Distributed from approximately Rockhampton on the central Queensland coast through the waters of all southern Australian States to North West Cape in Western Australia. They also inhabit the waters of Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island.

Commercial fishery: The main fishery for silver trevally is located in New South Wales waters. Trevally are targeted by fishers using beach seines in bays, or from ocean beaches along the coast from Port Macquarie to the Victorian border. They are also caught in the New South Wales trap fishery which targets higher valued species such as snapper (Pagrus auratus) and ocean jackets (Nelusetta ayraudi).

Small quantities of silver trevally are caught in estuaries using coastal set gillnets. Catches are also made by demersal otter trawlers targeting other species in the South East Fishery off southeastern Australia. Trawl catch rates are consistently low in the Fishery, e.g. total trawl catches ranged between 200 t and 400 t from 1985-86 to 1989-90. Most of the silver trevally trawl catch is taken from waters less than 100 m deep (Ref. 27735). Silver trevally are also a bycatch of the Southern Shark Fishery, although the level of catch is uncertain due to misreporting of warehous (Seriolella species) as silver trevally. Small quantities of silver trevally are also trolled in Tasmanian coastal waters.

The New South Wales catch of silver trevally has increased since the 1980s when the low price obtained for silver trevally deterred fishers from targetting the species. Higher prices now encourage fishers to target silver trevally when the availability of other more valuable species is low.

Silver trevally are sold mainly as whole fish on the domestic fresh fish market. Some of the catch is air freighted to Japan as fresh, chilled product.

Recreational fishery: Silver trevally is a significant recreational species throughout the area it inhabits. The most common methods used to catch it are handlines and rod-and-line and most fish are caught by using baits of cut fish flesh, whole pilchards (Sardinops neopilchardus) or anchovies (Engraulis australis), squid, prawns (Penaeidae), crabs or cunjevoi (Pyura stolonifera) (Ref. 27128). The largest recorded silver trevally caught by a recreational angler weighed 10 kg and was taken off Lord Howe Island (Australian Anglers Association records).

Also Ref. 2156, 2334, 3157.