The baldchin groper is unique to Western Australia and only found on the west coast between Coral Bay and Cape Naturaliste.
The commercial catch of baldchin groper is small. The West Coast Demersal Scalefish (Interim) Managed Fishery (WCDSIMF), which operates in oceanic waters south of Shark Bay, takes the most commercially – 9 tonnes in 2014.
The WCDSIMF takes demersal species and a smaller amount of other scalefish, and has an annual commercial value of $1 to $5 million. The 9 tonnes of baldchin groper taken in 2014 represented less than three per cent of this fishery’s total catch (334 tonnes).
In 2013/14, 4 tonnes of baldchin groper was landed in other commercial fisheries combined. (Catches are reported from the most recent complete season of log book data – 2013/14 for some commercial fisheries.)
Management measures include restricting access to a limited number of permit holders.
Baldchin groper commercial catch 2013/14 or 2014
West Coast Demersal
Scalefish(Interim)
Managed Fishery |
309 tonnes |
9 tonnes
|
|---|
Other fisheries
combined |
87 tonnes |
4 tonnes |
|---|