Publication Date
10-2026
Series Number
10
Publisher
State of Western Australia (DPIRD)
City
Perth
ISBN
978-1-925415-59-9
ISSN
3083-5380
Abstract
Sandy sprat Hyperlophus vittatus (‘whitebait’) is a small-bodied clupeid which occurs in temperate nearshore marine and estuarine waters throughout southern Australia. In Western Australia, this species is almost exclusively caught by the commercial sector on the lower west coast, between Perth and Geographe Bay, where it is considered to comprise a single biological stock. Since 2010, sandy sprat has primarily been caught by the South West Beach Net Fishery (SWBN) in the Bunbury region. This is a shore-based fishery which utilises beach seine nets to target a variety of finfish species in shallow nearshore waters.
Commercial catch is monitored and assessed annually, with more comprehensive assessments undertaken periodically as required (typically every 5–10 years). The current assessment follows a weight-of-evidence approach and provides consideration to outputs from quantitative (empirical and model-based) analyses, as well as qualitative lines of evidence such as biological and fishery information that describe the inherent vulnerability of the stock to fishing and environmental pressures.
Number of Pages
101
Keywords
Sandy sprat, Hyperlophus vittatus, whitebait, resource assessment, Southern Nearshore and Estuarine Scalefish Resource
Disciplines
Aquaculture and Fisheries | Environmental Indicators and Impact Assessment
Recommended Citation
Yeoh, D.E, Crisafulli, B.C, Evans-Powell, R.T. and Hesp, S.A. 2026. Southern Nearshore and Estuarine Scalefish Resource: Sandy sprat (Whitebait) 2026 Assessment. Resource Assessment Report No. 10, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Western Australia.
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