Recovery of inner Shark Bay snapper (Pagrus auratus) stocks: relevant research and adaptive recreational fisheries management in a World Heritage Property

A study on the recovery of snapper (Pagrus auratus) stocks in Shark Bay, Western Australia, reveals that adaptive recreational fisheries management has successfully rebuilt spawning biomass to target levels in the Eastern Gulf and Denham Sound, while the Freycinet Estuary shows slow but steady recovery. The research highlights the effectiveness of progressive management measures, including increased minimum length limits, maximum length restrictions, daily bag limit reductions, a moratorium, spawning closures, and a Total-Allowable-Catch system introduced between 1998 and 2003. These findings underscore the importance of data-driven, adaptive approaches in recreational fisheries management, particularly in UNESCO World Heritage Sites where both conservation and sustainable use are critical.

Jackson, G., & Moran, M. (2012). Recovery of inner Shark Bay snapper (Pagrus auratus) stocks: relevant research and adaptive recreational fisheries management in a World Heritage Property. Marine and Freshwater Research, 63(11), 1180–1190. https://doi.org/10.1071/mf12091