Abalone Fishery

Total allowable catch

Zone2023 TAC (kgs)*2023 TAC kgs/unit*​​​
​Bass Strait Blacklip84,000​​24
Eastern Blacklip​​227,500​​65
​Greenlip91,000​​26
Northern Blacklip59,500​​17
​Western Blacklip311,500​​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 abalone fishery is managed under the provisions of the Living Marine Resources Management Act 1995 and the Fisheries (Abalone) Rules 2017​

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

 Review of the Tasmanian Abalone Harvest Strategy

Abalone Operational Information 2023

Download the Abalone Operation Information Document 2023 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

See Abalone Catch Reporting for information on recording and reporting catch by abalone divers and supervisors.


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


​​​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​​​​

  • Abalone Closures
    Commercial abalone fishing closures for the current fishing year.

Contact

Commercial Abalone Management
Level 3, 134 Macquarie Street
GPO Box 44
HOBART TAS 7001
Phone: 0457 097 534
Email: commercial.fisheries@nre.tas.gov.au

Hotline

Fishwatch Report illegal fishing

0427 655 557

What to report? arrow button

Contact us

Recreational Fishing

Level 3, 134 Macquarie St

Hobart TAS 7000

Phone: (03) 6165 3233, 1300 720 647

Email: fishing.enquiries@nre.tas.gov.au

Commercial Fisheries

Level 3, 134 Macquarie St

GPO Box 44

Phone: (03) 6165 3000, 1300 368 550

Email: commercial.fisheries@nre.tas.gov.au

Commercial Fisheries Licensing

Level 3, 134 Macquarie St

GPO Box 44

Phone: (03) 6165 3000, 1300 368 550

Email: fishing.licensing@nre.tas.gov.au