You asked, we delivered - abalone size limit improvements finally arrive

Abalone size limit improvements finally arrive © TARFish

Changes to commercial abalone size limits have finally arrived!

We supported the successful overturning of the abalone rules last year, and now the abalone size limit changes will do what we always wanted - protection for spawning biomass.

The new size limits will lead to more fish and the long-term sustainability of the fishery.

Since 2019, TARFish has been advocating for changes to the commercial abalone size limits to protect spawning biomass. Currently size limits in the commercial fishery protect only 8% of the overall stock of abalone. (i.e. ~ 92% of spawning biomass is available to recreational and abalone fishers). We advocated strongly on this very issue that led directly to the support of many Legislative Councilors' for the Disallowance Motion introduced by Meg Webb (Independent Member for the seat of Nelson in the Tasmanian Legislative Council) last November that prevented the halving of the recreational bag limit.