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. Tasmania's Abalone Fishery
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The abalone fishery in Tasmania contributes significantly to Australia's island state's economy. This fishery is the largest wild abalone fishery in the world, providing approximately 25% of the annual world harvest.
Two species are harvested in Tasmania: Haliotis rubra (blacklip abalone) and Haliotis laevigata (greenlip abalone). These mobile bottom dwellers graze on drift seaweeds and algae on rock surfaces. They occur on rocky bottoms, mainly within the littoral zone from depths of 5 to 30 metres, although they can be found in shallow and deeper waters.
Both blacklip and greenlip are distributed around Tasmania and southern Australia on suitable rocky bottoms although greenlip abalone tend to be patchy in their distribution, being more abundant along the north coast and around the Bass Strait islands. Blacklip abalone (left) are found in both exposed and sheltered waters and although their distribution is variable, it is less patchy than the greenlip abalone.
The Tasmanian abalone stocks were not significantly commercially exploited prior to 1963. However, previous to that (for over 7000 years) Tasmanian Aboriginals harvested abalone and in the nineteenth century there was a minor exploitation of abalone by Chinese immigrants.
By 1963, improvements in diving equipment and the identification of an Asian market for the product aided the establishment of the modern fishery.
Today more than 400 people have interests in abalone quota and over 3000 Tasmanians benefit either directly or indirectly from the abalone industry.
Quota management of the industry was introduced in 1985 and this arrangement remains intact today. This system provides for licences to take abalone for commercial purposes and quota 'units' equating to a share of the total allowable catch (TAC).
The authorisation to dive and the quota allocation were subsequently 'separated' so that individuals may hold both or either entitlements for diving or holding quota.
The management of this fishery was changed to incorporate fishing zones with portions of quota now being required to be taken in designated zones, with total catches in these zones being set. These zones specifically separate blacklip and greenlip abalone, with some size limits being different in the various zones. Growth rates can vary quite significantly in certain regions and size limits in these various regions have increased over time.
To see the Fisheries (Abalone) Rules 2000
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. For an industry structure profile covering:
- Production
- Processing
- Markets
- Infrastructure
- Economic Data
- Government Inputs and Involvement
- Employment
- Research
- Objectives
- License requirements
- Zone Areas...
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To see the May 2001 "Assessing the Ecological Sustainability of the Tasmanian Abalone Fishery"
Click here
For information about the Tasmanian abalone wild fishery assessment program
. Click here
Link to the Tasmanian Abalone Council Website: 
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