Red emperor stock assessment

Chart of Queensland east coast stock assessment biomass estimates and key management actions for red emperor

The chart presents the biomass ratio of red emperor from 1953 to 2022. The ratio is relative to 1 in 1953. Data used in the stock assessment includes 33 years of commercial catch data, 2233 fish aged, 6169 commercially caught fish measured, 355 recreational catches measured and 20 per cent of the commercial catch measured yearly.
© Queensland Government

Chart of Queensland estimated retained catch for Queensland east coast red emperor from 1953 to 2021

The chart presents retained catch for red emperor on the east coast of Queensland. The chart shows the data used and the modelled retained catch for both the commercial and recreational sectors.
© Queensland Government

Why did we assess Queensland east coast red emperor?

In 2022, Fisheries Queensland completed the first stock assessment of Queensland east coast red emperor. 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 red emperor stock was between 56% and 65% of unfished levels, and most probably at around 58%.

How was the stock assessment conducted?

The 2022 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 forward.

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.

Read information on the working group.

More information

Access the Stock assessment of Queensland east coast red emperor (Lutjanus sebae), Australia, with data to June 2021 report.

Last updated: 26 Apr 2022