Friday, March 29, 2024
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Snapper closures next month

SOUTH Australia’s fisheries department (PIRSA) has confirmed five spatial snapper spawning closures will commence from midday on Monday, 15 December 2014 to midday on Saturday, 31 January 2015.

PIRSA Group Executive Director, Mehdi Doroudi said the spatial closures have been put in place for a second year as part of a review of snapper management arrangements.

The aim of the closure is to protect snapper stocks from fishing pressure and reduce the risk of disturbance to their breeding behaviour during a critical reproductive period.

Commencing at the end of the statewide snapper fishing closure which is in place from 1 November to 15 December annually, the spatial spawning closures include four key areas within northern Spencer Gulf and a single area in Gulf St Vincent where significant spawning aggregations of snapper are known to occur.

During the spatial closure period, all fishing sectors are prohibited from possessing, targeting and taking snapper within the four kilometre radius of each closure.

Professor Doroudi said the closure arrangements would help secure the sustainability of snapper stocks into the future.

“Snapper is an incredibly important species to our recreational, commercial and charter fisheries and these closures have been implemented to aid the protection and recovery of local Snapper stocks,” he said.

“Importantly, the closures only restrict snapper fishing in the specific spatial closure areas so anglers can still fish for snapper outside these areas during the closure period.

Professor Doroudi commended fishers on their conduct during the annual closure to date and said PIRSA Fisheries Officers would continue to patrol closures throughout summer to ensure the high level of compliance continues.

The decision to maintain the spatial closures followed consultation with major stakeholders including RecFishSA, the Surveyed Charter Boat Owners & Operators Association, the commercial fishing industry and local government in the regions surrounding the closures.

Signage will be erected at key boat launch locations ahead of the spatial closures to help advise fishers of the exact locations.

A map and more information on the snapper fishing spatial closure areas is now available from www.pir.sa.gov.au/fisheries or on the SA Recreational Fishing Guide smartphone app which can be downloaded from www.pir.sa.gov.au/recfishingapp.

Suspicious or illegal fishing activity can be reported through the SA Recreational Fishing Guide smartphone app or the 24 hour FISHWATCH number on 1800 065 522. Callers can choose to remain anonymous.

 

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