Rapid Warming May Be Behind Unusually Late Pink Snapper Season In Australia

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Global warming has caused the unusually late spawning of pink snapper in Cockburn and Warnbro sounds, recreational anglers and scientists believe. In an echo of changes in seasonal behaviour by plants and animals recorded in recent years by scientists in the northern hemisphere, the WA snapper season was delayed this month because of unusually late spawning.

Recfishwest executive director Frank Prokop backed the Fisheries Department’s assessment that the dry winter delayed spawning from spring to late December. He said that during spawning big breeding fish entered the sounds and were at their most vulnerable to over-fishing, despite strict bag limits of one fish per person.

Recreational fishers were worried spawning was continuing in the sound after the season had opened this year and as a result, Recfishwest lobbied the department to close the snapper season until next month.

The annual ban on fishing for pink snapper in the sounds now extends until January 10.

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