A new management plan for South Australia's commercial sardine fishery will increase commercial opportunities for fishers while maintaining the sustainability of the resource for future generations.
The new plan came into effect on Sunday 1 October and will cover the next 10 years, with a review after 5 years to assess if the plan is still able to effectively meet its objectives.
A refined annual survey method will provide greater certainty around the annual estimates of stock abundance reported on by the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI). This increased certainty enables the sardine stock to be harvested at higher sustainable levels when the annual survey illustrates a high stock abundance.
The management plan was developed in consultation with the South Australian Sardine Industry Association and finalised following an extensive public consultation process.
There are 14 sardine fishing licencees in South Australia, mostly operating in the Spencer Gulf and Gulf St Vincent.
The South Australian Sardine Fishery is Australia's largest fishery by volume, producing 50,000 tonnes in 2023 of which almost all is sold as tuna feed. The current gross value of production is $30 million, with an estimated contribution of $38.2 million to the SA economy annually.
For more information, see Sardine fishery.