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Closed season for snapper starting to show results

Friday 24 October, 2008

The annual state-wide closed season for snapper will commence from midday on Saturday, November 1 2008 and continue through to midday on Sunday, November 30, 2008

PIRSA Fisheries, Executive Director, Mr Will Zacharin said today the one-month closure applies to both recreational and commercial fishers.

“Snapper is a very important fish for commercial and recreational fishers and the short seasonal closure is an appropriate measure to ensure the fishery is managed in a sustainable way for the future,” Mr Zacharin said.

“The closure reduces the overall fishing effort and therefore the catch from the fishery.  Reducing fishing effort has allowed fish to reach a larger average weight and age and therefore produce more eggs during its lifetime.

“The timing of the closure allows a proportion of larger mature fish the freedom to migrate and aggregate in readiness to spawn from mid October through until March, in some years.”

A recent report on the snapper fishery, conducted by the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI), showed the fish stocks benefiting from the annual closure.

“While there have been some changes in the fishing patterns of the commercial fishing sector the fishery appears to be in a sound position, with evidence of better than average recruitment events in recent years,” he said.

Fisheries officers will be paying particular attention to snapper fishing hot spots throughout the seasonal closure to ensure all fishers comply with the fishing restriction.

“Water land and even aerial patrols will be used to target suspected illegal fishing,” Mr Zacharin said.

Fishers are reminded that any snapper accidentally caught during the closure must be returned to the water immediately.