Public comment on the draft Giant Crab Management Plan closed on 27 November 2023.
The current management plan, known as the
Fisheries (Giant Crab) Rules 2013, is scheduled to expire at the end of February 2024. A new draft Giant Crab Management Plan was open for public comment from 27 Septemeber until 27 November 2023.
An information paper explaining the proposed changes to the new draft Management Plan can be downloaded below.
Proposed changes
The proposed changes contained in the draft Giant Crab Management Plan apply to the Tasmanian commercial giant crab fishery.
The draft Management Plan is based on the existing rules and incorporates several proposed changes. The primary focus of these changes is to strengthen compliance within the giant crab fishery, with a particular emphasis on monitoring the number of giant crab traps used by commercial giant crab fishers.
The proposed changes included:
1) A one-month male giant crab closed season;
2) A maximum set time of 21 days for giant crab traps set in waters deeper than 120m;
3) A maximum of 20 traps on a giant crab longline;
4) leaving port report and entering port reports;
5) A process for recording dead giant crab found on a fishing vessel.