Publication Date

9-2025

Series Number

4

Publisher

Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Western Australia

City

Perth

ISBN

ISBN: 978-1-925415-16-2 (Print), ISBN: 978-1-925415-17-9 (Online)

ISSN

ISSN: 3083-5399 (Print), ISSN: 3083-5380 (Online)

Abstract

The North Coast Demersal Scalefish Resource (NCDSR) comprises ecological suites of tropical demersal fish species that occur predominantly in inshore waters (20–250 m deep) and offshore waters ( > 250 m deep) of the North Coast Bioregion (NCB). More than 60 demersal species are landed by fisheries operating in the Kimberley and Pilbara regions of the NCB each year, including high-value snappers (Lutjanidae), groupers (Epinephelidae), and emperors (Lethrinidae). As outlined in the NCDSR Harvest Strategy (DPIRD, 2017), the Kimberley resource is currently monitored through annual reviews of total removals and catch rate trends of indicator species, as well as periodic (every 4–5 years) model-based stock assessments of each indicator species, and occasional assessments of non-indicator species to validate the indicator species approach and ensure that the status of other retained species remains at acceptable levels. The assessment and harvest strategies of these species are primarily based on estimates of spawning stock biomass (or an appropriate proxy for biomass), relative to internationally accepted target, threshold, and limit reference levels. Based on the inherent vulnerability and risk to the sustainability of the major species within the suite of inshore demersal scalefish in the NCB, the stocks of indicator species selected for assessing the status of the resource within the Pilbara and Kimberley include red emperor, bluespotted emperor, Rankin cod, and goldband snapper.

The demersal fish resources of the Kimberley region of the NCDSR (NCDSR-Kimberley) supports the second highest annual total retained catch of demersal scalefish in Western Australia, with the commercial fisheries taking the vast majority of the catch share (i.e., 99%) compared with the charter and recreational ( < 1%) sectors. The commercial fishery principally targets higher-value species such as goldband snapper and red emperor, resulting in an economic value of $10–20 million. This indicates that this fishery has a high social amenity value and is an important asset locally. Since 2008, annual commercial catches have exceeded 1,000 t. Annual catches have ranged from 1,378 to 1,544 tonnes over the last 5 years. In 2025, management actions were implemented to reduce effort within specific Zones of the fishery by 10%.

The 2025 NCDSR-Kimberley assessment of the two indicator species, red emperor and goldband snapper, presented in this report incorporates catch and effort information collected up to 2024 (inclusive), as well as biological data on the sizes and ages of fish sampled from fisheries independent sampling up until 2021 (inclusive) for the two indicator species.

Number of Pages

116

Keywords

North Coast Demersal Scalefish Resource, Kimberley, catch and effort, sustainability

Disciplines

Aquaculture and Fisheries | Environmental Indicators and Impact Assessment | Environmental Monitoring

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