Total allowable catch
| Zone | 2023 TAC (kgs)* | 2023 TAC kgs/unit* |
| Bass Strait Blacklip | 84,000 | 24 |
| Eastern Blacklip | 227,500 | 65 |
| Greenlip | 91,000 | 26 |
| Northern Blacklip | 59,500 | 17 |
| Western Blacklip | 311,500 | 89 |
| Total | 773,500 |
221 |
*2023 Season Abalone Total Allowable Catch comes into effect from 1 January 2023.
Overview
The Tasmanian wild abalone industry is a major contributor to the Tasmanian economy. It is the largest wild abalone fishery in the world, providing around 25% of the annual harvest.
Commercial abalone fishing in Tasmania waters began in the later 1950s with annual catches in the order of 2,000 tons being landed by the mid-1960s. The fishery has predominantly focused on
blacklip abalone, with
greenlip abalone typically accounting for around 5% of the total wild harvest.
In 2020/21, the gross value of production of the fishery was around $50 million from a total catch of approximately 1,000 tonnes.
Managing the fishery
The commercial fishery has limited entry via a cap on dive licences and is managed using a system of sizes, total allowable catch (TAC) and regional catch caps. Commercially, limited entry and legal minimum sizes are more long-term arrangements, while TAC and regional catch caps are the subjects of annual co-management meetings and settings developed through the
Abalone Fishery Advisory Committee (AbFAC) process.
Abalone Harvest Strategy
Please go to the
Abalone Harvest Strategy page for more information.
Download the Abalone Harvest Strategy that sets out the management direction of the fishery.
Abalone Harvest Strategy (PDF 2Mb)
Review of the Tasmanian Abalone Harvest Strategy (PDF 902Kb)
Abalone Operational Information 2023
Download the Abalone Operation Information paper 2022 which includes: Total Allowable Catch; Boundaries; Size Limits; Closures; Biosecurity; Fishing Zones, Research Areas; Information for Processors; Over-catch; Share Diving; Sustainable Catch Targets; GPS and Depth Loggers.
2023 Abalone Operational Information Document (PDF 1Mb)
View the sub-block map at LISTmap where you can zoom in to see the boundary details.
Alternatively, click map image below to see a detailed PDF of abalone fishing blocks. Boundaries shown on the map are indicative only.
Commercial Abalone Fishing Blocks Map 2023 (PDF 1Mb)
Map of sub-blocks in the commercial abalone fishery
Total allowable catch and catch updates
Each year the abalone Total Allowable Catch, known as the TAC, is set for the next quota year which aligns with the calendar year.
An allowable catch needs to be set for each zone in the fishery, which together comprises the TAC. Each of the 3,500 quota units then provides access to the same amount of abalone in each zone, and the fishery as a whole.
The yearly TAC is divided by 3,500 to determine the amount each quota unit provides for the year. As the TAC changes, the quota units are amended each year correspondingly.
Commercial abalone catch data are reported annually in the
Abalone Fishery Assessment Report produced by the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS). IMAS does not routinely report on catch data within an existing quota year.
Abalone Closures
Go to the
Abalone Closures page for more information, including fishery closures, marine reserves, abalone research areas and biosecurity closure.
Abalone Industry Reinvestment Fund
Recreational Abalone Fishing
Recreational Fisheries Research