End in sight for controversial snapper fishing ban in SA

Fishers across parts of South Australia are hopeful the government will lift a snapper fishing ban after nearly eight years, although concerns remain about the ongoing management of the fishery.

South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI) research shows snapper stocks have replenished to more than 20 per cent on the West Coast, Spencer Gulf and Gulf St Vincent after depleting to a critical level, which forced the closure in 2019.

The ban was due to lift this year, but was extended a further 12 months because of the unknown impacts of a harmful algal bloom.

If stock assessments this summer prove the snapper biomass is over 20 per cent and there is sufficient recruitment of younger fish, the government will start easing the ban from July. 

Under the Snapper Rebuilding Plan developed by the Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA), there will be a few restrictions including a quota for fishers and mandatory reporting of snapper catch. 

SARDI professor Mike Steer said the over 20 per cent estimate was based on the assumed number of fish that would have been in the ocean before fishing. 

"We are seeing signs of recovery, which is really, really positive," he said.

Concerns about data collection

Charter fisher Ryan Valente, who operates out of Pondalowie Bay and Marion Bay at Yorke Peninsula, has raised concerns about data collection.

"There's snapper riddled through that entire area and the level of data collection that goes on out there is extremely limited, so it just leaves me with very little confidence in the data that they're getting," he said. 

"There's very limited sampling sites in pretty much my entire area of operation."

He said the snapper fishery had been closed due to over-exploitation of the fishery commercially, but he held the state government responsible for that management, not individual commercial fishers.

Reporting requirement

Recreational fisher and tackle shop owner Alicia Bolitho said customers were supporting the view that snapper levels had increased greatly.

Under the rebuilding plan, commercial fishers and fishing charters will be required to report all catch, while recreational fishers will need to report only the catch they keep, not the catch they discard.

"Obviously we need to work with the government to ensure we keep the fishery sustainable," Ms Bolitho said.

Commercial fisher Hugh Bayly said the fishery had been mismanaged for years before the ban, and there was potential for mismanagement to occur again.

"The snapper had to be closed because it was in a really bad state from overfishing from both sectors, and mismanagement from PIRSA and SARDI not getting a handle on it anywhere near early enough," he said.

"We've gotten so far down a slippery slope that now you have fishermen that have given up and will take anything to get out."

Future of other fishers unknown

The government is reviewing the final report of the independent Fisheries Structural Adjustment Assessment Panel.

It has assessed the potential for the state government to buy back the licences belonging to marine scale fishers who would usually also have access to the snapper fishery.

Primary Industries Minister Clare Scriven said no decision had been made regarding potential structural adjustment measures for marine scale fishers.

Ms Scriven said PIRSA would continue to monitor and enforce activities to support commercial and recreational reporting requirements.

"This would be consistent with what already occurs in the South East where the snapper fishery remains open," she said.