Snapper breeding something to celebrate (DPI Media Release)

[fishingvic]

The Hon Peter Walsh MP
Minister for Agriculture and Food Security
Minister for Water

Media release
Tuesday 28 May 2013

Snapper breeding something to celebrate
Snapper breeding in Port Phillip Bay last summer was the best recorded in eight years, which
will mean better catch rates for recreational fishers into the future.
Agriculture and Food Security Minister Peter Walsh said a recent survey by Fisheries Victoria
found snapper spawning in the Bay produced 322 juvenile snapper – the equal third highest
recorded in the past 21 years.
Mr Walsh said the result of the assessment was fantastic news for recreational anglers,
licensed commercial fishers, charter boat operators and consumers.
“Snapper spawning success has been below average for the last seven years, with four years
of very low or failed spawning,” Mr Walsh said.
“However, this latest assessment shows a welcome spike in successful spawning, which
should be reflected in higher catches of snapper in years to come.
“The spawning success will be obvious over the coming few years by the larger numbers of
snapper under 20 centimetres and in 6-10 years by an increased catch rate of larger adult
snapper.”
Mr Walsh said low currents, warm summer water temperatures and abundant plankton and
bottom dwelling invertebrate life in Port Phillip Bay had likely provided an optimal growing
environment for small snapper larvae and juveniles.
“Port Phillip Bay is the main spawning and nursery habitat for snapper in central and western
Victoria, providing replenishment for the ‘western snapper stock’ that extends from Wilsons
Promontory to south eastern South Australia,” Mr Walsh said.
“The success of snapper spawning in the Bay each year is measured by annual research
surveys of the numbers of baby snapper and is highly variable.
“Some years see a complete failure of spawning and other years see baby fish in abundance.
This variation is the major influence on the numbers of fish entering the fishery years later.”
The cause of variation in spawning success is not well understood, but is thought to be linked
to environmental influences that affect the abundance of microscopic plankton that snapper
larvae feed on during their first few weeks of life.
Fisheries Victoria now has 21 years of survey data on snapper spawning success, and this
data has proved highly successful in predicting future catches.
Media contact: Deborah Cole 0419 962 644 deborah.cole@minstaff.vic.gov.au

[Fish-Hunter]

Good report :thumbsup: when Snapper spawns in PPB fail future Snapper stocks suffer , but this is good news .