Yorke Peninsula snapper stocks to be replenished under $500,000 project

The depleted stocks of snapper in two inlets of South Australia’s Yorke Peninsula are set to undergo a much needed replenishment program initiated by the state government.

Gulf St Vincent will see approximately 150,000 fingerlings released into its waters within this week while another 150,000 will be released into Spencer Gulf next autumn under the $500,000 program.

The fingerlings, which were raised at the Adelaide facilities of the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI), are the offspring of adult snapper stock collected off Yorke in 2019.

Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development David Basham said the SARDI scientists cracked the code for successful snapper spawning in October last year, resulting in healthy fingerlings, which are now at the optimal release size of 40 to 60 millimetres.

“Scientific assessments over the past couple of years have shown snapper stocks in South Australia’s gulf waters are at critically low levels which meant our Government had to take drastic action to help rebuild the decimated stocks, including closing the fishery until 2023,” Mr Basham said.