Goldband Snapper Pristipomoides multidens

Northern Australian biological stock

The northern Australian Goldband Snapper biological stock was assessed in 2011 and 2013 using a stochastic stock reduction analysis (SRA) model ^3,4. Egg production was estimated to be around 65 per cent of that before the start of the fishery, which is well above conventional target levels. For this reason, the biological stock is not considered to be recruitment overfished.

About 90 per cent of the catch is from the Timor Sea and western Arafura Sea. Catch from the Queensland Gulf of Carpentaria is negligible. The Northern Territory total allowable commercial catch for Goldband Snapper is 1300 tonnes (t): 900 t in the Timor Reef Fishery and 400 t in the Demersal Fishery. In 2013, the total commercial catch of Goldband Snapper in the Northern Territory was 684 t. In Queensland, 1 t was caught. The SRA assessments indicated that the current harvest rate is below that required to achieve maximum sustainable yield. This low level of fishing mortality is unlikely to cause the biological stock to become recruitment overfished.

On the basis of the evidence provided above, the biological stock is classified as a sustainable stock.  

East coast (Queensland) management unit

No formal stock assessments have been undertaken to quantify biomass levels of Goldband Snapper on the east coast of Australia.

Species-level reporting in commercial logbooks began in 2007 and has helped to quantify catch as a measure of fishing pressure. Catch trends of Goldband Snapper are monitored annually, but more information is required on attributes such as age structure to better understand fishing pressure. Goldband Snapper is managed as part of the ‘other species’ quota category, which comprises many other coral reef finfish species. There is a cap on the total catch for the group, but no individual cap on any one species within the group.

Insufficient information is available to confidently classify the status of this stock.

On the basis of the evidence provided above, the management unit is classified as an undefined stock.  

Kimberley biological stock

Goldband Snapper is exploited in the North Coast and Gascoyne bioregions of Western Australia⁵. It is one of the indicator species used to assess the status of the demersal resources in the North Coast Bioregion.

The major performance measures for Goldband Snapper in the Kimberley biological stock are estimates of spawning stock levels in the Northern Demersal Scalefish Managed Fishery (Western Australia). The target level of spawning biomass is 40 per cent of the unfished (1980) level. The limit level is 30 per cent of the initial spawning biomass. The spawning biomass of Goldband Snapper was estimated to be greater than 40 per cent of the unfished level in the Kimberley biological stock in 2007 (the year the last integrated assessment was undertaken), using an integrated age-structured model⁶. The biological stock is therefore not considered to be recruitment overfished.

The fishing mortality (F)–based assessments indicated that the median fishing pressure on Goldband Snapper in this biological stock was below the target level in 2006, and between the target and the threshold in 2008⁶. These assessments use reference levels that are based on ratios of natural mortality (M) for each species, such that F_target = 2/3M, F_threshold = M and F_limit = 3/2M. Goldband Snapper catches from the Northern Demersal Scalefish Managed Fishery (Kimberley biological stock) from 2006 to 2013 have ranged between 331 and 524 t⁶. Since 2008, catches of Goldband Snapper have been relatively stable, ranging between 457 and 524 t⁶. This level of fishing mortality is unlikely to cause the biological stock to become recruitment overfished.

On the basis of the evidence provided above, the biological stock is classified as a sustainable stock.  

Pilbara biological stock

The stock assessment for Goldband Snapper in the Pilbara biological stock is based on an assessment of fishing mortality derived from catch-curve analysis of representative samples of the age structure in the Pilbara demersal fisheries (Pilbara Fish Trawl Interim Managed Fishery, Pilbara Line Fishery, Pilbara Trap Managed Fishery). These fishing mortality–based assessments use reference levels that are based on ratios of natural mortality for each species, such that F_target = 2/3M, F_threshold = M and F_limit = 3/2M. The fishing mortality–based assessments indicated that the estimated fishing level on Goldband Snapper in this biological stock was either below the target level or between the target and threshold levels in 2008, depending on the area of the fisheries⁶. This indicates that fishing is not having an unacceptable impact on the age structure of the population. The biological stock is not considered to be recruitment overfished.

Goldband Snapper catches from the Pilbara demersal fisheries (Pilbara biological stock) from 2006 to 2013 have also been stable under current fishing pressure, ranging between 112 and 168 t⁶. This evidence indicates that the current level of fishing mortality is unlikely to cause the biological stock to become recruitment overfished.

On the basis of the evidence provided above, the biological stock is classified as a sustainable stock.  

Gascoyne biological stock

The stock assessment for Goldband Snapper in the Gascoyne biological stock is based on an assessment of fishing mortality derived from catch-curve analysis of representative samples of the age structure in the Gascoyne Demersal Scalefish Managed Fishery (Western Australia). These fishing mortality–based assessments use reference levels that are based on ratios of natural mortality for each species, such that F_target = 2/3M, F_threshold = M and F_limit = 3/2M. The fishing mortality–based assessments indicated that the estimated fishing level on Goldband Snapper in this biological stock was below the target level in 2006 and 2008⁵. This indicates that fishing is not having an unacceptable impact on the age structure of the population. The biological stock is not considered to be recruitment overfished.

Goldband Snapper catches from the Gascoyne Demersal Scalefish Managed Fishery (Gascoyne biological stock) ranged from 240 to 311 t between 2002 and 2004⁵. Catch levels from 2005 to 2009 were lower, ranging between 105 and 144 t⁵. Catch levels since 2010 have been much reduced, ranging between 53 and 64 t⁵. Low catches, coupled with low fishing pressure, indicate that the current level of fishing mortality is unlikely to cause the biological stock to become recruitment overfished.

On the basis of the evidence provided above, the biological stock is classified as a sustainable stock.