Adult snapper typically spawn their eggs in areas of highly productive waters, adjacent to estuaries and harbours. The Hauraki Gulf (a large embayment) is an important area for snapper spawning.
Snapper eggs hatch into larvae and then transition through a number of stages that see them grow from around 2 mm to 12 mm over a period of up to 28 days.
Most snapper mature between 3 and 5 years of age or around 230 mm in length. Adult snapper can grow to 1 m in length (over 15 kg) and live to over 60 years in age.
