Black snapper stocks in the inner gulfs of Shark Bay are under increasing pressure by the recreational fishing sector. This is a result of both the increasing number of recreational anglers fishing in the Shark Bay area and the reduction in the stock size of pink snapper. Current management for the recreational sector consists of a bag limit of 8 fish and size limit of 28 cm. However, there are no validated or reliable biological data on the age, growth and reproductive biology on this species in order to develop stock assessment models and evaluate current management regulations.