The similarity in appearance of some Pilbara/Kimberley fish species makes them difficult to identify and can potentially cause issues in keeping to fishing rules.
There are many tropical snapper/sea perch and emperor/sea bream species that look alike. Some have the same minimum size limits but not all, so it’s important to accurately identify the species caught.
Three species that look alike but have different size limits are spangled emperor, with a minimum size limit of 410 mm, grass emperor with 320 mm, and blue spotted emperor with 280 mm. They all have a similar shape and blue bars, lines and spots, making it difficult to tell them apart.
So if you catch a 300 mm emperor, you can only legally keep it if it’s a blue spotted emperor (or other emperor with the same size limit). If the fish is a spangled or grass emperor, it's undersize and must be returned to the water.
Information on fish species and their size limits can be found in our Recreational fishing guide and Recreational fishing identification guide, also available from our offices and information outlets.