Australasian snapper

The Australasian snapper (Chrysophrys auratus) or silver seabream is a type of porgie that lives in the coastal waters of Australia, Philippines, Indonesia, mainland China, Taiwan, Japan, and New Zealand. This fish is found in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, but its areas are separated.

Even though it is called snapper in Australia and New Zealand, it is not part of the Lutjanidae snapper family. People love to eat it because it has a sweet sea taste and a firm texture.

It is the only species in the genus Chrysophrys, but it used to be classified under the genus Pagrus as Pagrus auratus.

Regional variation in naming

Different places have special names for the Australasian snapper, depending on the size and local language. In Australia, small fish are called cocknies, while larger ones are known as red bream, pinkies, squire, or squirefish, and the biggest are simply called snapper. In Western Australia, they use the term "pink snapper" to tell it apart from other fish. In Victoria, it’s sometimes called schnapper, especially near Schnapper Point in Mornington. In South Australia, smaller fish of legal size are often called "ruggers".

Aboriginal people in the Port Jackson area called the fish wollamie, and early European settlers there nicknamed it the "light horseman" because its skull looked like a soldier’s helmet. In New Zealand, the fish is generally called snapper, or New Zealand snapper when needed to avoid confusion with other types. The Māori people call adult fish tāmure and younger fish karatī.

Habitat

The Australasian snapper lives along the coasts of New Zealand, especially in the northern part. In Australia, you can find it along the southern coast near places like Kiama, Berry, Gerringong, Gerroa, Huskisson, Vincentia, and Shoalhaven. It is also found on the coast of Tasmania, though in smaller numbers.

These fish lay their eggs in shallow waters near the shore and live in rocky areas and reefs that can be as deep as 200 metres. They often stay together in groups and move between different reefs. Bigger snapper sometimes go into places like estuaries and harbours, such as Port Phillip Bay, where there is a well-known season when many snapper come.

Relationship with humans

Snapper has been an important food for the Māori, especially for tribes in the north of the North Island. In fact, snapper bones are often found in old village spots, showing how much they liked to eat it. People have many names for snapper, like tāmure for adult fish and karatī for young ones.

There are many traditional ways to cook snapper. One special way is called kaniwha, where the fish is put in fresh water, squeezed many times, and then eaten raw. The part near the base of the tongue, called the nene, was thought to be the best part to eat.

Fisheries

The amount of Australasian snapper caught each year has changed over time, ranging from 25,600 to 34,300 tonnes between the years 2000 and 2009. Japan and New Zealand were the places where the most snapper were caught during this time.