Tasmanian Abalone Fishery - 2011

Total landings of abalone in 2011 comprised 2,406 t of blacklip and 143 t of greenlip, a total of 2,548 t from a TAC of 2,565.5 t. Landings were down relative to 2010, mostly due to the 175 t reduction in the Eastern Zone TAC. The gross landed value of the catch in 2011 was $84.8 million, which was $19 million less than 2010. While the beach price for canned product remained stable or even slightly increased, the price for live market product fell. There has been an overall decline in abalone beach price since 2001, consistent with increased strength of the Australian currency and increased production of competing farmed abalone in Asia (although there are other processes also affecting demand). The value of the portion of the resource rent that is collected as royalties by the Tasmanian government fell by $0.85 million to $6.35 million in 2011, as a result of lower beach prices and the smaller catch.

The status of the fishery was assessed using catch and catch rates from diver catch returns, and samples of catches were measured to provide information about the length of abalone. Information on stocks also comes through consultation with the abalone industry to obtain their observations on the state of stocks and market drivers affecting the fishery.

The major findings of this assessment are summarised below for each fishing zone.