Blue Crab Fishery

Blue crabs (Portunus pelagicus) are found throughout South Australian waters, but the majority of the stock inhabit the warmer shallow waters of the St Vincent and Spencer Gulfs. This is also where the majority of commercial fishers have operated.

In 1996, the South Australian Government established a commercial blue crab pot fishery, implementing management and research strategies to maintain a sustainable and financially viable fishery. The new management arrangements developed a limited entry fishery, with access arrangements determined by historical catches.

The fishery was divided into two areas (Spencer Gulf and Gulf St Vincent), with two sectors operating in each gulf (pot and marine scalefish sectors).  Through the establishment of a commercial Blue Crab Fishery, a number of marine scalefish licence holders who had historically targeted blue crabs in waters adjacent to Yorke Peninsula using hoop and drop nets were provided access to either the Spencer Gulf or Gulf St Vincent jurisdictions of the fishery.

Since establishment of the fishery, an ITQ management system has been in place. At the commencement of the fishery in 1996, TACCs were set and divided equally amongst licence holders in each of the sectors in each of the gulfs.

In addition to those licence holders with access to the Blue Crab Fishery, all marine scalefish licence holders have access to blue crabs in South Australian waters outside the waters defining the area of management of the fishery. Blue crabs in these areas may only be taken by fishing devices listed as registered devices on marine scalefish licences.

Traditionally, commercial fishing for blue crabs outside the Blue Crab Fishery has been seasonally based, especially on the West Coast of South Australia in waters adjacent to the settlements of Streaky Bay and Ceduna. The seasonal influence of the abundance of blue crabs present in this area has been traditionally dependent on water temperature and salinity.