Abalone fishery
The South Australian commercial abalone fishery takes greenlip and blacklip abalone.
Abalone fisheries zone
The commercial abalone fishery is divided into 3 zones:
- Western zone
- Central zone
- Southern zone
Licensing
There are currently no new licences available for commercial fishing in the abalone fishery.
Licence expiry
Abalone licences last for the term of the Abalone fishery management plan ().
The current management plan expires in 2031.
Fees
Commercial licence fees must be paid each financial year. Invoices are issued annually in June and payments can be made:
- up-front
- in a lump sum
- in quarterly instalments.
Licence transfer
Licences can be transferred from one person to another.
Application to transfer an abalone fishery licence ()
Boat registration and de-registration
Every boat that is used for commercial fishing must be registered.
Use the application to vary a boat registration endorsement () to register or de-register a boat.
Boat master registration
All people who act as a commercial fishing boat master must be registered by the licence holder.
Multiple boat masters can be registered using the form below.
Application to change registration of a master/s ()
Fishery quota transfer
Licence holders can transfer their quota entitlements to another licence holder in the same zone.
Transfers can be made on a temporary or permanent basis.
See the forms below for more information.
- Abalone central zone quota transfer ()
- Abalone southern zone quota transfer ()
- Abalone western zone quota transfer ()
Abalone fishery management
Management plan:
- Abalone fishery management plan ()
- Ecologically sustainable development risk assessment report 2009 for the abalone fishery ().
Stock assessment reports:
- Western zone blacklip abalone (H. rubra) and greenlip abalone (Haliotis laevigata) fisheries in 2022–23 ()
- Status of the southern zone abalone (Haliotis rubra and H. laevigata) fishery in 2021–22 ()
- Status of the central zone abalone fisheries in 2022 ()
- Assessment of the central zone abalone (Haliotis laevigata & H. rubra) fishery in 2021
() - Assessment of the southern zone abalone (Haliotis rubra and H. laevigata) fishery in 2022–23 ().
Economic indicator reports:
Operator user guides:
Department of Environment
The Australian Government Department of the Environment requires that all commercial fisheries that export product be assessed under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. Product from the abalone fishery is currently approved for export.
For more information, see South Australian managed fisheries.
Regulations
Fishing activities in the abalone fishery are regulated in the:
- Fisheries Management (Abalone Fisheries) Regulations 2017
- Fisheries Management (General) Regulations 2017.
Determinations
- Determination (AF) Regulation 3 and 4 – Conversion value ()
- Determination (AF) Regulation 16 – Catch and disposal, central zone ()
- Determination (AF) Regulation 16 – Catch and disposal, southern zone ()
- Determination (AF) Regulation 16 – Catch and disposal, western zone ()
- Determination (AF) Regulation 17 – Periodic returns ()
Closures
See the closures page for information about abalone closures.
Contact
Central and western zone abalone
Steve Shanks – Manager, Commercial Fisheries
Phone: (08) 8429 0197
Email: steve.shanks@sa.gov.au
Southern zone abalone
Hamish Telfer – Fisheries Manager
Phone: (08) 8767 2358
Email: hamish.telfer@sa.gov.au