SNAPPER fishery
Port Phillip Bay is one of Victoria’s oldest professional fisheries, with a history stretching back over 170 years. Port Phillip Bay fishers currently catch the iconic Victorian snapper, loved by the Victorian public.
Due to recent changes to the Port Phillip Bay Fishery by the Victorian State government only 8 licences remain, each of which have an equal share of the Snapper quota (currently 88 tonnes).
Due to recent changes to the Port Phillip Bay Fishery by the Victorian State government only 8 licences remain, each of which have an equal share of the Snapper quota (currently 88 tonnes).
Snapper Chrysophrys auratus
Where is Port phillip bay?
Port Phillip Bay is 1,950 square kms, 35 times the size of Sydney Harbour! Port Phillip Bay is shallow series of over 16 bays, with around half of the area less than 8 metres deep. Over 3.2 million people live around its shore, making Port Phillip Bay Australia’s most densly populated catchment.
What methods are used?
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Longlining is a static hook and line fishing method. It is used to catch snapper in the Bay. Longlines are a length of line with a number of baited hooks attached at intervals. A total of 200 hooks is the maximum for Port Phillip Bay licence holders. The line is set horizontally on the seabed and left to soak for an hour before being retrieved. The fish are Iki Jimi spiked and put in an ice slurry. There is no bycatch.
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sustainability
Bay and Inlet fisheries are naturally variable fisheries, and are highly dependent on environmental conditions outside the system which affect the abundance of target fish species from year to year.
Port Phillip Bay snapper are part of the western snapper stock in Victoria (west from Wilson’s Prom to south eastern South Australia). Port Phillip Bay is the main spawning and nursery habitat for the Western stock. Recreational catches of snapper are much higher than the professional fishery with the most recent estimate at 800 tonnes. Commercial catch rates are well above average and the stock is not of concern under current management. Fisheries Victoria and the SAFS report Port Phillip Bay snapper as ‘sustainable’.
Port Phillip Bay snapper are part of the western snapper stock in Victoria (west from Wilson’s Prom to south eastern South Australia). Port Phillip Bay is the main spawning and nursery habitat for the Western stock. Recreational catches of snapper are much higher than the professional fishery with the most recent estimate at 800 tonnes. Commercial catch rates are well above average and the stock is not of concern under current management. Fisheries Victoria and the SAFS report Port Phillip Bay snapper as ‘sustainable’.