Cape bonnetmouth or redbait (Emmelichthys nitidus) are a widespread small pelagic species that occurs in association with seamounts, mid-oceanic ridges and continental shelfs in the southwest Atlantic, Indian and south Pacific Oceans. They can be found at depths of 20‑500 metres. Redbait form schools by size and by depth. Juveniles tend to occur near the surface while adults are found in deeper water closure to the sea floor (Moore and Mazur 2016).

The stock structure of redbait in Australia has not been studied. Redbait within the Small Pelagic fisheries (SPF) is assessed and managed as separate stocks in the eastern and western subareas.

The 2014 SPF harvest strategy (AFMA 2014), which was used to set recommended biological catches (RBCs) and total allowable catches (TACs) for the 2014–15 and 2015–16 fishing seasons, included a three-tier system that was applied separately to each stock. The tiered system was designed to allow greater levels of catch when higher-quality research information was available on stock status. Tier 1, for stocks with the highest quality of information (from daily egg production method [DEPM] surveys), provided for the largest potential RBC as a proportion of the estimated biomass. Tier 3, for stocks with relatively poor-quality information, provided for the smallest RBC (Small Pelagic Fishery Management Plan 2009; Moore and Mazur 2016). This species is managed under tier 2.

Redbait is found from mid New South Wales to south-west Western Australia, including Tasmania. Fishing for redbait in the Small Pelagic Fishery focuses in the area of waters off south-east New South Wales, eastern Tasmania and South Australia. Redbait are mostly fished by boats operating midwater trawl fishing gear in depths between 100-400 metres (Moore and Mazur 2016).

This fishery entered full assessment by the Marine Stewardship Council system in September 2014. Click here to link to the MSC fishery page and to learn more about the MSC fishery.

The Cape bonnetmouth – E stock profile share the same MSC assessment.