The yellowfin bream is an important commercial and recreational species in Queensland, with over 400t landed annually. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the incidence of Saddleback Syndrome (SBS), a skeletal deformity primarily affecting the development of the dorsal fin spines, is increasing. This increase in the prevalence of SBS may result in recreational fishers and the public losing confidence in catching and consuming fish afflicted with the syndrome. It is, therefore, important that objective information is available to counter these concerns.

This project addresses one of the Queensland Fisheries Research Advisory Board's Research & Development priorities for 2010. Specifically, it addresses the "urgent need for research into the cause of a particular deformity of bream that is occurring in the important Moreton Bay fishery". The Queensland Fisheries Research Advisory Board (QFRAB) recently advised that a desktop study should be undertaken to determine potential causes of SBS in the international literature. Additonally, QFRAB advised that data from DEEDI's Long Term Monitoring Program should be analysed to determine the extent of SBS in Queensland.

Mr. Tony Ham, Fisheries Queensland Manager of Recreational Fisheries, has advised that SBS is an important issue, requiring attention in order to determine the incidence and cause of the syndrome in key recreational fish species.

Further, the need to investigate the cause of saddle-back deformities in yellowfin bream in SE Qld is of major importance and concern to the recreational fishing sector according to Sunfish Queensland, the recreational fishing representative group on the inshore finfish Scientific Advisory Group (SAG).

This project also addresses the concerns of commercial net fishers in Moreton Bay, specifically through the Moreton Bay Seafood Industry Association. These concerns relate to the potential difficulties in marketing bream and other species suffering from Saddleback Syndrome considering the perceived increase in the syndrome’s prevalence in recent years.