Samson fish have a discontinuous distribution, from Moreton Bay to Montague Island off the east coast, and from Marion Bay in South Australia to Shark Bay in Western Australia (Ref. 7300). Also Ref. 115274.

Commercial fishery: In Western Australia, samson fish are caught between Israelite Bay and Shark Bay, although most of the catch is taken between Perth and Geraldton.

Off southwestern Western Australia, samson fish are caught with handlines, droplines, longlines and bottom set gillnets. Samson fish form most of the catch and are taken on handlines and droplines. Gillnet and longline catches are usually considered a bycatch of the Southwest Shark Fishery.

Samson fish are marketed as whole, gilled and guttted fish.

Recreational fishery: Samson fish are important species for recreational anglers (Ref. 27128, 27869) with most effort concentrated in the summer months. They are usually taken from boats by anglers using handlines and rod-and-line, although they are occasionally taken from the shore. Anglers often fish near traps and other fish aggregating devices.

The Australian Anglers Association records the largest samson fish as 53.1 kg (from Western Australia).