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Updated management arrangements for Blue Swimmer Crabs


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  • Commercial and recreational blue swimmer crab fishing arrangements have been reviewed and updated for the upcoming 2014–15 season to ensure the sustainability of the fishery.

Monday, 30 June 2014

 

Commercial and recreational blue swimmer crab fishing arrangements have been reviewed and updated for the upcoming 2014–15 season to ensure the sustainability of the fishery.

 

The 2012-13 Blue Crab Fishery stock assessment report recently published by the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI) Aquatic Sciences, shows that while the Spencer Gulf fishery remains in a strong position the Gulf St Vincent fishery remains at a low level.

 

Based on the latest available evidence, and using the national framework for stock status reporting, the Spencer Gulf fishing zone of the BCF would be classified as ‘sustainable’ and the Gulf St Vincent fishing zone as ‘transitional-recovering’.

 

Director Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy at PIRSA, Sean Sloan, said that as a result the total allowable commercial catch (TACC) for Gulf St Vincent would remain at a reduced level for the 2014–15 season.

 

“The abundance of juvenile and legal size crabs remains below the acceptable limit set out in the fishery’s management plan and as a result triggered a review of the TACC for the upcoming season,” he said.

 

“TACC for Gulf St Vincent will remain at 196 tonnes for the 2014-15 season, which represents a 20 per cent reduction in the baseline TACC. The TACC for the Spencer Gulf Blue Crab Fishery will also remain unchanged at 381 tonnes.”

 

Mr Sloan said it had also been necessary to maintain the same reduced level for the 2014–15 season.

 

“The recreational combined crab (blue swimmer crab and sand crab) limits will remain at a daily individual bag limit of 20 and a daily boat limit of 60 in Gulf St Vincent only,” he said. “For all other South Australian waters the combined recreational crab limit will remain at a daily bag limit of 40 and a daily boat limit of 120.

 

“Management measures such as these are implemented to ensure the ecologically sustainable development of South Australian fish stocks.

 

“PIRSA Fisheries and Aquaculture will review these arrangements after the 2014–15 recreational fishing season when it receives updated stock assessments for the fishery.”

 

 

For more information on Blue Swimmer crab fishing including bag and possession limits visit www.pir.sa.gov.au/fisheries.

 

 

Contact Fontella Koleff

Acting Communications Manager - Fisheries and Aquaculture

0417 290 418

Follow us on Twitter @SA_PIRSA


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