Services to industry
PIRSA is required to regulate commercial, recreational and Aboriginal Traditional fishing activities to:
- ensure sustainability of fisheries and aquaculture resources
- maximise returns to the South Australian community from their use.
Cost recovery policy
A cost recovery policy for commercial fishing is in place, operated by PIRSA. It works from the premise that South Australia’s aquatic resources are owned by the state and managed by PIRSA on behalf of the community.
Costs associated with government services, as a direct result of commercial access to the resources, are recovered from commercial licence holders through regulated licence fees. These services include, but are not limited to:
- fisheries management
- policy
- scientific monitoring and stock assessment
- compliance and licensing.
Further information about the cost recovery process and management:
- Australian Government cost recovery guidelines
- PIRSA Cost Recovery Policy ( )
- Fisheries and Aquaculture Cost Recovery Framework ( ).
Cost recovery implementation statements
Each commercial fishery provides annual cost recovery implementation statements, available below.
2025-26
2024–25
- Abalone (Southern Zone) Cost Recovery Implementation Statement 2024-25 ()
- Abalone (Western Zone) Cost Recovery Implementation Statement 2024-25 ()
- Abalone Fishery (Central Zone) Cost Recovery Implementation Statement 2024-25.pdf ()
- Blue Crab Cost Recovery Implementation Statement 2024-25 ()
- Charter Boat Cost Recovery Implementation Statement 2024-25 ()
- Gulf St Vincent Prawn Fishery Cost Recovery Implementation Statement 2024-25 ()
- Marine Scalefish Fishery Cost Recovery Implementation Statement 2024-25 ()
- Miscellaneous Fishery (Giant Crab) Cost Recovery Implementation Statement 2024-25 ()
- Miscellaneous Fishery Cost Recovery Implementation Statement 2024-25 ()
- Pipi Fishery and Net Sector Cost Recovery Implementation Statement 2024-25 ()
- Rock Lobster Fishery (Northern Zone) Cost Recovery Implementation Statement 2024-25 ()
- Rock Lobster Fishery (Southern Zone) Cost Recovery Implementation Statement 2024-25 ()
- Sardine Cost Recovery Implementation Statement 2024-25 ()
- Spencer Gulf and West Coast Prawn Fishery Cost Recovery Implementation Statement 2024-25 ()
- Vongole Fishery Cost Recovery Implementation Statement 2024-25 ()
2023–24
Abalone fishery
- Cost Recovery Implementation Statement for the Central Zone Abalone Fishery 2023–24 ()
- Annual Report on PIRSA’s Service Delivery on the Cost Recovery Agreement for the Central Zone Abalone Fishery 2023–24 ()
- Cost Recovery Implementation Statement for the Southern Zone Abalone Fishery 2023–24 ()
- Annual Report on PIRSA’s Service Delivery on the Cost Recovery Agreement for the Southern Zone Abalone Fishery 2023–24 ()
- Cost Recovery Implementation Statement for the Western Zone Abalone Fishery 2023–24 ()
- Annual Report on PIRSA’s Service Delivery on the Cost Recovery Agreement for the Western Zone Abalone Fishery 2023–24 ()
Blue crab fishery
Charter boat fishery
Marine scalefish fishery
Miscellaneous fishery
- Cost Recovery Implementation Statement for the Miscellaneous Fishery 2023–24 ()
- Annual Report on PIRSA’s Service Delivery on the Cost Recovery Agreement for the Miscellaneous Fishery 2023–24 ()
- Cost Recovery Implementation Statement for the Miscellaneous Fishery (Giant Crab) 2023–24 ()
- Annual Report on PIRSA’s Service Delivery on the Cost Recovery Agreement for the Miscellaneous Fishery (Giant Crab) 2023–24 ()
Pipi fishery and net sector (Lakes and Coorong)
Prawn fishery
- Cost Recovery Implementation Statement for the Gulf St Vincent Prawn Fishery 2023–24 ()
- Annual Report on PIRSA’s Service Delivery on the Cost Recovery Agreement for the Gulf St Vincent Prawn Fishery 2023–24 ()
- Cost Recovery Implementation Statement for the Spencer Gulf and West Coast Prawn Fishery 2023–24 ()
- Annual Report on PIRSA’s Service Delivery on the Cost Recovery Agreement for the Spencer Gulf and West Coast Prawn Fishery 2023–24 ()
Rock lobster fishery
- Cost Recovery Implementation Statement for the Rock Lobster Fishery (Northern Zone) 2023–24 ()
- Annual Report on PIRSA’s Service Delivery on the Cost Recovery Agreement for the Northern Zone Rock Lobster Fishery 2023–24 ()
- Cost Recovery Implementation Statement for the Rock Lobster Fishery (Southern Zone) 2023–24 ()
- Annual Report on PIRSA’s Service Delivery on the Cost Recovery Agreement for the Southern Zone Rock Lobster Fishery 2023–24 ()
Sardine fishery
Vongole fishery
PIRSA services to fisheries industry 2022–23
Details of cost recovery programs for each wild catch fishery for the 2020–21 financial year.
Abalone fishery
- Cost Recovery Implementation Statement for the Central Zone Abalone Fishery 2022–23 ()
- Annual Report on PIRSA’s Service Delivery on the Cost Recovery Agreement for the Central Zone Abalone Fishery 2022–23 ()
- Cost Recovery Implementation Statement for the Southern Zone Abalone Fishery 2022–23 ()
- Annual Report on PIRSA’s Service Delivery on the Cost Recovery Agreement for the Southern Zone Abalone Fishery 2022–23 ()
- Cost Recovery Implementation Statement for the Western Zone Abalone Fishery 2022–23 ()
- Annual Report on PIRSA’s Service Delivery on the Cost Recovery Agreement for the Western Zone Abalone Fishery 2022–23 ()
Blue crab fishery
Charter boat fishery
Marine scalefish fishery
Miscellaneous fishery
- Cost Recovery Implementation Statement for the Miscellaneous Fishery 2022–23 ()
- Annual Report on PIRSA’s Service Delivery on the Cost Recovery Agreement for the Miscellaneous Fishery 2022–23 ()
- Cost Recovery Implementation Statement for the Miscellaneous Fishery (Giant Crab) 2022–23 ()
- Annual Report on PIRSA’s Service Delivery on the Cost Recovery Agreement for the Miscellaneous Fishery (Giant Crab) 2022–23 ()
Pipi fishery and net sector (Lakes and Coorong)
Prawn fishery
- Cost Recovery Implementation Statement for the Gulf St Vincent Prawn Fishery 2022–23 ()
- Annual Report on PIRSA’s Service Delivery on the Cost Recovery Agreement for the Gulf St Vincent Prawn Fishery 2022–23 ()
- Cost Recovery Implementation Statement for the Spencer Gulf and West Coast Prawn Fishery 2022–23 ()
- Annual Report on PIRSA’s Service Delivery on the Cost Recovery Agreement for the Spencer Gulf and West Coast Prawn Fishery 2022–23 ()
Rock lobster fishery
- Cost Recovery Implementation Statement for the Rock Lobster Fishery (Northern Zone) 2022–23 ()
- Annual Report on PIRSA’s Service Delivery on the Cost Recovery Agreement for the Northern Zone Rock Lobster Fishery 2022–23 ()
- Cost Recovery Implementation Statement for the Rock Lobster Fishery (Southern Zone) 2022–23 ()
- Annual Report on PIRSA’s Service Delivery on the Cost Recovery Agreement for the Southern Zone Rock Lobster Fishery 2022–23 ()
Sardine fishery
Vongole fishery
PIRSA services to fisheries industry 2021–22
Details of cost recovery programs for each wild catch fishery for the 2020–21 financial year.
Abalone fishery
- Cost recovery implementation statement for the central zone abalone fishery 2021–22 ()
- Annual report on PIRSA’s service delivery on the cost recovery agreement for the central zone abalone fishery 2021–22 ()
- Cost recovery implementation statement for the southern zone abalone fishery 2021–22 ()
- Annual report on PIRSA’s service delivery on the cost recovery agreement for the southern zone abalone fishery 2021–22 ()
- Cost recovery implementation statement for the western zone abalone fishery 2021–22 ()
- Annual report on PIRSA’s service delivery on the cost recovery agreement for the western zone abalone fishery 2021–22 ()
Blue crab fishery
Charter boat fishery
Marine scalefish fishery
Miscellaneous fishery
- Cost recovery implementation statement for the miscellaneous fishery 2021–22 ()
- Annual report on PIRSA’s service delivery on the cost recovery agreement for the miscellaneous fishery 2021–22 ()
- Cost recovery implementation statement for the miscellaneous fishery (giant crab) 2021–22 ()
- Annual report on PIRSA’s service delivery on the cost recovery agreement for the miscellaneous fishery (giant crab) 2021–22 ()
Pipi fishery and net sector (Lakes and Coorong)
Prawn fishery
- Cost recovery implementation statement for the Gulf St Vincent prawn fishery 2021–22 ()
- Annual report on PIRSA’s service delivery on the cost recovery agreement for the Gulf St Vincent prawn fishery 2021–22 ()
- Cost recovery implementation statement for the Spencer Gulf and west coast prawn fishery 2021–22 ()
- Annual report on PIRSA’s service delivery on the cost recovery agreement for the Spencer Gulf and west coast prawn fishery 2021–22 ()
Rock lobster fishery
- Cost recovery implementation statement for the rock lobster fishery (northern zone) 2021–22 ()
- Annual report on PIRSA’s service delivery on the cost recovery agreement for the northern zone rock lobster fishery 2021–22 ()
- Cost recovery implementation statement for the rock lobster fishery (southern zone) 2021–22 ()
- Annual report on PIRSA’s service delivery on the cost recovery agreement for the southern zone rock lobster fishery 2021–22 ()
Sardine fishery
Vongole fishery
PIRSA services to fisheries industry 2020-21
The documents on this page detail cost recovery programs for each wild catch fishery for the 2020-21 financial year.
Policy and management outcomes for 2020-21 will be reported after 30 June 2021. Research reports undertaken as part of the cost recovery arrangements will be added as they are published.
Abalone Fishery – Central Zone
Abalone Fishery – Southern Zone
Abalone Fishery – Western Zone
Blue Crab Fishery
Charter Boat Fishery
Lakes and Coorong Fishery including Pipi
Marine Scalefish Fishery and Vongole Fishery
Miscellaneous Fishery - Giant Crab Fishery
Miscellaneous Fishery
Prawn Fishery - Gulf St Vincent
Prawn Fishery – Spencer Gulf & West Coast
Rock Lobster Fishery – Northern Zone
Rock Lobster Fishery – Southern Zone
Sardine Fishery
SARDI stock assessment and research reports
Cost recovery reviews
To make sure the state’s public fisheries resources are managed in a sustainable, efficient, and cost-effective manner, a review process was established under the cost recovery policy. This is undertaken on a 5-year cycle to maintain best practice arrangements.
2023
We have undertaken an independent cost recovery review of the commercial fishing and aquaculture sectors.