Assessing the population biology of Black Jewfish (Protonibea diacanthus) in Queensland

In Australian waters, the black jewfish is targeted by commercial, recreational, indigenous and charter fishing groups. Since 2017 there has been a rapid increase in targeted commercial fishing effort for black jewfish in Queensland (QLD) following a rise in market demand from South-East Asia. In 2018, black jewfish in QLD were assessed as “undefined” under the Status of Australian Fish Stocks reporting framework due to insufficient information available to confidently classify the stock. This investment will determine the stock structure and connectivity of black jewfish throughout Queensland and asses the age structure, fecundity, and size-at-maturity for black jewfish populations on the East Coast of Queensland to inform management decisions.