A new draft plan for the long-term management of the SNA1 fishery was released this month.
The plan was devised by the SNA1 Strategy Group, comprised of customary, recreational and commercial fishers. It focuses on improving fishing practices, minimising waste, and gathering accurate information.
Its recommendations include:
- Aiming to achieve a biomass target of 40% of the unfished state by 2040, with an intermediate checkpoint of 30% by 2025
- Undertaking a snapper tagging survey to estimate biomass, which begins later this year
- Regular monitoring of the status of the fishery to ensure it is on course to reach targets and timeframes
- Educating all fishers on ways to avoid catching juvenile fish and increasing survival rates of released snapper.
- Regular monitoring and analysis of catch levels by all sectors.
