessment used a stock assessment model called Stock Synthesis, one of the most widely used and tested stock assessment models in the world. It is currently used by CSIRO and other Australian fisheries jurisdictions.
Next steps for fishery management
Under the Queensland Harvest Strategy Policy and Reef Line Harvest Strategy 2020–2025, management strategies are applied to keep stocks above the limit reference point (20% biomass) and set a target reference point to manage stocks toward.
The Reef Line Fishery working group provides advice on the operational aspects of the management of the fishery. The working group includes representatives from commercial, recreational and charter sectors; seafood processors and wholesalers, Indigenous representatives and the conservation sector.
More information
Access the Stock assessment of Queensland east coast crimson snapper report.