Ongoing research and management is required to ensure abalone are harvested at a sustainable level and breeding stocks are protected.
The commercial fishery is part of the overall abalone managed fishery. We manage it primarily through output controls in the form of total allowable commercial catches (TACCs), which are set annually for each species in each area and allocated to licence holders as individual transferable quotas (ITQs).
We manage the recreational component of the fishery through a mix of input and output controls, such as a required recreational fishing licence and restricted fishing seasons, and bag and size limits.
| Roe’s abalone |
91.4 tonnes whole weight |
44 tonnes whole weight |
$2.3 million |
Acceptable |
|---|
| Greenlip/brownlip abalone |
205 tonnes |
8 tonnes |
$7.8 million |
|
|---|
Research and monitoring
Our current research is focused on stock assessment, using logbook catch and effort data that form the basis for the setting of quota in each area of the fishery.
Initiatives include the collection of in-water diver survey data, commercially-fished abalone shell lengths, mark-recapture data, stock enhancement research programs and the use of underwater digital video equipment by industry divers to help carry out an assessment of the stock.
During the short recreational abalone fishing season along Perth reefs, a field survey is conducted involving our research staff and volunteers to count the numbers of fishers on reefs and count and weigh their catches. A telephone survey is also used to estimate the Statewide recreational abalone catch.