cm
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
Snapper
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
kg
yrs 1yr
• Simply measure your fish from its head to the tip of the tail and read the corresponding average weight and average age.
Snapper are found around the southern coastline of Australia from Queensland
to the central coast of Western Australia. They inhabit estuaries, ocean beaches
and offshore waters. They are carnivorous feeders and have been found to
feed on a variety of crustaceans, bivalve molluscs and small fish
in Victorian waters.
29
Juvenile snapper are often referred to as ‘pinky’ snapper and larger adult
fish are easily distinguished by a unique ‘hump’ that can develop on the top of
their heads. They are a long-lived species and can grow to around 1.3m in
length and 16kg in weight, although they are commonly caught by anglers
between 250g and 10kg in Victorian waters.
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
.35
.39
.42
.46
.50
.55
.59
.64
.69
.75
.80
.86
.92
.96
.99
1.0
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5
1.6
1.7
1.8
1.9
2.0
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.5
2.6
2.7
2.8
3.0
3.1
3.2
3.4
3.5
3.7
3.8
4.0
4.2
4.3
4.5
4.7
4.9
5.1
5.3
5.5
5.7
5.9
6.1
6.3
6.5
6.8
7.0
7.2
7.5
7.7
8.0
8.3
8.5
8.8
9.1
9.4
9.6
3yrs
‘Weigh your catch’
FISHCARE promotes responsible recreational
fishing practices and care for aquatic environments
5yrs
8yrs
WHAT do we know?
•
•
•
•
Victorian snapper stocks spawn in Port Phillip Bay and the coastal waters of eastern
Victoria, when mature fish move into nursery areas during late spring and early summer.
Port Phillip Bay is a major juvenile nursery area for Victorian snapper stocks.
The oldest Victorian snapper aged was estimated to be 37 years and had a total
length of 90cm.
FIN fact: A 29cm snapper tagged in Portland Bay in south western Victoria was
recaptured 5.5 years later off the St Kilda Breakwall in Port Phillip Bay, having travelled
335km and grown by 38cm.
10yrs
WHEN releasing your catch...
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Do not play a fish out to exhaustion before landing, use a knotless landing net.
Wet your hands before handling the fish and avoid touching the gills.
Use a wet towel on which to rest the fish.
Support or cradle large fish after landing - avoid holding it vertically.
Use barbless hooks or crimp your hook barbs with pliers.
Use long-nosed pliers to quickly and carefully remove the hook.
Cut the line if the hook is set deep.
15yrs
30yrs
20yrs
SNAPPER
Scientific name: Pagrus auratus
Catch limits apply - check your current
Victorian Recreational Fishing Guide
www.dpi.vic.gov.au/fishing
juvenile ‘pinky’
This ruler is a guide only. Length, weight and age data compiled by
DPI Queenscliff. Produced by Fishcare Southwest Inc. July 2010.
adult
C ILLUSTRATIONS
R.SWAINSTON/ANIMA
FIS10932 Snapper Ruler
project
© 2010 adz@work
05 May 2010
draft 2