Another 50,000 juvenile pink snapper will be released into Cockburn Sound in February 2017 as the remarkable Snapper Guardians project continues its legacy. Continue reading “The 50,000 snapper for Cockburn, a Sound investment”
Tag: snapper guardians
Snapper Guardians: Egg Collection Success for 2017 Restocking Program
Following the success of last year’s Snapper Guardians program, Recfishwest and the Australian Centre for Applied Aquaculture Research (ACAAR) team are at it again having just collected a new batch of Pink Snapper eggs from spawning aggregations in Cockburn Sound. This year’s program looks to raise and release 100, 000 juvenile snapper by the end of summer.
After monitoring the snapper over the past few weeks, the moon phase, weather and spawning aggregations were ideal for attempting an egg collection. With astounding success, the eggs were collected in one night, achieving the desired amount for the project in one attempt. Not only is this great news that the program can be underway early, but also a good suggestion that large numbers of healthy breeding Pink Snapper are abundant.
In the wild, the number of snapper eggs that reach maturity is very low, especially during early egg, larval and juvenile stages when they are particularly vulnerable to predators. By collecting wild eggs and assisting them through these early life stages, the Snapper Guardians program greatly increases the likelihood of these eggs surviving to adulthood. This means more Pink Snapper in our waters and better fishing experiences for Western Australians.
The next stage in the project is growing out the juvenile fish. ACAAR staff will then mark the juvenile snappers’ otoliths (fish ear bones) with a dye so that the stocked fish will be identifiable when caught in the wild. Once the fish have been marked and grown out to a certain size they will be released early next year.
Earlier this year 50,000 juvenile Pink Snapper were released into Cockburn Sound and Warnbro Sound after being nurtured through their most vulnerable larvae and early juvenile stages. ACAAR were responsible for conducting the egg collections and guiding them through their growth stages with their world class aquaculture facilities.
The project is funded by the West Australian Government, who recently committed $300, 000 to fund Snapper Guardians over the next two years.
These are exciting times for West Australian fishers and Recfishwest with ACAAR, is proud to lead this world first program. Snapper Guardians proves that investing in effective fisheries science can have an astounding effect on improving the quality of sustainable fishing for all in the community.
Boost for Snapper Guardians in State Budget
Recfishwest is delighted with the State Government’s budget commitment which will see $300,000 over the next two years towards the release of more pink snapper fingerlings into Cockburn Sound. Continue reading “Boost for Snapper Guardians in State Budget”
Snapper Guardians see fish released back into Cockburn Sound
The immensely popular Snapper Guardians project has drawn to a close, culminating in the release of the remaining 5000 juvenile pink snapper at Woodman Point in February, 2016.
WATCH: Pinkies released into the Sound
About 400 people came to down to be a part of this historic event with everyone given the opportunity to release baby snapper back into the waters of Cockburn Sound.
The release was a buzz of excitement which also included the unveiling of Recfishwest’s new fish stocking and transport trailer.
The trailer was paid for out of the Recreational Fishing Initiatives Fund and will be used to transport both broodstock (adult) and juvenile fish around the state to improve stock enhancement activities.
The trailer was used at the event to siphon about 3000 fish through a clear tube and down the rocks, until the fish were safely released under the water. They showed great signs that they will grow to be a valuable addition to the Cockburn Sound Pink Snapper stock.

The $25,000 required to successfully complete the Snapper Guardian project was achieved within hours of the campaign going live back in December 2015 and with the total of $36,000 being pledged by the WA community, we now see surplus funds available for a similar project later this year.
The proactive work of the community who saw great value in making this project a reality, along with some great corporate sponsors and the innovation of the Fremantle Hatchery, the Snapper Guardians project made headlines around the state and the nation with media outlets giving the project the attention it deserved.
To put the release into perspective, in the wild only about 50 fish from the eggs collected would have survived.
The amount of fish being released in this project would normally come from about 1.5 billion eggs. So as you can see, survival in the wild is extremely low and the innovation at the Fremantle Hatchery to achieve WA’s first ever Pink Snapper release from the egg stage is outstanding and should be commended.
The Snapper Guardian merchandise was a huge hit with the community with hundreds of T-shirts, beanies and stickers being paraded around at the release which gave the people a real sense of ownership of these new Pink Snapper and what it meant for the sustainability of Cockburn Sound.
Recfishwest, who represent the community’s interest on issues like these, will be seeking an ongoing contribution from the state government toward an egg collection program, as an insurance policy until we are confident that the right steps are taken to future proof fish stocks in Cockburn Sound.
The remainder of the snapper grown out in the Fremantle Hatchery were released into Warnbro Sound two weeks prior which and saw over 45,000 fish find new homes in the sea grasses in well known nursery grounds for juvenile fish.
Some of the frequently asked questions we received on the day were:
Would all the eggs that hatched survived in the wild?
No, in the wild survival is extremely low, only approximately 50 fish from the eggs collected would have survived. The amount of fish being released in this project would normally come from about 1.5 billion eggs.
Why were eggs taken from Cockburn Sound only to be put back?
An RFIF project to test egg sampling methods was carried out before the Cockburn Sound fish kills. Coincidently, these eggs hatched and we had the opportunity to grow them to optimize their survival. This project protected the eggs through the most vulnerable stage of their lifecycle.
How will we know if these fish will survive?
They have been stained with a non-toxic coloured dye (you can’t see it). When a fish is captured in years to come and the otolith (ear bone) is removed, we’ll be able to identify these fish and know how successful this project has been.

Cockburn Sound Fish Kill Update
Recfishwest Update
Please find below the Department of Fisheries Media Release regarding the latest on the Cockburn Sound fish kill.
Department of Fisheries Media Release 8 December, 2015 – Breakthrough in cause of Cockburn Sound fish deaths
The Department of Fisheries investigations have confirmed that November’s Cockburn Sound fish deaths were likely caused by a bloom of microscopic algae. Supervising Scientist Dr Michael Snow said exhaustive testing had isolated a spike of a group of algal diatom species called Chaetoceros spp. which have spines made of silica and are known to causes gill irritation in fish that can lead to mucous accumulation and respiratory failure.
“Similar diatoms have been implicated in fish death events in other parts of Australia and also internationally,” Dr Snow said.
“This bloom may also have been associated with low dissolved oxygen conditions which are known to periodically occur in southern section of Cockburn Sound placing extra stress on the fish. We know from experience that fish death events often involve multiple contributory factors that make cases difficult to solve.
“We appreciate the patience of the WA community as the multidisciplinary investigative team have methodically eliminated many other causes. We cannot afford to jump to conclusions in these cases which must be based on solid scientific evidence. Investigations have included screening for a wide range of over 120 algal toxins and industrial contaminants including heavy metals, fertilisers, pesticides and hydrocarbons.
“Other Government agencies have also pursued and eliminated a number of other possibilities.
Dr Snow said results received late yesterday – and confirmed earlier today – indicate that the algal diatom is the most likely cause. He said satellite data also showed an increase in surface water temperature at the same time, which may have contributed to the bloom event
“The diatom is 10-50 microns in size, which is similar to the diameter of a human hair,” he said. “Diatoms naturally occur in all marine and estuarine environments. They are not harmful to humans. The Department of Health has confirmed the Sound is safe for fishing and swimming.”
Dr Snow said the Department of Fisheries would continue to monitor fish stocks to assess the long term implications of the fish deaths event.
“Seasonal restrictions on pink snapper fishing remain in place (due to spawning), as does a ban on crab fishing due to stock declines in recent years and Cockburn Sound is also subject to the annual West Coast demersal finfish closure,” he said.
Dr Snow said the Department of Fisheries would release a public report on its findings and provide it to other departments with a management role in Cockburn Sound, as well as the Cockburn Sound Management Council.
Snapper Guardians is back! Help us release 5,000 juvenile pink snapper into Cockburn Sound on Saturday 11 February!
Recfishwest is delighted to announce our 2023 Snapper Guardians community fish stocking event will go ahead this year at Woodman Point in Cockburn Sound on Saturday, 11 February following a two-year break.
It is welcome news for mums, dads and kids who can again attend this popular event in person to help us release 5,000 juvenile pink snapper into Cockburn Sound, following the cancellation of the community event in 2021 and 2022 due to COVID.
Even though we reluctantly had to cancel these public events, COVID didn’t stop us releasing pink snapper into the Sound with 100,000 released last year, while 20,000 were released in 2021.
Event details
Where: 10am on Saturday, 11 February at Jervoise Bay, Woodman Point (see map below)
What to bring: All you need is your family, camera, hat, sunscreen, bathers and a snorkel if you want to get in the drink and get an underwater view of the juvenile snapper swimming off into their new home.
Pink snapper have always been strongly associated with Cockburn Sound, which supports the West Coast Bioregion’s largest pink snapper spawning aggregation, and which is treasured by the local community as a safe, accessible and fantastic fishery on Perth’s doorstep.

“The recreational fishing community has a strong track record in driving initiatives that safeguard demersal fish stocks,” said Recfishwest CEO Dr Andrew Rowland, “and events like Snapper Guardians highlight to decision-makers how much local people care about the future of these fish and Cockburn Sound as a whole. This is particularly important given the recent west coast demersal changes and the Government’s plans to build a new port in Cockburn Sound.
“It’s been great to see how the community has effectively made Snapper Guardians its own and we are proud and excited to welcome back community members of all ages to roll up their sleeves and enjoy the special experience of watching these pinkies swim off into the Sound.”

A community-based fish stocking program
Snapper Guardians was launched in response to the 2015 fish kill that saw a horrific number of adult pink snapper wash up dead along the shoreline of Cockburn Sound.
On the back of the community outcry that ensued, Recfishwest launched a crowd-funded fish stocking program in the sound.
Today the program is supported by DPIRD’s aquaculture centre in Fremantle where the juvenile snapper are hatched and reared through the most vulnerable phase of their life cycle before being released to maximise their survival opportunity.
Since the inaugural Snapper Guardians event held in 2016, more than 220,000 pink snapper have been released into Cockburn Sound for future generations of fishers to enjoy catching.
Watch the Snapper Guardians story below.
Thousands more pinkies to be released in the metro area
The Government has committed to stocking another 35,000 juvenile at Cockburn Power Boats Club and at Fremantle Sailing Club around mid-February, bringing the total number of pink snapper making a splash in metro waters in 2023 to 40,000.
A big Recfishwest thanks to Daiwa as our community fish stocking partners for their continuing support of our community events in 2023 and to the crew at DPIRD’s Fremantle fish hatchery who continue to help make Snapper Guardians happen .
Please note, parents and carers are responsible for and must remain with their children at all times.
Bumper Snapper Guardians 2023 kicks off ‘super-stocking’ week
What an awesome turn-out for Snapper Guardians 2023 – with the biggest crowd in the event’s history coming down to help us release juvenile pink snapper into Cockburn Sound!
What’s more it kicked off a ‘super-stocking’ week which has seen 40,000 juvenile pink snapper and 15,000 yellowtail king fish released into metro waters in less than seven days!
With COVID unfortunately disrupting the community attendance at the event in 2021 and 2022, Recfishwest was delighted to see hundreds of fishing families turn up to roll up their sleeves and help release 5,000 juvenile pinkies to show how much they value this iconic species, the Sound and the fantastic fishing experiences it supports on Perth’s doorstep.

CHECK OUT OUR LIVE FACEBOOK FEED FROM THIS YEAR’S SNAPPER GUARDIANS
This was followed by another 35,000 pink snapper released between Fremantle Sailing Club and the Cockburn Power Boats Club earlier this week, while 15,000 yellowtail kingfish were also released on Wedneday between the same locations to spice up future fishing experiences in metro waters.
“The fantastic response we had to Snapper Guardians 2023 shows the community’s care and passion for Cockburn Sound and the fantastic, safe, accessible fishery it supports is stronger than ever before,” said CEO Dr Andrew Rowland. “A big shout out to everyone who came down from the community to support this year’s event.”
“Fishing is always better when the fish are biting and we don’t just want to see sustainable fisheries – we want abundant ones. That’s why it’s great to see the Government’s commitment to fish stocking initiatives like the pink snapper and yellowtail kingfish programs.
Check out the behind-the-scenes footage from the DPIRD Fremantle hatchery and the kingie cannon firing new yellowtail kingfish into their new home on the YouTube link below!
“We want to see more of this in the future and a well-developed scientific monitoring program that can give us a better understanding of the effectiveness and potential scalability of these popular iniativies,” added Andrew.
A big Recfishwest shout out also to the team from DPIRD’s Fremantle hatchery, who collected the pink snapper eggs in early November of 2022, hatched and reared the pinkies in their aquaculture tanks through the most vulnerable stage of their lives, before transporting the 90-day-old fish down to Jervoise Bay, Woodman Point for release into their new home.

We would also like to thank our community fish stocking partners Daiwa, for helping us make this event possible.
Rest assured, with the State Government promising more funding and support for future stocking events such as Snapper Guardians, we will ensure this great event continues for many years to come and becomes even bigger and better.
Were you one of the Snapper Guardians who rolled up your sleeves over the weekend? Check out some of the action and big smiles from our latest event below and thank you to all attendees who put on the bathers and snorkels to help make the 2023 Snapper Guardians event one for the ages.