Emperor red snapper

Stock assessments in Indonesia are carried out by government fisheries scientists affiliated with the Research Center for Fisheries (Pusriskan). Research outputs from Pusriskan and other best scientific evidence are then reviewed and synthesized by the National Commission for Fish Stock Assessment (Komnas Kajiskan), an independent entity under (and report to) the Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP-RI) and whose members have expertise in fisheries resources and are drawn from various relevant organizations (KKP-RI 2016). Upon peer-reviews and synthesis, Komnas Kajiskan then make policy recommendations to the Minister (KKP-RI 2016). The Minister then stipulate, decree, and gazette a Ministerial Decree pertaining to the estimation of maximum sustainable yields (MSYs), total allowable catches (TACs), and exploitation rates (Es) of fish stocks within Indonesia’s FMAs ((KKP-RI 2016), (KKP-RI 2017)). Stock assessments are carried out continuously, although it is not always every year (Prof. Ali Suman, Senior Shrimp Expert from Pusriskan, member of Komnas Kajiskan, 2012 – present, pers. comm., 29 October 2017). There are significant discrepancies (inter-annual variability) in the results of stock assessment between the most recent one (2016) and the last one (2015), with a tendency of increased values for the basket or aggregated MSYs, TACs, and f_OPT for most ecologically-related groups in 2016. In this report, (Indrajaya 2017) explained that the use of limited or under-reported data (mostly from reported catches) as model inputs in the previous assessment have resulted in significantly lower assessment results. In earlier assessment (prior to 2015), heavy reliance (~ 90%) was given to landing and effort statistics as model inputs (Suman et al. 2016). To improve the accuracy of model estimates, from 2015 assessment and onward, primary data from acoustic survey, when possible, was primarily (~80%) used as model inputs (Suman et al. 2016).

Indonesia’s fisheries are highly multispecies and multi-fleet; spanning across 11 FMAs (KKP-RI 2009). Consequently, basket or aggregated MSYs, TACs, and Es assessment system per species groups in each FMA had been chosen as an empirical solution to a very difficult and potentially very expensive problem (Prof. Ali Suman, Senior Shrimp Expert from Pusriskan, member of Komnas Kajiskan, 2012 – present, pers. comm., 25 October 2017). Fish resources are allocated into nine ecologically-related groups: small pelagic fish, large pelagic fish (except tuna and skipjack), demersal fish, reef fish, penaeid shrimp, lobster, mud crab, swimming crab, and squid. Lutjanus sebae is, thus, lumped together in the demersal fish group and do not have its own MSYs, TACs, or Es ((KKP-RI 2016), (KKP-RI 2017)).

The most recent (2016) official stock assessment (KKP-RI 2017) carried out for demersal fish group use bottom long line (rawai dasar) as the standard effort in the assessment, and used the Cadima model (in (Troadec 1977)), (Indrajaya 2017)). TAC was determined at 80% of MSY, and there were no referrals to uncertainties or sensitivity analyses ((Suman et al. 2016), (Indrajaya 2017)). The stock is considered as one big unit of biomass and no attempt is made to model on an age- or length-based. Despite several studies on snappers in the Makassar Strait area, comprehensive biological stock assessment for L. sebae is not available ((Fisheries Improvement Indonesia 2016), (Fisheries Improvement Indonesia 2017)).

In the 2016 official stock assessment (KKP-RI 2017) for the demersal fish group (of which emperor red snappers is lumped into) in the Makassar Strait – Flores Sea (FMA 713), aggregate MSY and TAC are determined at 252,869 tons and 202,295 tons, respectively. This advised TAC is more or less equal to 29,059 units of standardized bottom long line, reflecting the optimal fishing effort, or f_OPT. 

Overall, the demersal fish group in FMA 713 can be considered as 'fully-exploited' with an E value of 0.96 (note: E < 0.5 = moderately-exploited; 0.5 ≤ E < 1 = fully-exploited;  E ≥ 1 = over-exploited).

However, specifically for L. sebae (emperor red snapper) in FMA 713, (Nuraini 2017) concluded that it is probably overfished already (see more detail under ‘Current Status’ section).

No biological reference points have been officially defined for snappers (and thus, L. sebae) in FMA 713.

Based on the 2016 assessment, the exploitation rate for demersal fish (in which emperor red snapper is included) in FMA 713 was found to have reached fully-exploited state (E = 0.96) (KKP-RI 2017). Compared to the 2015 assessment (KKP-RI 2016)  where E was estimated to be 1.04 (over-exploited), the state of demersal fish in FMA 713 seemed to be slightly improving. An on-going study of snappers and groupers in the Makassar Strait which covers about 17 species of snappers and 34 species of groupers have preliminary concluded that the stock status of some of these snappers are still good (Nuraini 2016), except for L. sebae (Nuraini 2017).

Length-at-first-maturity (Lm) of L. sebae was reported to be 48cm (Nuraini 2017). However, in Nuraini's recent study (Nuraini 2017) in Makassar Strait from Feb – Dec 2016, it was found that most of L. sebae caught and landed were immature (size < Lm 48cm), and only 7% of the fish landed were mature - this indicates recruitment overfishing through harvesting juveniles. The L. sebae fishery in Makassar Strait is probably overfished already (Nuraini 2017). The study also found that assuming the exploitation rate was optimum at a value of E = 0.5, Lutjanus sebae was found to be above the optimum at E = 0.55. There is no other data on exploitation rates or biomass trends for Lutjanus sebae fishery in FMA 713.

No account on discarding has been mentioned.

The multi-species of snapper (Lutjanus spp.) have distinct local common names for each snapper species (including for Lutjanus sebae, kakap bongkok), however, all of them (Lutjanus genus) are collectively referred to as kakap merah or bambangan in the trade, and thus, their official catch records are also reported as an aggregate value under kakap merah/bambangan. Beginning in 2015 catch record, a few snapper species’ local common names have started to be reported separately in KKP-RI’s catch database, except for kakap bongkok (L. sebae) (Mr. Muhammad Anas, DG Capture Fisheries-KKP, pers. comm., 28 Dec 2017).  Therefore, catch statistics on Lutjanus sebae does not exist.

Recent biological and ecological sampling survey as part of the FIP program for Snappers and Groupers in Makassar Strait had been carried out to scope-out the situation, including sampling snapper species in middlemen facilities ((Nuraini 2016), (Nuraini 2017)). From February to November 2016, 7729 fish were enumerated and 56.3% of these specimens were snappers (17 species), with Lutjanus malabaricus (21%), L. sebae (4%), and L. erythropterus (4%), being the most dominant in weight and number ((Nuraini 2016), (Nuraini 2017), (SFP 2017)).  Nuraini’s recent study (Nuraini 2017)  also found that L. sebae fishery in Makassar Strait is probably overfished already, as the majority (90%) of the species landed and traded are juvenile/immature L. sebae (size < Lm 48 cm). 

The official assessment advise for demersal fish (to which Lutjanus sebae is embedded) in FMA 713 for 2015 (Suman et al. 2016) and 2016 (Indrajaya 2017) that were adopted as management decisions were legally decreed ((KKP-RI 2016), (KKP-RI 2017)) and officially set as follows:

Specific Fishery Management Plan (Rencana Pengelolaan Perikanan, RPP) for Indonesia’s snapper (including emperor red snapper) fisheries does not exist yet, and therefore, the corresponding road map and recovery plans for L. sebae fishery is also non-existent. However, an RPP for the entire FMA 713 assessment unit does exist (KKP-RI 2016) and covers all fisheries in the 10 provinces and provided a more general strategic plan and road map for the nine ecologically-related group fisheries as aggregated groups (i.e., small pelagic fish, large pelagic fish, demersal fish (where emperor red snappers are embedded in), reef fish, penaeid shrimp, lobster, mud crab, swimming crab, and squid).

L. sebae is targeted both for export and domestic consumption as part of the multispecies snapper and grouper fisheries ((Nuraini 2016), (Nuraini 2017)). They are caught mainly by hook-and-lines (pancing), including drop lines (pancing ulur), i.e., active vertical hook-and-line for deep slope areas; bottom long line (rawai dasar), on the shelf area and top of the slopes; bottom gillnet (pukat); troll line (pancing tonda); traps (bubu); and occasionally caught by natural divers with speargun (panah) and hookah ((Fisheries Improvement Indonesia 2016); (Fisheries Improvement Indonesia 2017); (Mous and Pet 2018); (FIP Participants-South Sulawesi Small-Scale Snapper-Grouper 2017); (SFP 2017); (Nuraini 2017)).

Although medium size long-liner boats from Probolinggo (East Java) also ply the waters of Makassar Strait for snappers (Mous and Pet 2018), the majority of fishing boats are local small-scale boats, ranging in size between 1 GT (daily fishing) to 3 - 5 GT (approx. 15-20 days/fishing trip), and powered by 5 to 24 HP outboard engines (FIP Participants-South Sulawesi Small-Scale Snapper-Grouper 2017). 

As with other snappers, most of the L. sebae catches go directly to the buyers’ (i.e., middlemen’s) facilities. Meanwhile, official enumeration of catches take place in government fish landing sites, and thus these catches are, unfortunately, most likely not recorded or under-reported. Although compliance assessment has not been conducted, stakeholders in the snapper fishery and supply chains have acknowledged problems about catch data recording and its consequential under-reporting (SFP 2017).

Specific study on the effects of the snapper fisheries on ETP species in Makassar Strait – Flores Sea is presently not available. However, a study on the shark and rays bycatch from deep-slope (50-500m) dropline and demersal longline fisheries targeting various snapper, grouper and emperor species in other parts of central and eastern Indonesia exists (Jaiteh 2017). In this study (Jaiteh 2017), sharks and rays caught were recorded by captains onboard fishing vessels as part of the Captain Operated Data Recording System (CODRS). Photographs were taken by 27 vessels on 81 days between 17 October 2015 and 29 October 2016. An estimated 207 individuals in the images were distinct individuals that belonged to at least 36 species and 18 families. Bycatch was dominated (56% of the catch, n = 110) by Carcharhinids (requiem/whaler sharks), followed by Sphyrnidae/hammerhead sharks (11%, n = 22, mainly of the species Sphyrna lewini, scalloped hammerhead) and Rhynchobatidae/guitarfish (9%, n = 17, mainly whitespotted guitarfish, Rhynchobatos australiae); meanwhile, the remaining 15 families contributed 5% or less to the total catch. 

In Indonesia, Ocean Whitetip Shark (Carcharhinus longimanus) is protected by law (KKP-RI 2016), so is hammerhead sharks (Sphyrnidae, Sphyrna spp.) (KKP-RI 2016). Other species of sharks that are protected by law in Indonesia are: whale shark, Rhincodon Typus (KKP-RI 2013), thresher shark, Alopias pelagicus, A. supreciliosus (KKP-RI 2013) and Saw shark (Pristis mocrodon) (PEMRI 1999).

Future studies on the shark and rays bycatch from snapper and grouper fisheries in more areas of Indonesian waters will be carried out in due course (Dr Peter Mous, TNC Indonesia Fisheries Conservation Program, pers. comm., 13 March 2018).

Snappers (including L. sebae) in FMA 713 are taken by small-scale fishing gears that mainly use hook-and-lines, including drop lines (for deep slope areas), bottom long line (on the shelf area and top of the slopes), bottom gillnet, troll line, traps, and occasionally caught by natural divers with speargun and hookah (Nuraini 2017). The main target species of this fishery are snappers (Lutjanus spp.) and groupers (Serranidae), and to a lesser extent, emperors, sweetlips, and jobfishes species (Nuraini 2016).

Other than the shark species noted in the study of (Jaiteh 2017), the deep-water long line and drop line fisheries targeting snappers and groupers in central and eastern Indonesia (including in FMA 713) are considered fairly clean in terms of non-target species being caught ((Mous and Pet 2018), (Mous and Pet 2018)). In their reports, (Mous and Pet 2018), and (Mous and Pet 2018) concluded that both fisheries are admittedly much more species-rich then sometimes assumed, but they are still within the snapper category, which forms the main target group.

However, as to bottom long line fishery targeting snappers in FMA 713 (and the adjacent FMA 712) on the shelf areas and tops of slopes (50 – 150 meters), (Mous and Pet 2018) wrote: “The bottom long line fishery is characterized by a more substantial by-catch of small sharks, cobia and trevallies, which are currently not preferred by the processors who are buying the target species. By-catch species are usually sun-dried by the crew and sold separately, outside of the catch of snappers, groupers and emperors, which belongs to the owner of the boat and goes to the processors for middle and higher end local and export markets.”.

Studies on the other target and bycatch species of the other fishing gear that target snappers in FMA 713 were not found.

Lutjanus sebae occurs in the vicinity of coral reefs and also inhabit mangrove areas. They are large, slow-growing, it may reach 30 – 40 years old, and has low potential reproduction (Nuraini 2017).

The studies by Mous and Pet ((Mous and Pet 2018), (Mous and Pet 2018)) concluded that both (deepwater) drop line and (bottom) long line fisheries are characterized by a very low and relatively low impact on habitat at the fishing ground, respectively. In both fisheries, impact to habitat is nothing near the impact from destructive dragging gears, for example, and also much less than could be expected from other demersal fisheries with nets or traps ((Mous and Pet 2018), (Mous and Pet 2018)).

Meanwhile, with long line fishery, (Mous and Pet 2018) noted that there will be some tangling with various life forms or structure on the bottom at the fishing grounds, but captains avoid areas with high or complicated structure as they do not want to lose their gear.

However, (Mous and Pet 2018) cautioned that “due to limited available habitat (fishing grounds) and predictable locations of fish concentrations, combined with a very high fishing effort on the best known fishing grounds, as well as the targeting of juveniles, there is a very high potential for overfishing in the deep slope fisheries for snappers, groupers, and emperors.”.

Study on the habitat impact of the other fishing gear that target snappers in FMA 713 is still non-existent.

The snapper fishing grounds adjacent to South Sulawesi Province might overlap with some marine protected areas located within the Makassar Strait – Flores Sea area (FMA 713), these include: Taka Bone Rate National Park, district-based Marine Protected Area Pangkep, and district-based Marine Protected Area Selayar (SFP 2017). Some fishers may also venture out to fishing grounds that are located in FMA 714 (Tolo Bay – Banda Sea) and their fishing grounds might overlap with Wakatobi Marine National Park (SFP 2017).

Complete list of Marine Protected Areas in FMA 713 can be found in the Marine Protected Area Database. This MPA database recorded twenty-two (22) marine protected areas located in FMA 713. Other than the fishing ground of snappers that overlap with the MPAs noted above, there is no other information of snappers’ fishing grounds in these listed MPAs. Moreover, none of these MPAs have any specific plans to protect the habitat and spawning ground of snappers per se.