Western Zone Greenlip Abalone (Haliotis Laevigata) and Blacklip Abalone (H

Western Zone Greenlip Abalone (Haliotis laevigata) and Blacklip Abalone (H. rubra) Fisheries in 2017

B. Stobart, S. Mayfield and K. Heldt

SARDI Publication No. F2017/000331-2 SARDI Research Report Series No. 994

SARDI Aquatics Sciences PO Box 120 Henley Beach SA 5022

October 2018

Report to PIRSA Fisheries and Aquaculture Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

Western Zone Greenlip Abalone (Haliotis laevigata) and Blacklip Abalone (H. rubra) Fisheries in 2017

Report to PIRSA Fisheries and Aquaculture

B. Stobart, S. Mayfield and K. Heldt

SARDI Publication No. F2017/000331-2 SARDI Research Report Series No. 994

October 2018

II Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

This publication may be cited as: Stobart, B., Mayfield, S. and Heldt, K. (2018). Western Zone Greenlip Abalone (Haliotis laevigata) and Blacklip Abalone (H. rubra) Fisheries in 2017. South Australian Research and Development Institute (Aquatic Sciences), Adelaide. SARDI Publication No. F2017/000331-2. SARDI Research Report Series No. 994. 101pp. Cover photograph: The Gap, Thistle Island (foreground), B. Stobart South Australian Research and Development Institute SARDI Aquatic Sciences 2 Hamra Avenue West Beach SA 5024

Telephone: (08) 8207 5400 Facsimile: (08) 8207 5415 http://www.pir.sa.gov.au/research

DISCLAIMER The authors warrant that they have taken all reasonable care in producing this report. The report has been through the SARDI internal review process, and has been formally approved for release by the Research Director, Aquatic Sciences. Although all reasonable efforts have been made to ensure quality, SARDI does not warrant that the information in this report is free from errors or omissions. SARDI and its employees do not warrant or make any representation regarding the use, or results of the use, of the information contained herein as regards to its correctness, accuracy, reliability and currency or otherwise. SARDI and its employees expressly disclaim all liability or responsibility to any person using the information or advice. Use of the information and data contained in this report is at the user’s sole risk. If users rely on the information they are responsible for ensuring by independent verification its accuracy, currency or completeness. The SARDI Report Series is an Administrative Report Series which has not been reviewed outside the department and is not considered peer- reviewed literature. Material presented in these Administrative Reports may later be published in formal peer-reviewed scientific literature.

© 2018 SARDI This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth), no part may be reproduced by any process, electronic or otherwise, without the specific written permission of the copyright owner. Neither may information be stored electronically in any form whatsoever without such permission.

SARDI Publication No. F2017/000331-2 SARDI Research Report Series No. 994

Author(s): B. Stobart, S. Mayfield and K. Heldt

Reviewer(s): M. Steer, L. McLeay (SARDI) and B. McGrath-Steer (PIRSA)

Approved by: T. Ward Science leader – Marine Ecosystems

Signed:

Date: 10 October 2018

Distribution: PIRSA Fisheries and Aquaculture, SAASC Library, Parliamentary Library, State Library and National Library

Circulation: Public Domain III Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...... X EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...... 1 1 GENERAL INTRODUCTION...... 4 1.1 Background ...... 4 1.2 History and description of the fishery ...... 6 1.2.1 Commercial fishery ...... 6 1.2.2 Economic importance of the commercial fishery ...... 7 1.2.3 Recreational fishery ...... 8 1.2.4 Illegal, unregulated and unreported catch ...... 8 1.3 Management Plan ...... 9 1.4 Abalone biology ...... 12 2 METHODS ...... 13 2.1 Information sources for the assessment ...... 13 2.2 Greenlip ...... 13 2.2.1 Catch and effort ...... 13 2.2.2 Fishery-independent surveys ...... 15 2.3 Blacklip ...... 15 2.4 Harvest strategy ...... 16 2.5 Quality Assurance ...... 16 3 RESULTS ...... 17 3.1 GREENLIP ...... 17 3.1.1 Western Zone ...... 17 Regions of the WZ and within-season distribution of catch and CPUE ...... 19 Distribution of catch among spatial assessment units ...... 21 Temporal patterns in HIGH importance spatial assessment units ...... 23 Anxious Bay (Rank 1-2; 17.6-8.8%) ...... 23 The Gap (Rank 2-1; 10.1-10.7%) ...... 24 Avoid Bay (Rank 3-3; 7.7-6.7%) ...... 25 Temporal patterns in MEDIUM importance spatial assessment units ...... 27 Point Avoid (Rank 4-4; 6.2-6.2%) ...... 27 Drummond (Rank 5-5; 5.6-5.6%) ...... 27 Reef Head (Rank 6-9; 4.8-4.8%) ...... 27 Ward Island (Rank 7-24; 4.8-1.3%) ...... 29 Flinders Island (Rank 8-8; 4.7-5.4%) ...... 29 Taylor Island (Rank 9-11; 4.7-4.0%) ...... 29 Hotspot (Rank 10-6; 3.6-5.6%) ...... 31 Baird Bay (Rank 11-7; 3.6-5.4%) ...... 31 Point Westall (Rank 12-10; 3.2-4.8%) ...... 31

IV Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

Fishery Bay (Rank 13-15; 2.9-2.7%) ...... 33 South Nuyts Archipelago (Rank 14-28; 2.9-0.4%) ...... 33 Cape Catastrophe (Rank 15-14; 2.9-3.1%) ...... 33 Temporal patterns in LOW importance spatial assessment units ...... 35 3.1.2 Risk of overfishing in SAUs and zonal stock status ...... 35 3.2 Blacklip ...... 39 3.2.1 Western Zone ...... 39 3.2.2 Spatial assessment units ...... 39 3.2.3 Risk of overfishing in SAUs and zonal stock status ...... 42 4 DISCUSSION ...... 51 4.1 Current status of greenlip and blacklip in the WZ ...... 51 4.1.1 Greenlip ...... 51 4.1.2 Blacklip ...... 53 4.2 Future research needs ...... 56 5 REFERENCES ...... 58 6 APPENDIX ...... 62 6.1 Greenlip biology ...... 62 6.2 Performance indicators ...... 65 6.3 CPUE estimation methods ...... 66 6.3.1 Greenlip CPUE ...... 67 6.3.2 Blacklip CPUE ...... 72 6.4 Historic medium importance SAU FI surveys ...... 77 6.5 Quality Assurance ...... 78 6.5.1 Research planning ...... 78 6.5.2 Data collection ...... 78 6.5.3 Data entry, validation, storage and security ...... 78 6.5.4 Data and statistical analyses ...... 78 6.5.5 Data interpretation and report writing ...... 79 6.6 SAU harvest strategy scoring ...... 80 6.6.1 Greenlip High importance SAUs ...... 80 6.6.2 Greenlip Medium importance SAUs ...... 83 6.6.3 Blacklip High importance SAUs ...... 87 6.6.4 Blacklip Medium importance SAUs ...... 94 6.7 Summary tables ...... 95 6.8 Fishing for the live market ...... 101

V Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1.1. The South Australian Abalone Fishery of the WZ...... 4 Figure 1.2. Spatial assessment units and map codes of the Western Zone South Australian Abalone Fishery...... 10 Figure 1.3. Relative importance of each blacklip and greenlip SAU...... 11 Figure 3.1. (a) Catch, CPUE and PropG1 of greenlip from the Western Zone from 1968 to 2017. (b) Combined trend of relative catch and relative CPUE from the Western Zone from 1979 to 2017. (c) Rank order of Western Zone greenlip CPUE. (d) Proportion of hours fished in the Western Zone at three depth ranges...... 18 Figure 3.2. (a) Comparison between percent of greenlip catch at SAUs located near Port Lincoln, Elliston and Streaky Bay from the western zone from 1968 to 2017. (b) Comparison between CPUE of greenlip at SAUs located near Port Lincoln, Elliston and Streaky Bay from the Western Zone from 1968 to 2017. (c) Within season summer and autumn distribution of greenlip catch from the Western Zone from 1979 to 2017. (d) Seasonal CPUE difference of greenlip from 1979 to 2017. (e, f) Difference between CPUE at SAUs located near Port Lincoln, Elliston and Streaky Bay during summer and Autumn from 1979 to 2017...... 20 Figure 3.3. Multi-dimensional scaling plot for SAUs showing similarity among years based on greenlip catch from the Western Zone from 1979 to 2017...... 22 Figure 3.4. Bubble plot showing the spatial distribution of the greenlip catch among the SAUs in the WZ from 1979 to 2017...... 22 Figure 3.5. Top - Catch, CPUE and PropG1 of greenlip from Anxious Bay from 1979 to 2017. Bottom - Mean density of all, legal-sized and sublegal sized greenlip at Anxious Bay from 2004 to 2018...... 23 Figure 3.6. Length-frequency distributions of legal-sized and sub-legal-sized greenlip at Anxious Bay observed on FI surveys from 2004 to 2018...... 24 Figure 3.7. Top - Catch, CPUE and PropG1 of greenlip from The Gap from 1979 to 2017. Bottom - Mean density of all, legal-sized and sub-legal sized greenlip at The Gap...... 24 Figure 3.8. Length-frequency distributions of legal-sized and sub-legal-sized greenlip at The Gap observed on FI surveys from 2001 to 2018...... 25 Figure 3.9. Top - Catch, CPUE and PropG1 of greenlip from Avoid Bay from 1979 to 2017. Bottom - Mean density of all, legal-sized and sub-legal sized greenlip at Avoid Bay from 2008 to 2018...... 26 Figure 3.10. Length-frequency distributions of legal-sized and sub-legal-sized blacklip at Avoid Bay, observed on FI surveys from 2008 to 2018...... 26 Figure 3.11. Catch, CPUE and PropG1 of greenlip from Point Avoid, Drummond and Reef Head from 1979 to 2017...... 28 Figure 3.12. Catch, CPUE and PropG1 of greenlip from Ward Island, Flinders Island and Taylor Island from 1979 to 2017...... 30 Figure 3.13. Catch, CPUE and PropG1 of greenlip from Hotspot, Baird Bay and Point Westall from 1979 to 2017...... 32 Figure 3.14. Catch, CPUE and PropG1 of greenlip from Fishery Bay, South Nuyts Archipelago and Cape Catastrophe from 1979 to 2017...... 34 Figure 3.15. Catch, CPUE and PropG1 of greenlip from Cape Bauer, Coffin Bay, D’Entrecasteaux Reef, Elliston Cliffs, Franklin Islands, Greenly Island, Memory Cove, NE Thistle and Neptune Islands from 1979 to 2017...... 36

VI Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

Figure 3.16. Catch, CPUE and PropG1 of greenlip from North Nuyts Archipelago, Pearson Island, Searcy Bay Sheringa, Sir Joseph Banks, SW Thistle, Venus Bay, Waterloo Bay and Wedge Island from 1979 to 2017...... 37 Figure 3.17. (a) Catch and CPUE of blacklip from the Western Zone from 1968 to 2017. (b) Rank order of Western Zone blacklip CPUE from 1979 to 2017. (c) Combined trend of relative catch and relative CPUE from the Western Zone from 1979 to 2017. (d) Proportion of hours fished in the Western Zone at three depth ranges...... 40 Figure 3.18. Comparison between CPUE of blacklip at SAUs located near Port Lincoln, Elliston and Streaky Bay from the Western Zone from 1979 to 2017...... 41 Figure 3.19. Bubble plot showing the spatial distribution of blacklip catch among the SAUs in the WZ from 1979 to 2017...... 41 Figure 3.20. Catch and CPUE of blacklip from high importance SAU Drummond, new SAUs Drummond North and Drummond South from 1968 to 2017...... 45 Figure 3.21. Catch and CPUE of blacklip from high importance SAUs Sheringa, Reef Head and Point Westall from 1968 to 2017...... 46 Figure 3.22. Catch and CPUE of blacklip from high importance SAUs Avoid Bay, Anxious Bay and Searcy Bay from 1968 to 2017...... 47 Figure 3.23. Catch and CPUE of blacklip from medium importance SAUs Ward Island, Point Avoid and Venus Bay from 1968 to 2017...... 48 Figure 3.24. Catch and CPUE of blacklip from low importance SAUs Baird Bay, Cape Bauer, Cape Catastrophe, Coffin Bay, D’Enrecasteaux Reef, Elliston Cliffs, Fishery Bay, Flinders Island, Franklin Islands, Greenly Island, Hotspot, and Memory Cove from 1979 to 2017...... 49 Figure 3.25. Catch and CPUE of blacklip from low importance SAUs NE Thistle, Neptune Islands, North Nuyts Archipelago, Pearson Island, Sir Joseph Banks, South Nuyts Archipelago, SW Thistle, Taylor Island, The Gap, Unassigned WZ, Waterloo Bay, and Wedge Island from 1979 to 2017...... 50 Figure 6.1. Western Zone (a) greenlip and (b) blacklip with top plots showing CPUE calculated with alternative estimation methods from 1979 to 2017...... 66 Figure 6.2. Greenlip CPUE estimation methods for Anxious Bay, Avoid Bay, Baird Bay, Cape Bauer, Cape Catastrophe and Coffin Bay SAUs...... 67 Figure 6.3. Greenlip CPUE estimation methods for D’Entrecasteaux Reef, Drummond, Elliston Cliffs, Fishery Bay, Flinders Island and Franklin Islands SAUs...... 68 Figure 6.4. Greenlip CPUE estimation methods for Hotspot, Memory Cove, NE Thistle, Neptune Islands, North Nuyts Archipelago, and Point Avoid SAUs...... 69 Figure 6.5. Greenlip CPUE estimation methods for Point Westall, Reef Head, Searcy Bay, Sheringa, South Nuyts Archipelago, and SW Thistle SAUs...... 70 Figure 6.6. Greenlip CPUE estimation methods for Taylor Island, The Gap, Venus Bay, Ward Island, Waterloo Bay and Wedge Island SAUs...... 71 Figure 6.7. Blacklip CPUE estimation methods for Anxious Bay, Avoid Bay, Baird Bay, Cape Bauer, Cape Catastrophe and Coffin Bay SAUs...... 72 Figure 6.8. Blacklip CPUE estimation methods for D’Entrecasteaux Reef, Drummond, Elliston Cliffs, Fishery Bay, Flinders Island and Franklin Islands SAUs...... 73 Figure 6.9. Blacklip CPUE estimation methods for Hotspot, Memory Cove, NE Thistle, North Nuyts Archipelago, Point Avoid, and Point Westall SAUs...... 74 Figure 6.10. Blacklip CPUE estimation methods for Reef Head, Searcy Bay, Sheringa, South Nuyts Archipelago, SW Thistle, and Taylor Island SAUs...... 75

VII Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

Figure 6.11. Blacklip CPUE estimation methods for The Gap, Venus Bay, Ward Island, and Waterloo Bay SAUs...... 76 Figure 6.12. Mean density of all, legal-sized and sublegal sized greenlip abalone at Hotspot, Ward Island, Southeast Flinders, Flinders Bay and Point Avoid fishery independent survey sites...... 77 Figure 6.13. Anxious Bay. Performance indicators catch, CPUE, proportion large, legal density, pre- recruit density, mortality and scores from the harvest strategy...... 80 Figure 6.14. The Gap. Performance indicators catch, CPUE, proportion large, legal density, pre-recruit density, mortality and scores from the harvest strategy...... 81 Figure 6.15. Avoid Bay. Performance indicators catch, CPUE, proportion large, legal density, pre-recruit density, mortality and scores from the harvest strategy...... 82 Figure 6.16. Point Avoid, Drummond and Reef Head SAUs. Performance indicators catch, CPUE, proportion large and scores from the harvest strategy...... 83 Figure 6.17. Ward, Flinders and Taylor Island SAUs. Performance indicators catch, CPUE, proportion large and scores from the harvest strategy...... 84 Figure 6.18. Hotspot, Baird Bay and Point Westall SAUs. Performance indicators catch, CPUE, proportion large and scores from the harvest strategy...... 85 Figure 6.19. Fishery Bay, South Nuyts Archipelago and Cape Catastrophe SAUs. Performance indicators catch, CPUE, proportion large and scores from the harvest strategy...... 86 Figure 6.20. Drummond (high importance). Performance indicators catch, CPUE, proportion large, legal density, pre-recruit density, mortality and scores from the harvest strategy...... 87 Figure 6.21. Sheringa. Performance indicators catch, CPUE, proportion large, legal density, pre-recruit density, mortality and scores from the harvest strategy...... 88 Figure 6.22. Reef Head. Performance indicators catch, CPUE, proportion large, legal density, pre- recruit density, mortality and scores from the harvest strategy...... 89 Figure 6.23. Point Westall. Performance indicators catch, CPUE, proportion large, legal density, pre- recruit density, mortality and scores from the harvest strategy...... 90 Figure 6.24. Avoid Bay. Performance indicators catch, CPUE, proportion large, legal density, pre-recruit density, mortality and scores from the harvest strategy...... 91 Figure 6.25. Anxious Bay. Performance indicators catch, CPUE, proportion large, legal density, pre- recruit density, mortality and scores from the harvest strategy...... 92 Figure 6.26. Searcy Bay. Performance indicators catch, CPUE, proportion large, legal density, pre- recruit density, mortality and scores from the harvest strategy...... 93 Figure 6.27. Point Avoid, Ward Island and Venus Bay SAUs. Performance indicators catch, CPUE, proportion large and scores from the harvest strategy...... 94 Figure 6.28. Percent of greenlip and blacklip catch landed live in the Western Zone from 2010 to 2017...... 101 Figure 6.29. Western Zone greenlip and blacklip CPUE calculated from 1979 to 2017 with estimates from 2010 to 2017...... 101

VIII Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

LIST OF TABLES Table 1.1. Terminology for the status of key Australian fish stocks reports ...... 5 Table 1.2. Management milestones: WZ of the South Australian Abalone Fishery...... 6 Table 1.3. Summary of the current management arrangements for the Western Zone commercial abalone fishery...... 7 Table 3.1. Outcome from application of the harvest strategy described in the Management Plan for the South Australian Abalone Fishery against the greenlip fishery in the Western Zone. 38 Table 3.2. Outcome from application of the harvest strategy described in the Management Plan for the South Australian Abalone Fishery against the blacklip fishery in the Western Zone. Scoring of the “proportion of TACC” PI was against the legislated TACC...... 43 Table 3.3. Outcome from application of the harvest strategy described in the Management Plan for the South Australian Abalone Fishery against the blacklip fishery in the Western Zone for 2016. Scoring of the “proportion of TACC” PI was against the voluntary catch limit ...... 44

Table 6.1. Size at L50 for greenlip at different sites in the Western Zone...... 62 Table 6.2. Relationships between shell length and fecundity for legal sized greenlip at different sites in the Western Zone...... 6 2 Table 6.3. Relationships between fecundity and whole weight for greenlip at different sites in the Western Zone...... 62 Table 6.4. Relationships between shell length and total weight greenlip abalone at various sites in the Western Zone...... 63 Table 6.5. Growth rate of sublegal greenlip at different sites in the Western Zone...... 63

Table 6.6. Growth rate and L∞ for greenlip tagged and recaptured at different sites in the Western Zone...... 64 Table 6.7. Natural mortality rates for adult greenlip at different sites in the Western Zone...... 64 Table 6.8. Summary of the PIs and the formulae and data constraints underpinning their utilisation in the harvest strategy...... 65 Table 6.9. Greenlip catch from the Western Zone and SAUs, ordered by importance...... 95 Table 6.10. Greenlip CPUE from the Western Zone and SAUs, ordered by importance...... 96 Table 6.11. Greenlip PropG1 from the Western Zone and SAUs, ordered by importance...... 97 Table 6.12. Blacklip catch from the Western Zone and SAUs, ordered by importance...... 98 Table 6.13. Blacklip CPUE from the Western Zone and SAUs, ordered by importance...... 99 Table 6.14. Blacklip PropLge from the Western Zone and SAUs, ordered by importance...... 100

IX Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Funds for this research were provided by PIRSA Fisheries and Aquaculture and obtained through licence fees. SARDI Aquatic Sciences provided substantial in-kind support. We thank the Western Zone licence holders, fishers and shellers for their contribution to our understanding of information presented in this report. We are grateful to Jay Dent, Doug Graske, Dr Owen Burnell, David Delaine, Bruce Miller-Smith, Dr Rowan Chick, Brian Foureur, Damian Matthews, Andrew Hogg, Toby Fox and other SARDI past and present divers for assistance with diving and the collection and management of data. We thank Drs Jonathan Carroll and John Smart for statistical support and programming. Dr Jason Nicol (SARDI Aquatic Sciences) provided valuable comments on the report. This report was formally reviewed by Drs Michael Steer and Gretchen Grammer (SARDI Aquatic Sciences) and Dr Belinda McGrath-Steer (PIRSA Fisheries and Aquaculture). It was formally approved for release by Associate Professor Tim Ward, Science Leader, Marine Ecosystems, SARDI Aquatic Sciences.

X Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This report assesses the status of Haliotis laevigata and H. rubra stocks (hereafter referred to as greenlip and blacklip, respectively) in the Western Zone (WZ) of the South Australian Abalone Fishery (SAAF) in 2017.

The assessment is required under the Management Plan for the South Australian Commercial Abalone Fishery (PIRSA 2012). The current harvest strategy does not reflect stock performance, and is being reviewed. However, results are reported here as this is a requirement under the Plan. Stock status was determined using the weight-of-evidence analysis under the National Fishery Status Reporting Framework (NFSRF; Stewardson et al. 2016) as this was considered a more robust approach.

Greenlip

In 2017, greenlip comprised 49% (73.01 t) of the combined abalone total allowable commercial catch (TACC) in the WZ. The catch has decreased 12% between 2009 (82.6 t) and 2017 (72.6 t) due to reductions to the TACC, the removal of one licence during the implementation of marine park sanctuary zones and a 5% voluntary under-catch in 2015 and 2016.

Greenlip stocks in the WZ improved substantially in 2015, following their classification of ‘transitional depleting’ in 2014, evidenced by a widespread and unprecedented increase in catch per unit effort (CPUE) and size landed. Thus, the WZ greenlip stock was classified as ‘sustainable’ in 2015 and 2016.

However, CPUE has since decreased and, in 2017, was relatively low. The recent decrease in CPUE suggests that biomass has continued to decrease despite the change from summer to autumn fishing when greenlip weigh more and bleed less.

The recent decline in WZ CPUE was also evident in most spatial assessment units (SAUs). In addition, most SAU CPUE values were relatively low in 2017. The three most important SAUs, Anxious Bay, The Gap and Avoid Bay, had CPUE values in 2017 that were amongst the lowest on record. The decrease in greenlip abundance at Anxious Bay and The Gap is also evident from the fishery-independent surveys. The proportion of the large Grade 1 greenlip in the catch has recently decreased at Anxious Bay, Avoid Bay, Drummond and Reef Head, despite the higher value of large greenlip.

The spatial distribution of the catch changed from 2010, whereafter there have been increased levels of catch from fishing grounds nearer to Elliston (Anxious Bay) and Port Lincoln (e.g. Drummond, Reef Head and Point Avoid). This recent change is reflected in catch rates that are 1 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery now relatively low in SAUs near Port Lincoln and Elliston, but remain relatively high at SAUs near Streaky Bay. There is also evidence of a change in fishing depth, with more fishing occurring in deeper water (>20 m) in 2016 and 2017.

In summary, the low and declining CPUE and fishery-independent survey densities demonstrate relatively low and ongoing declines in harvestable biomass. Consequently, the WZ Greenlip Abalone Fishery in 2017 is classified as ‘depleting’ under the NFSRF, reflecting a change from a ‘sustainable’ classification in 2016. This means that biomass is declining and that the current level of fishing mortality (i.e. catch) is likely to cause the stock to become recruitment impaired. The application of the harvest strategy (PIRSA 2012), required under the Management Plan, classified the fishery as ‘sustainable’, but this outcome is not considered to reflect stock status.

Blacklip

The blacklip stocks have been classified as ‘transitional depleting’ for the past four years (2013- 2016). There is compelling evidence of ongoing declines in harvestable biomass. Harvestable biomass is now at the lowest level since 1979 (almost 40 years).

The zone CPUE continued to decline between 2016 and 2017 and, in 2017, was the lowest value on record. The low CPUE in 2017 was apparent irrespective of the CPUE estimation method used and the downward trend persisted when the recent shift to harvesting blacklip ‘live’ was taken into account. Low CPUE values were also spatially consistent. For most high and medium importance SAUs, the CPUE in 2017 was at, or among, the lowest value on record.

There is no evidence that the recent 35% catch reduction and current management arrangements have been sufficient to prevent overfishing and arrest the decline in stock abundance. The prolonged weak position of the fishery and ongoing reductions in biomass, despite the lower catches, demonstrate that current catch levels are not sustainable. They also show that a substantially lower catch than that harvested in 2017 is probably required to prevent stock collapse and facilitate any potential stock rebuilding. This is because reduced harvestable biomass and abundance of spawning individuals has decreased the reproductive potential of the stock and probably lowered recruitment.

In summary, there is evidence of ongoing declines in harvestable biomass to levels not observed in over 30 years. Consequently, for the fifth consecutive year, the WZ Blacklip Abalone Fishery in 2017 is classified as ‘depleting’ under the NFSRF. This means that biomass is declining and that the current level of fishing mortality (i.e. catch) is likely to cause the stock to become recruitment impaired. The outcome from application of the harvest strategy (PIRSA 2012), required under the Management Plan, classified the fishery as ‘overfished’.

2 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

Key WZ blacklip and greenlip statistics from 2013 are summarised in the table below that shows number of licences (No. licences); total allowable commercial catch (TACC); voluntary catch limit (VCL); total commercial catch (TCC); harvest strategy (HS) stock status using TACC and VCL; and national fishery status reporting framework (NFSRF) weight of evidence (WOE) stock status. tmw = tonnes meat weigh.

No TACC VCL TCC HS Stock Status HS Stock Status NSRF Stock Status Season licences (tmw) (tmw) (tmw) (TACC) (VCL) (WOE)

BLACKLIP 2013 23 89.93 89.04 Sustainably Fished na Depleting 2014 22 84.08 82.41 Sustainably Fished na Depleting 2015 22 84.08 66.38 65.85 Over Fished Sustainably Fished Depleting 2016 22 74.58 66.38 66.83 Over Fished Over Fished Depleting 2017 22 74.58 66.97 66.84 Over Fished Over Fished Depleting

GREENLIP

2013 23 73.37 72.36 Under Fished na Sustainable 2014 22 73.01 71.74 Sustainably Fished na Depleting 2015 22 73.01 69.70 68.88 Under Fished Under Fished Sustainable 2016 22 73.01 69.70 69.64 Sustainable Sustainable Sustainable 2017 22 73.01 72.63 Sustainable Sustainable Depleting

Keywords: Blacklip abalone (Haliotis rubra), Greenlip abalone (Haliotis laevigata), Stock assessment, Harvest strategy, Stock status, South Australia.

3 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

1 GENERAL INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background This report provides a fishery assessment for greenlip abalone (Haliotis laevigata, hereafter referred to as greenlip) and a stock status for blacklip abalone (Haliotis rubra; hereafter referred to as blacklip) in the Western Zone (WZ) of the South Australian Abalone Fishery (SAAF; Figure 1.1) in 2017. These form part of the South Australian Research and Development Institute’s (SARDI – Aquatic Sciences) ongoing assessment program for greenlip and blacklip fisheries and update previous fishery assessment and status reports for both abalone species (see Stobart et al. 2017). This report (1) assesses the status of the resource; (2) identifies the uncertainty associated with the assessment; and (3) documents future research needs for both species.

Streaky Elliston Port Lincoln Other

Figure 1.1. Fishing zones and mapcodes of the South Australian Abalone Fishery and regions of the WZ.

The level of reporting for the two species differs because species-specific assessments are undertaken biennially as part of an overall rationalisation of the research program. Previously, assessment and status reports were delivered in separate documents (e.g. 2016 greenlip assessment report (Stobart and Mayfield 2016a); 2016 blacklip status report (Stobart and Mayfield 2016b)). At the request of the Fisheries and Aquaculture division of Primary Industries and Regions South Australia (PIRSA), the reports were amalgamated in 2017 (Stobart et al. 2017), but the level of detail consistent with the biennial assessment and status reports is maintained throughout this report (i.e. Methods, Results and Discussion).

4 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

Analysis of fishery-dependent (FD) and fishery-independent (FI) data from 1 January 1968 to 31 December 2017 is provided for both species as part of the ongoing assessment program for the abalone fishery in the WZ. An analysis of the fishery’s performance and stock status based on the harvest strategy described in, and required under, the Management Plan (PIRSA 2012) is also included. The harvest strategy has several limitations, including not reflecting stock performance (e.g. Mayfield et al. 2014, Stobart et al. 2014) and the absence of an agreed limit reference point for determining whether the stocks are recruitment impaired that would link the harvest strategy to the National Fishery Status Reporting Framework (NFSRF; Stewardson et al. 2016, unpublished). A replacement harvest strategy is currently being developed by the Abalone Harvest Strategy Working Group, which consists of representatives from PIRSA Fisheries and Aquaculture, SARDI and industry. In this report, for both species, the stock status was determined using the weight-of-evidence analysis using the NFSRF (Table 1.1; Stewardson et al. unpublished) as this was considered a more robust approach to determining status and has been adopted by PIRSA Fisheries and Aquaculture for classifying fish stocks (PIRSA 2015). However, as required under the Management Plan, the outcome from application of the harvest strategy (PIRSA 2012) to blacklip and greenlip in the WZ is also provided.

Table 1.1. Terminology for the status of key Australian fish stocks reports (Stewardson et al. unpublished).

Potential implications for Stock status Description management of the stock Sustainable Stock for which biomass (or biomass proxy) is at a level sufficient to Appropriate management is in ensure that, on average, future levels of recruitment are adequate (i.e. place recruitment is not impaired) and for which fishing mortality (or proxy) is adequately controlled to avoid the stock becoming recruitment impaired

Depleting Biomass (or proxy) is not yet depleted and recruitment is not yet Management is needed to impaired, but fishing mortality (or proxy) is too high (overfishing is reduce fishing pressure and occurring) and moving the stock in the direction of becoming recruitment ensure that the biomass does impaired not become depleted Recovering Biomass (or proxy) is depleted and recruitment is impaired, but Appropriate management is in management measures are in place to promote stock recovery, and place, and there is evidence recovery is occurring that the biomass is recovering Depleted Biomass (or proxy) has been reduced through catch and/or fishing Management is needed to effects, such that recruitment is impaired. Current management is not recover this stock; if adequate adequate to recover the stock, or adequate management measures management measures are have been put in place but have not yet resulted in measurable already in place, more time improvements may be required for them to take effect Undefined Not enough information exists to determine stock status Data required to assess stock status are needed Negligible Catches are so low as to be considered negligible and inadequate Assessment will not be information exists to determine stock status conducted unless catches and information increase

5 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

1.2 History and description of the fishery

1.2.1 Commercial fishery A review of the management history of the SAAF since its inception in 1964 is provided by Mayfield et al. (2012). Major management milestones are listed in Table 1.2. Briefly, entrants to the fishery increased in the late 1960s and exceeded 100 operators by 1970. In 1971, the SAAF was divided into three zones (Western (WZ), Central and Southern; Figure 1.1). During the same year, licences were made non-transferable to reduce the number of operators and by 1976 had fallen to 35. These 35 licences remained until 2013. From 1 January 2014, removal of one licence from the WZ as part of the marine park buy-back scheme, reduced the total number of licences in the SAAF to 34.

Table 1.2. Management milestones: Western Zone of the South Australian Abalone Fishery.

Date Milestone 1964 Fishery started 1970 In excess of 100 operators 1971 Licences made non-transferable Fishery divided into three zones (Western, Central and Southern) Minimum legal length (MLL) set at 130 mm shell length (SL) for both species 1976 30 licences remained; 5 additional licences issued 1978 Sub-zones and fishing blocks replaced by map numbers and codes 1980 Licences became transferable 1984 Greenlip minimum legal length amended to 145 mm SL in the Western Zone 1985 Western Zone divided into regions A and B Quota introduced to Region A in the Western Zone (97.75 t blacklip; 97.75 t greenlip) 1989 Total allowable commercial catch (TACC) in Western Zone Region A greenlip fishery reduced to 69 t 1991 Quota introduced to Region B in the Western Zone (9.2 t both species) 1993 Abolition of owner-operator regulation TACC in Western Zone Region B increased to 11.5 t 1994 TACC in Western Zone Region B increased to 13.8 t 1996 TACC in Western Zone Region A blacklip fishery decreased to 86 t 1997 Management Plan implemented (Zacharin 1997) TACC in Western Zone Region A blacklip fishery increased to 97.8 t 2004 Management Plan reviewed (Nobes et al. 2004) 2006 TACC in Western Zone Region A greenlip fishery increased to 75.9 t 2010 TACC in Western Zone Region A blacklip fishery decreased to 92 t TACC in Western Zone Region A greenlip fishery decreased to 69 t 2011 TACC in Western Zone Region B fishery decreased to 9.2 t 2012 New Management Plan including harvest strategy (PIRSA 2012) TACC in Western Zone Region B fishery decreased to 6.9 t 2013 TACC in Western Zone Region A blacklip fishery decreased to 87.4 t 2014 Regions A and B amalgamated, Number of licences reduced to 22. TACC for Western Zone greenlip increased to 73 t; TACC for blacklip decreased to 84.1 t Ministerial exemption to harvest Haliotis roei with a TACC of 11 t granted from February 2014 2015 Harvest strategy review commenced 2016 TACC in Western Zone blacklip fishery decreased to 74.6 t; voluntary agreement to limit catch to 66.4 t 2018 TACC in Western Zone blacklip fishery decreased to 66.6 t; voluntary agreement to limit catch to 58.6 t

The WZ of the SAAF includes coastal waters of South Australia between the Western Australia/South Australia border and eastern Eyre Peninsula (Figure 1.1). This zone was

6 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery subdivided into Region A and Region B in 1985. In Region A, annual Total Allowable Commercial Catches (TACCs) were introduced for blacklip and greenlip in 1985 and amended to the calendar year fishing season from 1989 (Table 1.3; Nobes et al. 2004). For Region B, both species were included under a single annual TACC that was introduced in 1991. Regions A and B were recombined in 2014. There are currently 22 licences operating in the WZ, and the fishing season extends from 1 January to 31 December each year. A catch and effort logbook must be completed for each fishing day and submitted to SARDI Aquatic Sciences at the end of each month. Commercial catch and effort data on this fishery have been collected since 1968 and are used in stock assessment and status reports for each zone.

Table 1.3. Summary of the current management arrangements for the Western Zone commercial abalone fishery.

Management strategy Western Zone management arrangements in 2016

Licence holders 22 Target species Haliotis rubra (blacklip), H. laevigata (greenlip), H. roei (roei) Minimum legal length Blacklip 130 mm shell length (SL), Greenlip 145 mm SL, Roei 75 mm SL Quota year 1 January to 31 December Quota transferability Yes Other species permitted H. scalaris, H. cyclobates when SL ≥130 mm Method of capture By hand – dive fishery By-catch Negligible

Since 1997, the WZ fishery has operated under the control of formal management plans (Zacharin 1997, Nobes et al. 2004, PIRSA 2012). These plans guide management through a regime of input (e.g. limited entry) and output (e.g. minimum legal lengths (MLLs) and quotas) controls. Some of the current management arrangements in the WZ are summarised in Tables 1.2 and 1.3.

1.2.2 Economic importance of the commercial fishery Econsearch provides an annual assessment of the economic performance of the SAAF (Paterson et al. 2013, Rippin 2014, Fargher 2015, Magnusson et al. 2016, Carlin and Morrison 2017). Catch value (gross value of production – GVP) in the fishery increased rapidly between 1997/98 and 2000/01 but declined in subsequent years due to a decline in the price of abalone that was linked to an increase in the value of the Australian dollar (Rippin 2014). Until 2013/14, GVP closely followed changes in average price because total catch had remained relatively stable. However, in 2013/14, the total catch of abalone in the SAAF dropped by 25% (principally through the Southern Zone TACC not being harvested, see Mayfield et al. 2015), and GVP was impacted by both changes in levels of catch and changes to average price. In 2015/16, the SAAF catch was

7 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery valued at AU$22.2 million dollars. This was a decrease from the previous assessment (AU$25.2 million; Magnusson et al. 2016) and the lowest value over the last 15 years in real terms (Carlin and Morrison 2017). The full time jobs generated directly and indirectly by abalone fisheries in South Australia also decreased since the previous assessment from 405 in 2014/15 to 377 in 2015/16.

Paid labour, which accounts for the largest share of total cash costs to the SAAF, decreased by 13% between 2014/15 and 2015/16 (Carlin and Morrison 2017). Other major costs include interest, management fees, repairs and maintenance and fuel. Notable changes in operating costs between 2014/15 and 2015/16 include decreases in fuel, repairs and maintenance, paid labour and licence fees. Profitability of the fishery fell again in 2015/16, with profit at full equity being 14% lower than the previous financial year. The average cost of management per licence holder has remained relatively stable since 2004/05, and in 2015/16, was AU$62,818, 9.6% of GVP. The decrease in management costs in 2015/16 was due to a fall in aggregate licence fees (Carlin and Morrison 2017).

1.2.3 Recreational fishery The most recent recreational abalone catch estimate for South Australia was 282 blacklip and 4,651 greenlip individuals for the 12-month period from late 2013 to 2014 (Giri and Hall 2015). This equates to 2.04 t meat weight, a 13% decrease since the previous survey from late 2007 to 2008 (Jones 2009). Recreational fishing effort was estimated at 16% for the West Coast (Memory cove to the border with Western Australia) during 2013/14 (Giri and Hall 2015), equating to 789 abalone.

1.2.4 Illegal, unregulated and unreported catch Illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) catch is difficult to estimate. PIRSA rely on field observations and intelligence reports that document quantities of abalone when estimating the IUU catch. Over the last five years, PIRSA has received an average of 42 information reports per year relevant to the WZ, with an average of 7 reports per year containing estimates of illegally harvested abalone. Applying a mean meat weight per information report provides an estimated average of 0.5 t per year of illegally harvested abalone. This estimate excludes IUU catch where a caution, expiation or brief has been compiled. It should also be noted that PIRSA would not have been advised of all illegally harvested abalone and as such, the actual extent of IUU is expected to be higher.

8 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

1.3 Management Plan The second Management Plan for the SAAF (Nobes et al. 2004) was reviewed and replaced in 2012 by the current Management Plan (PIRSA 2012) that is undergoing review. This management plan stipulates management goals and objectives for the fishery that reflect current policy drivers, including, amongst others, Section 7 of the Fisheries Management Act 2007 and Ecologically Sustainable Management of Fisheries as described in the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

The four management goals are to ensure: (1) the abalone resource is sustainably harvested; (2) optimal economic utilisation and equitable distribution of the abalone resource; (3) impacts on the ecosystem are minimised; and (4) cost effective and participative management of the fishery. This SARDI report is directly relevant to the first goal, for which the objectives are to: (1) maintain the stocks above ecologically sustainable levels; and (2) ensure sufficient data and information are available to undertake the harvest strategy, which underpins management decisions. The current harvest strategy, under review and redevelopment, is species-specific, spatially-explicit and comprises two key components. First, performance indicators (PIs) are used with a series of reference points to determine the risk that the stocks in each spatial assessment unit (SAU; Figure 1.2) are overfished. Second, the assigned risks are catch-weighted and summed to determine the stock status for each zone. The range of management decisions for each SAU is constrained by explicit decision rules based on the assigned risk-of-overfishing category (PIRSA 2012). The harvest-decision rules guide determination of future catch contributions from each SAU in the fishery and are summed by species for each zone and used to adjust annual TACCs.

The PIs are only used to assess high and medium importance SAUs that are assigned based on the percentage contribution to total catch (see Stobart et al. 2012). For the ten year period ending 31 December 2017, there were 10 high and 15 medium importance SAUs in the WZ (Figure 1.3). There were three changes to the importance rating of both blacklip and greenlip SAUs between 2016 (Stobart et al. 2017) and 2017: Ward Island blacklip changed from high to medium importance; Hotspot blacklip changed from medium to low importance; and Memory Cove greenlip changed from medium to low importance.

9 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

Figure 1.2. Spatial assessment units (SAUs) and map codes of the Western Zone South Australian Abalone Fishery.

10 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

Figure 1.3. Relative importance (% of total catch) of each blacklip (black bars) and greenlip (green bars) SAU. Note each SAU is ranked twice, once for blacklip and once for greenlip. Red text and dotted lines indicate SAU importance category and division. Note abbreviations for Cape (Cp), Island (Is), Reef (Rf), North East (NE) and South West (SW).

11 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

1.4 Abalone biology The biology of blacklip and greenlip in the WZ is well described and documented in previous stock assessment reports (e.g. Stobart et al. 2015a, Stobart and Mayfield 2016a). Additional information on the biology of greenlip is also provided in Appendix 6.1. Briefly, greenlip and blacklip are contiguous throughout southern Australia but have differing overall distributions. Blacklip range from Coffs Harbour (New South Wales) to Rottnest Island (Western Australia), while greenlip range from Flinders Island (Tasmania) to Cape Naturaliste (Western Australia). Typically, these two species occupy different habitats, with blacklip mostly inhabiting crevices and caves or the bottom of steep rock faces of topographically complex rocky reefs (1 to 30 m depth) and greenlip tending to inhabit the edge of reefs and boulders near sand or seagrass (5 to >50 m depth).

Blacklip have a broad-scale population structure (Brown 1991), although significant genetic differentiation can occur between sites less than 15 km apart (Shepherd and Brown 1993, Temby et al. 2007, Miller et al. 2009), suggesting limited dispersal among ‘metapopulations’ (Fleming 1997, Miller et al. 2009). In contrast, greenlip dispersal appears to be more widespread which is reflected in population genetics that suggest ‘metapopulations’ occur at the distances of up to 135 km (Miller et al. 2014). The limited dispersal of abalone has implications for the recovery of depleted stocks and contrasts with many other marine organisms, whose widespread dispersal capacity makes them more resilient to localised depletion.

Abalone are prone to several diseases that can cause significant mortality and/or affect the quality of meat for sale. The two primary diseases affecting Australian stocks are abalone viral ganglioneuritis (AVG; Mayfield et al. 2012) and the protozoan parasite Perkinsus olensi (Goggin and Lester 1995). AVG has not been recorded in South Australia but Perkinsus is well established and has negative effects on the three commercially harvested abalone species. Chronically infected animals often exhibit extensive macroscopic lesions rendering the product unsaleable. Avoidance of fishing areas in the WZ of the SAAF that have a high prevalence of Perkinsus- related lesions has displaced ~10% (11 t.yr-1) of blacklip catch to alternative fishing grounds, exacerbated the need for quota reductions and likely cost the fishery in excess of $10 million over the past ten years. The disease is currently prevalent in fishing grounds near Port Lincoln and in the Baird Bay SAU.

12 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

2 METHODS 2.1 Information sources for the assessment The 2017 assessment uses fishery-dependent (FD) and fishery-independent (FI) data for greenlip and blacklip in the WZ. The FD data consist of catch and effort data from 1 January 1968 to 31 December 2017, proportions of greenlip in the differing weight grades (Mayfield 2008) and blacklip commercial shell measurements from 1999 to 2017, excepting 2001, 2010 and 2017 when no shell length data were available. The FI data consist of density estimates and length frequency distributions derived from timed swim and lead line surveys (greenlip) and cross drop surveys (blacklip) conducted periodically (typically biennially) at selected SAUs from 2005 to 2018.

2.2 Greenlip Data were analysed at three spatial scales: (1) the WZ; (2) three regions of the WZ (termed Port Lincoln, Elliston and Streaky Bay); and (3) the SAUs defined in the harvest strategy. The regions of Port Lincoln, Elliston and Streaky Bay comprised those SAUs typically accessed from these respective regional centres (see Figure 1.1).

2.2.1 Catch and effort Commercial catch and effort data have been collected since 1968 in the form of daily entries to commercial logbooks submitted to SARDI, allowing spatial and temporal analyses of catch (t, meat weight), mean CPUE ± standard error (se) and fishing effort by depth category (hours). Multi-dimensional scaling (MDS) was used to evaluate temporal changes in the distribution of the proportion of catch for WZ SAUs, where closer proximity among years indicates greater similarity. MDS results were further interpreted with similarity percentage (SIMPER) analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis (CLUSTER) using complete linkage. SIMPER calculates which SAUs are contributing most to the differences between years and CLUSTER identifies “natural groupings” of years where years within a group are more similar to each other than years outside of the group and years in other groups.

Spatial and temporal analyses of the mean CPUE and proportion grade 1 greenlip (PropG1; the largest grade category) were also compared across years and seasons for the WZ, regions of the WZ and SAUs. The method used for estimating CPUE (kg.hr-1; meat weight) in this report differs from that previously used. CPUE is now estimated as the catch-weighted mean of daily CPUE where 1) the percentage of the target species in the catch for each daily record is used as a weighting factor in calculating the arithmetic mean of daily CPUE records; and 2) effort is split

13 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery based on the species proportion in the daily catch assuming equal catch rate for each species (Appendix 6.2, Table 6.8). The change follows an evaluation of the CPUE estimation method undertaken as part of the review of the Harvest Strategy during 2017/18 that was aimed at reducing potential biases for estimating CPUE in a mixed catch fishery (Burnell et al. in prep). The key change to the CPUE estimation method, compared to the historically used catch- weighted method (hereafter called CPUEcw; Burch et al. 2011), was the splitting of effort based on the species proportion in the daily catch, rather than allocating total daily effort to each species to estimate CPUE. In addition, the data exclusion rules, designed to remove likely erroneous data records, were relaxed to ensure legitimate data were not excluded. In all instances, prior to calculation of CPUE, daily data were filtered to remove records where effort was <3 and >8 hours and the ratio of total catch over total hours was >66.7 kg.hr-1. For both species, daily records with <30% of the target species were excluded from data used to estimate CPUE. The minimum sample size used to estimate CPUE was 10 fishing records; therefore, the absence of data for this measure indicates fewer than 10 records were available. For weight grade data, records where the total catch was >1% different from the sum of all three weight-grade categories were excluded, as were all records with zero catch. The minimum sample size used to calculate PropG1 was 10 fishing records; therefore, the absence of data for this measure in any one year indicates fewer records were available. The combined trend of CPUE and catch is also displayed as a time series of relative catch multiplied by relative CPUE, in both cases relating these metrics to the year 1979, as an approximation to a Kobe plot (Kell 2012).

A comparison of the newly adopted CPUE estimation method and the previous method (CPUEcw) is shown in Appendix 6.3. Overall, estimates of CPUE and CPUEcw are closely correlated (e.g. WZ greenlip zonal catch rate Pearson correlation coefficient: r = 0.951) but key benefits of the newly adopted method are that the revised CPUE estimates are more 1) independent of targeting behavior (i.e. reduced correlation with catch); and 2) reflective of diver estimates of catch rate (i.e. the catch rates that divers experience; Burnell et al. in prep). As minor bias associated with the mixed catch may also remain, in this report CPUE is also provided with data cut-off points of 90% and 100% of the catch for each species. Thus, where appropriate, CPUE is referred to as CPUE,

CPUE0.9 and CPUE1.0 to indicate whether cut-off points of 30%, 90% or 100% have been used, respectively (Appendix 6.3). Again, these alternative methods were also highly correlated with

CPUE (e.g. WZ greenlip Pearson correlations: CPUE0.9 = 0.99, CPUE1.0 = 0.81; Figure 6.1a)

For historical comparison, mean values of key measures of fishery performance are provided in text and/or as dashed lines on figures. Key measures include the (1) proportion of the greenlip

14 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

TACC harvested from each SAU for the 10-yr period between 2008 and 2017 (2) mean annual CPUE for the 20-yr period between 1990 and 2009 (reference period for the current harvest strategy; CPUE90-09); and mean annual CPUE for the 11-yr period between 1990 and 2000

(reference period under consideration for the new harvest strategy; CPUE90-00). Ranking and percent of total catch in SAU titles refer first to the ten-year period (C08-17), followed by the value in 2017 separated by a hyphen (e.g. Rank 1-5; 10.1-13.5% had rank 1 and represented 10.1% of the total catch over the 10-yr period and rank 5 representing 13.5% of the total catch in 2017).

2.2.2 Fishery-independent surveys Greenlip abundance and size structure were obtained from SARDI FI surveys which, in recent years, have been undertaken biennially as part of an overall rationalisation of the research program. The FI information provided includes length-frequency distributions and mean density (± se) of legal and sub-legal-sized greenlip and are obtained from high importance SAUs. In 2018, FI data were obtained for the 3 high importance SAUs (Anxious Bay, The Gap and Avoid Bay) and were estimated from lead line surveys (Mayfield et al. 2008). Historically, FI surveys were also conducted in other SAUs (see Appendix 6.4), and density was estimated using timed-swims (Shepherd 1985), lead lines (Mayfield et al. 2008), or a combination of these.

Greenlip density estimates from timed swims at The Gap SAU in 2016 were required for application of the harvest strategy and were obtained by applying the percentage change in density from lead lines between 2013 to 2016 and 2016 to 2018, to the 2016 and 2018 timed swim estimates, respectively. In order to aid the interpretation of the length-frequency distributions, the percentage of large greenlip (LARGE) from FI survey length-frequency distributions was defined as the ratio of ‘large’ greenlip (≥165 mm SL) to all legal-sized (i.e. ≥145 mm SL) measurements. The percentage of small greenlip (SMALL) was defined as the ratio of ‘small’ greenlip (<110 mm SL) to all sub-legal-sized greenlip (i.e. ≥110 mm to <144 mm SL).

2.3 Blacklip The data sources and methods used to compute the PIs for the weight-of-evidence assessment and apply the harvest strategy for blacklip are described in Stobart et al. (2017) and generally mirror those described above for greenlip. Notably, the CPUE estimation method for blacklip has also been changed to the catch-weighted mean of daily CPUE where effort is split based on the species proportion in the daily catch, again assuming equal catch rate for each species (Appendix 6.2, Table 6.8). A comparison of the newly adopted CPUE estimation method, the previous method (CPUEcw) and CPUE estimated with cut-off points of 90% and 100% of the catch for each

15 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

species (CPUE0.9 and CPUE1.0) is shown in Appendix 6.3 for the WZ and Appendix 6.3.2 for individual SAUs. As was the case for greenlip, estimates of CPUE were closely correlated among alternative estimation methods (e.g. WZ blacklip zonal catch rate Pearson correlation coefficients:

CPUEcw = 0.96, CPUE0.9 = 0.93, CPUE1.0 = 0.871).

There were two differences between greenlip and blacklip. First, for blacklip, the PI proportion large is used rather than PropG1. The proportion of large blacklip in the commercial catch (PropLge) is defined as the ratio of the number of ‛large’ shells (>165 mm shell length; SL) to the total number of shells measured in the commercial catch (minimum sample size = 100) with SL measurements >5 mm below the MLL (130 mm SL) excluded. The quality of length-frequency data obtained varied considerably among years (Stobart et al. 2017). Despite varying quality, the data are used in applying the harvest strategy but are excluded from the weight-of-evidence analyses on stock status. Second, consistent with the review of the HS, data are provided separately for the revised SAUs of Drummond North and Drummond South along with the current Drummond SAU.

2.4 Harvest strategy The harvest strategy integrates catch and effort, commercial catch sampling and FI data to determine (1) the risk that individual SAUs are overfished; and (2) a zonal stock status. The methodology used to calculate, score and interpret high and medium importance SAU PIs for the harvest strategy is detailed in Table 6.8 (Appendix 6.2), (Stobart et al. 2012) and the Management Plan (PIRSA 2012). Application of the harvest strategy for blacklip was complicated because the legislated TACC and the voluntary catch limit agreed among the licence holders differ. This is because the commercial sector unanimously agreed to voluntarily under-catch the TACC by 10.2% in 2017 in response to low and declining stock abundance that was poorly reflected in the harvest strategy. The reduction in catch influences scoring of a key performance indicator (PI) – ‘proportion of TACC’ – if the voluntary reduction is not accounted for. Consequently, in this report, outcomes from application of the harvest strategy using both the legislated TACC and the voluntary catch limit are provided.

2.5 Quality Assurance Quality assurance systems form an integral part of stock assessments undertaken by SARDI. These systems are designed to ensure high quality project planning, data collection and storage, analyses, interpretation of results and report writing. Details of the five individual components are provided in Appendix 6.5.

16 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

3 RESULTS 3.1 GREENLIP 3.1.1 Western Zone Total catches were relatively stable between 1989 and 2017, with catch ranging from a high of 83.6 t in 2006 to a low of 68.9 t in 2015 (Figure 3.1a). Within this period, fluctuations in catch were attributable to: (1) the introduction of quota to Region B in 1991 (9.2 t); (2) increases to the Region B TACC in 1993 (11.5 t) and 1994 (13.8 t); (3) variation in the proportion of greenlip caught in Region B; (4) an increase to the Region A TACC from 2006 to 2009 (75.7 t); and (5) catch reductions between 2009 (82.6 t) and 2015 (68.9 t) after reductions to the Region A TACC in 2010 (69 t), Region B in 2011 (9.2 t) and 2013 (6.9 t), the removal of a licence during the process of merging regions A and B in 2014 and a 5% voluntary under-catch of the TACC in 2015 and 2016.

-1 CPUE fluctuated between 1979 and 1998 (mean 21.4 kg.hr ), whereafter it increased to a peak of 29.6 kg.hr-1 in 2006 (Figure 3.1a). CPUE then decreased 32% from 2006 to 2014 when it was

-1 similar to the lowest values on record (20.2 kg.hr ). Between 2014 and 2015, CPUE increased 13%, whereafter it continued to decline and, in 2017, was relatively low at 21.2 kg.hr-1. In 2017, CPUE was in the lower third of rank order (Figure 3.1c).The 2017 value for the combined trend of relative catch and CPUE was the second lowest value on record (Figure 3.1b). Fishing effort across depth ranges has remained relatively stable for the last 10 years, although there was evidence that fishing at a depth greater than 20 m increased in 2016 and 2017 (Figure 3.1d). There was no evidence that the increase in live catch from 2012 onwards influenced the recent zone CPUE values (Appendix 6.8).

17 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

(a) opG1 CPUE r P Catch Catch

1.2 (b)

0.8

0.4

Relative Catch * Relative CPUE Relative * Catch Relative 0 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 Season 32 (c) 28

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 Rank order

1 (d) 0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2

0 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 Year Figure 3.1. (a) Catch (t, meat weight; green bars) of greenlip from the Western Zone from 1968 to 2017. CPUE ± se (kg.hr-1) and PropG1 are shown as solid red and blue line lines, respectively. Dashed upper and lower red lines and blue line show CPUE90-09, CPUE90-00 and PropG190-09, respectively. Red arrows indicate implementation (1985) and amendment (1996 and 2010) of the greenlip TACC in Region A. Blue arrows indicate implementation (1991) and amendment (1993, 1994, 2011 and 2013) of the TACC in Region B. Black arrow indicates amendment to the WZ TACC (2014). (b) Combined trend of relative catch and relative CPUE from the Western Zone from 1979 to 2017. (c) Rank order of Western Zone greenlip CPUE. Open square symbol is 2017 data point. (d) Proportion of hours fished in the Western Zone at three depth ranges (see legend) using fishing records where greenlip constituted 75% or more of the catch.

18 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

Regions of the WZ and within-season distribution of catch and CPUE The percent of catch from the three regions remained relatively stable for the eleven-year period from the introduction of quota in 1984 to 1994 (Figure 3.2a). Subsequently, catch from the Elliston region increased, remaining relatively high between 1996 and 2006, whereafter catches from Elliston and Streaky Bay declined while those from Port Lincoln increased. The percentage of the greenlip catch harvested from the Port Lincoln region in 2016 was the second highest on record, and it remained relatively high in 2017. CPUE values were most similar for the three regions between 1979 and 1988, whereafter they diverged. With few exceptions, CPUE estimates for Elliston were generally the highest, Port Lincoln were intermediate and Streaky Bay the lowest (Figure 3.2b). The CPUE from Port Lincoln and Elliston declined consistently from high values in the mid-2000s to the fifth lowest on record in 2014, whereafter they have been slightly higher and, in 2017, were 22% and 17% below CPUE90-09, respectively. In contrast, the Streaky Bay CPUE has increased from 2011, the lowest value on record and, in 2017, despite a sharp reduction from 2015, was amongst the highest values on record for this region.

With the exception of 1981 and 1982, more than 50% of the catch has been harvested in summer or autumn, with the percentage increasing to over 70% from 1990 onwards (Figure 3.2c). From 1987 to 2004, the percentage of the catch caught in summer increased substantially, with a peak of 64% in 2004. The percentage of catch in summer has subsequently decreased and, in 2017, was 20% of the WZ greenlip catch (Figure 3.2c). Autumn catch has increased from a historic low in 2005 (18%) to 2017 (58%), the highest value on record.

With some exceptions, annual estimates of summer CPUE were generally lower than the estimates of autumn CPUE, with the difference greatest between 2014 and 2017 (summer >3kg.hr-1 lower than autumn; Figure 3.2d). Summer CPUE values in 2016 and 2017 were the lowest and second-lowest on record, respectively. Autumn CPUE over the same two-year period was similar to the average autumn CPUE between 1979 and 2000 (22.7 kg.hr-1). The CPUE values for the three regions, relative to historic, differed both in summer and in autumn (Figure 3.2e,f). The 2017 summer CPUE for Port Lincoln was the sixth lowest on record, while summer CPUE for Elliston and Streaky Bay were within the lower third of records (Figure 3.2e). The autumn Port Lincoln and Elliston CPUE estimates for 2017 were relatively low, while Streaky bay CPUE was amongst the highest on record (Figure 3.2f; the sixth highest).

19 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

(a) (b)

(e) (f)

Figure 3.2. (a) Comparison between percent of greenlip catch at SAUs located near Port Lincoln, Elliston and Streaky Bay (see legend) from the western zone from 1968 to 2017. (b) Comparison between CPUE ± se (kg.hr-1) of greenlip at SAUs located near Port Lincoln, Elliston and Streaky Bay (see legend) from the Western Zone from 1968 to 2017. (c) Within season summer and autumn distribution of greenlip catch (% of greenlip catch between January and June) from the Western Zone from 1979 to 2017 where Summer = Jan-Feb and Autumn = Mar-Jun. (d) Seasonal CPUE ± se (kg.hr-1) difference of greenlip from 1979 to 2017. (e, f) Difference between CPUE at SAUs located near Port Lincoln, Elliston and Streaky Bay (see legend) during summer (Jan-Feb) and autumn (Mar-Jun) from 1979 to 2017.

20 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

Distribution of catch among spatial assessment units In 2017, the eight SAUs from which more than 5% of the total greenlip catch for the WZ was harvested were The Gap (10.7%), Anxious Bay (8.8%), Avoid Bay (6.7%), Point Avoid (6.2%), Drummond (5.6%), Hotspot (5.6%), Baird bay (5.4%) and Flinders Island (5.4%). Cumulatively, they represented 54% of the catch. These are different to the eight SAUs that exceeded 5% of the total greenlip catch and cumulatively represented 67% of the catch in the last assessment for this species in 2015 (Stobart et al. 2016). The changes that contributed to this difference included increases in catch at The Gap (6.4 t; 10.3% to 7.7 t; 10.7%) and Hotspot (2.3 t; 3.3% to 5.6 t; 5.6%) and, amongst others, decreases in catch at Anxious Bay (9.3 t; 13.5% to 6.4 t; 8.8%), Avoid Bay (6.3 t; 9.2% to 4.9 t; 6.7%), Point Avoid (6.4 t; 9.2% to 4.6 t; 6.2%) and Drummond (4.6 t; 6.6% to 4.0 t; 5.6%).

The MDS plot shows three groupings of years where the distribution of catch in WZ SAUs within each group was similar (75% similarity; Figure 3.3). The more recent distribution of catch, from 2010 to 2017, is most similar to that obtained in the mid to late 1980s, with the spatial distribution of catch in 2017 most similar to that from 2014 (orange Cluster 2; Figure 3.3). The current catch distribution is more evenly distributed throughout the WZ greenlip SAUs than was the case between 1990 and 2009 (Figure 3.4). The difference between 2016 and 2017, identified using the SIMPER analysis, was primarily attributed to increased catch from Neptune Islands, North Nuyts Archipelago, Hotspot and Franklin Island SAUs and decreased catch from the Ward Island SAU.

21 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

2 1985 1 1984 1988 3 1983 1990 1986 1987 2000 1995 1989 1992 1999 1996 1998 2017 1994 1993 1991 2001 1982 2014 1981 2013 1997 2002 2015 2012 2009 2005 2008 2004 2016 2007 2010 2011 2003

1980 2006

1979

Figure 3.3. Multi-dimensional scaling (MDS) plot for SAUs showing similarity among years based on greenlip catch from the Western Zone from 1979 to 2017. 2D stress = 0.13. Red, orange and blue lines indicate numbered clusters with 75% similarity.

Wedge Is Wedge Is Waterloo Bay Waterloo Bay Ward Is Ward Is Venus Bay Venus Bay Unassigned WZ Unassigned WZ The Gap The Gap Taylors Is Taylors Is SW Thistle SW Thistle South Nuyts South Nuyts Sir Joseph Banks Sir Joseph Banks Sheringa Sheringa Searcy Bay Searcy Bay Rf Head Rf Head Point Westall Point Westall Point Avoid Point Avoid Pearson Is Pearson Is North Nuyts North Nuyts Neptune Iss Neptune Iss ssessment Unit ssessment

A NE Thistle NE Thistle Memory Cove Memory Cove Hotspot Hotspot Greenly Is Greenly Is

Spatial Franklin Is Franklin Is Flinders Is Flinders Is Fishery Bay Fishery Bay Elliston Cliffs Elliston Cliffs Drummond Drummond DEntrecasteaux Rf DEntrecasteaux Rf Cp Catastrophe Cp Catastrophe Cp Bauer Cp Bauer Coffin Bay Coffin Bay Baird Bay Baird Bay Avoid Bay Avoid Bay Anxious Bay Anxious Bay 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2006 2007 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 1988 1996 2005 2008 Year Figure 3.4. Bubble plot showing the spatial distribution of the greenlip catch (% of total catch) among the SAUs in the WZ from 1979 to 2017. Coloured boxes are clusters 1 (red), 2 (orange) and 3 (blue) from the MDS in Figure 3.3. Note abbreviations for Cape (Cp), Island (Is), Reef (Rf), North East (NE) and South West (SW).

22 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

Temporal patterns in HIGH importance spatial assessment units Anxious Bay (Rank 1-2; 17.6-8.8%) Anxious Bay is the highest importance greenlip SAU in the WZ. Catch has generally been stable, ranging from 5 to 10 t.yr-1, with the exception of higher catches in 1979 (20 t), 1980 (17 t), 1984 (16 t) and 2010 (14 t; Figure 3.5). In 2017, catch was 6.4 t. CPUE generally increased from 1983 with maxima in 2004 and 2007 (~36 kg.hr-1). However, CPUE generally decreased between 2007 and 2017 (20 kg.hr-1), to the lowest level since 1985 and the fifth lowest value on record. The

PropG1 has exceeded PropG190-09 since 2005 and, in 2016, was the second highest value on record (55% above PropG190-09). However, PropG1 decreased 22% between 2016 and 2017, but remained 21% above PropG190-09.

30 50 1 0.8 0.6 40 0.4

0.2 PropG1 20 30 0 Catch 20 CPUE 10

0 0 )

-2 0.1

-0.1

Density (no. m Density Legal GL Sub-legal GL -0.2 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 Year Figure 3.5. Top - Catch (t, meat weight; green bars) of greenlip from Anxious Bay from 1979 to 2017. CPUE ± se (kg.hr-1) and PropG1 are shown in red and blue, respectively. Dashed upper and lower red lines and blue line show CPUE90-09, CPUE90-00 and PropG190-09, respectively. Bottom - Mean density ± se (abalone.m-2) of all, legal-sized and sublegal sized (see legend) greenlip at Anxious Bay (leaded-lines; mapcode 8A) from 2004 to 2018. FI surveys at Anxious Bay indicated that the percentage of LARGE greenlip varied among years (range: 24-68%), but has generally increased from 2004 (24%) to 2016 and 2018 when it was 68% and 52%, respectively (Figure 3.6). The percentage of SMALL greenlip was relatively low throughout the survey period (range 8-26%; Figure 3.6). The density of legal-sized greenlip halved between 2007 and 2008 and remained low in all subsequent survey years, including 2018, the lowest legal density on record (Figure 3.5). The density of sub-legal sized greenlip decreased consistently between 2004 and 2012, remaining at similarly low levels in all subsequent survey years, including 2018; 2018 was the lowest value on record.

23 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

Figure 3.6. Length-frequency distributions of legal-sized (green bars) and sub-legal-sized (red bars) greenlip at Anxious Bay (mapcode 8A) observed on FI surveys from 2004 to 2018. Length classes represent upper length of each 5 mm bin. n = number of greenlip measured. Bin classes <50 mm SL pooled.

The Gap (Rank 2-1; 10.1-10.7%) With few exceptions, annual catches from The Gap have been relatively stable, ranging between approximately 6 and 10 t.yr-1 (Figure 3.7). Catch in 2017 was 7.7 t. CPUE decreased between 1980 and 1989, to the lowest value on record (16.1 kg.hr-1), whereafter it generally increased to a peak of 31.8 kg.hr-1 in 2005. Between 2005 and 2015 CPUE declined 43% to 18.0 kg.hr-1, which was 27% below CPUE90-09. Subsequently, CPUE has remained stable at this low level. PropG1 has remained stable and, in 2018, was the third highest value on record (Figure 3.7).

30 50 1 The Gap 0.8 0.6 40 0.4 0.2 20 0 30

20 10

0 0 0.2

-0.2

Legal GL Sub-legal GL TS LL -0.4 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 Year

Figure 3.7. Top - Catch (t, meat weight; green bars) of greenlip from The Gap from 1979 to 2017. CPUE ± se (kg.hr-1) and PropG1 are shown in red and blue, respectively. Dashed upper and lower red lines and - blue line show CPUE90-09, CPUE90-00 and PropG190-09, respectively. Bottom - Mean density ± se (abalone.m 2) of all, legal-sized and sub-legal sized (see legend) greenlip at The Gap (mapcode 18F). TS = timed swims from 1989 to 2013, LL = leaded lines from 2009 to 2018. Note TS values for 2016 and 2018 are generated from LL data and therefore lack error bars.

24 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

FI surveys at The Gap indicate that the percentage of LARGE greenlip has been stable among years (range: 33-48%; Figure 3.8). The percentage of SMALL greenlip has ranged from the lowest recorded in 2003 (15%) to relatively high values in 2005 and 2006 (26%) and, in 2018, was 21%. The densities of legal-sized greenlip from timed swims were lowest in the early 1990s, increased to the highest value on record in 2004 and subsequently declined to an intermediate value by 2009 (Figure 3.7). Density then remained stable in 2011 and 2013. Density data from lead lines, available from 2009, also show stable legal-sized density in 2009, 2011 and 2013 followed by small decreases in 2016 and 2018. Conversion of the lead line densities to an equivalent timed swim density suggests that, in 2018, the legal density was the third lowest on record. The density of sub-legal-sized greenlip from timed swims had high but variable values between 1989 and 2007 and subsequently have been relatively low during surveys in 2009, 2011 and 2013. The densities of sub-legal greenlip obtained using leaded lines were stable between surveys in 2009, 2011 and 2013, but have subsequently declined in 2016 and 2018. Conversion of the lead line densities to an equivalent timed swim density suggests that, in 2018, sub-legal greenlip density at The Gap was the lowest on record.

Figure 3.8. Length-frequency distributions of legal-sized (green bars) and sub-legal-sized (red bars) greenlip at The Gap (mapcode 18F) observed on FI surveys from 2001 to 2018. Length classes represent the upper length of each 5 mm bin. n = number of greenlip measured. Bin classes < 50 mm SL pooled.

Avoid Bay (Rank 3-3; 7.7-6.7%) Catch from Avoid Bay has generally ranged from 1 to 9 t.yr-1 with the exception of 1979 (20 t), 1982 (17 t), 2008 (13 t), 2007(12 t) and 2006 (11 t) that had higher catches (Figure 3.9). In 2017, catch was 4.9 t. CPUE has varied among years, but has recently declined from a peak in 2006 (40.3 kg.hr-1) and, in 2017 (20.3 kg.hr-1), CPUE was the lowest value since 1987, the seventh lowest value on record and 32% below CPUE90-09. The PropG1 in the commercial catch increased substantially between 1996 and 2005. Whilst PropG1 has since decreased, it has remained above

PropG190-09 (Figure 3.9).

25 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

30 50 1 Avoid Bay 0.8 0.6 40 0.4 0.2 20 0 30

20 10

0 0 0.1

-0.1 Legal GL Sub-legal GL -0.2 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 Year Figure 3.9. Top - Catch (t, meat weight; green bars) of greenlip from Avoid Bay from 1979 to 2017. CPUE ± se (kg.hr-1) and PropG1 are shown in red and blue, respectively. Dashed upper and lower red lines and blue line show CPUE90-09, CPUE90-00 and PropG190-09, respectively. Bottom - Mean density ± se (abalone.m-2) of all, legal-sized and sub-legal sized (see legend) greenlip at Avoid Bay (leaded-lines; mapcode 14D) from 2008 to 2018.

FI surveys at Avoid Bay began in 2008 and the percentage of LARGE greenlip remained relatively stable from 2008 to 2014 (range 30-39%), whereafter it increased in 2016 (41%) and 2018 (51%; Figure 3.10). The percentage of SMALL greenlip decreased consistently from 38% in 2008 to 12% in 2016 but increased to 26% in 2018. The abundance of legal-sized greenlip almost halved between 2008 and 2010, remained at a similar low level between 2010 and 2014, and then increased to the second highest level in 2016 and remained relatively high in 2018 (Figure 3.9). The density of sublegal-sized greenlip declined from 2008 to 2010, whereafter, with the exception

Figure 3.10. Length-frequency distributions of legal-sized (green bars) and sub-legal-sized (red bars) blacklip at Avoid Bay (mapcode 14D), observed on FI surveys from 2008 to 2018. Length classes represent the upper length of each 5 mm bin. n = number of greenlip measured. Bin classes < 50 mm SL pooled.

26 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

of a lower value in 2016, it remained relatively stable. Sublegal densities in 2016 and 2018 were the lowest and second lowest values on record, respectively.

Temporal patterns in MEDIUM importance spatial assessment units Point Avoid (Rank 4-4; 6.2-6.2%) Catches from Point Avoid were relatively high in the 1980’s and stable at a low value from 1990 to 2009 (~2 t.yr-1). In 2010, catch increased to 6.4 t, whereafter it has remained relatively stable between 4 and 6 t (Figure 3.11). CPUE has fluctuated among years, with a historic high in 2003 (33.6 kg.hr-1). In 2017, CPUE was 20.3 kg.hr-1, the lowest value since 1996, and was 17% below

CPUE90-09 (Figure 3.11). The proportion of Grade 1 greenlip was stable above PropG190-09 from 2013 to 2018.

Drummond (Rank 5-5; 5.6-5.6%) Catch from Drummond was relatively high from 1979 to 1987, low from 1988 to 2007 (~1 t.yr-1), and then increased and remained relatively high from 2009 to 2017 (~ 4.5 t.yr-1; Figure 3.11). CPUE was relatively low between 1979 and 1989 (~20 kg.hr-1), whereafter, for those years where it was estimable, it increased to a maximum of 42 kg.hr-1 in 2002. CPUE has subsequently declined and, in 2017, was the lowest since 2009 at 22 kg.hr-1. The proportion of Grade 1 greenlip in the commercial catch remained above PropG190-09 from 2000 to 2010, declined to 2013 and has subsequently increased. In 2017, PropG1 was equivalent to PropG190-09.

Reef Head (Rank 6-9; 4.8-4.8%) Following relatively high catches from Reef Head throughout the 1980s, including very high catches in 1982 (14 t) and 1983 (19 t), catch was stable at less than 1.5 t.yr-1 between 1990 and 2009 (Figure 3.11). Catch increased eight-fold in 2010 and, since then, has remained high ranging from 2.6 t in 2012 to 5.6 t in 2011. CPUE was relatively low from 1979 to 1998, whereafter for those years where it was estimable, CPUE increased, with a maximum of 34 kg.hr-1 in 2006.

CPUE decreased from 2006 to 2017 and, in 2017, was 17% below CPUE90-09. The proportion of Grade 1 greenlip in the commercial catch was relatively low between 1979 and 1993, whereafter it increased to a historic high in 2007. PropG1 decreased from 2007 and, in 2017, was 35% below

PropG190-09.

27 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

30 50 1 Drummond 0.8 0.6 40 0.4 0.2 20 0 30

20 10

0 0 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 Year

Figure 3.11. Catch (t, meat weight; green bars) of greenlip from Point Avoid, Drummond and Reef Head from 1979 to 2017. CPUE ± se (kg.hr-1; solid red line) and PropG1 are shown in red and blue, respectively. Dashed upper and lower red lines and blue line show CPUE90-09, CPUE90-00 and PropG190-09, respectively.

28 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

Ward Island (Rank 7-24; 4.8-1.3%) The annual catch from Ward Island has oscillated on a 5-6 year scale from approximately 1 t.yr-1 to 6 t.yr-1 (Figure 3.12). In 2017, catch was the lowest on record (1 t). CPUE has fluctuated among years but generally increased from the lowest value on record in 1984 (22.5 kg.hr-1) to a historic peak in 2004 (40.6 kg.hr-1). CPUE decreased consistently from 2004 to 2010, whereafter it has varied substantially among years. In 2017, CPUE was not estimable due to limited data. PropG1 fell consistently between 2006 and 2014, but increased to the highest value on record in 2015 (a 75% increase) whereafter it has remained high. In 2017, PropG1 was the second highest value on record.

Flinders Island (Rank 8-8; 4.7-5.4%) Catch from Flinders Island has been variable, with the highest catches recorded in the early 1980s and 2000s (Figure 3.12). Catch generally declined from the second highest value in 2000 (12.7 t) to 2009 (3.6 t), whereafter it has remained relatively stable at a low level (~3.4 t). CPUE declined in the early 1980s to the lowest value on record in 1988 (17.9 kg.hr-1), whereafter it increased to the highest on record in 2002 (32 kg.hr-1). From 2002, CPUE generally decreased to the second lowest on record in 2015 but increased thereafter and, in 2017, was the 9th lowest value on record

-1 (21.1 kg.hr ). The 2012 PropG1 was equivalent to PropG190-09 and has subsequently increased to the highest value on record in 2017, 51% above PropG190-09.

Taylor Island (Rank 9-11; 4.7-4.0%) With the exception of a period of high catches in the mid to late 1980s and in 2012 (6.8 t), annual catch from Taylor Island has remained relatively stable at about 3.5 t.yr-1 (Figure 3.12). CPUE was relatively low but stable between 1979 and 1999, whereafter it increased to a historic high in 2005 (27 kg.hr-1) and remained relatively high until 2012. In 2013, CPUE decreased by 34% to 15.6 kg.hr-1 and has since remained at a similar level. The proportion of Grade 1 greenlip in the commercial catch has fluctuated around PropG190-09 over the past decade and, in 2017, was 12% above PropG190-09.

29 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

30 50 1 Ward Island 0.8 0.6 40 0.4 0.2 20 0 30

20 10

0 0 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 Year 30 40 1 Flinders Island 0.8 0.6 0.4 30 0.2 20 0

10 10

0 0 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 Year

Figure 3.12. Catch (t, meat weight; green bars) of greenlip from Ward Island, Flinders Island and Taylor Island from 1979 to 2017. CPUE ± se (kg.hr-1; solid red line) and PropG1 are shown in red and blue, respectively. Dashed upper and lower red lines and blue line show CPUE90-09, CPUE90-00 and PropG190-09, respectively.

30 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

Hotspot (Rank 10-6; 3.6-5.6%) The catch at Hotspot varied among years between 1979 and 1995, was generally higher and more stable between 1996 to 2006, whereafter it decreased consistently from 7.8 t in 2006 to the second lowest (0.9 t) in 2011 (Figure 3.13). Catch remained low between 2012 and 2016 (~1.7 t), but increased to 4 t in 2017. CPUE was variable between 1979 and 1995 following which it increased steadily to a peak in 2003 (35.2 kg.hr-1). CPUE then generally declined from 2003 to 2014, whereafter it has increased steadily and, in 2017, CPUE was the fifth highest value on

-1 record (31.5 kg.hr ) and 7% above CPUE90-09. PropG1 increased 268% from the second lowest value on record in 2014 to the highest value on record in 2017. PropG1 was 43% above PropG190-

09 in 2017.

Baird Bay (Rank 11-7; 3.6-5.4%) For the past 39 years, annual catches from Baird Bay have been relatively stable at approximately 3.6 t.yr-1. Exceptions were higher catches in the late 1970s and early 1980s and lower catches in 1981, 2010 and 2011 (Figure 3.13). Catch was 3.9 t in 2017. CPUE was more variable among years in the 1980s, then generally increased from 1994 to 2016. The highest CPUE value on record (31.4 kg.hr-1) was in 2016. CPUE decreased between 2016 and 2017 (28.2 kg.hr-1) but remained 7% above CPUE90-09. The proportion of Grade 1 greenlip in the commercial catch has fluctuated among years but progressively increased from 1989 and, in 2017, was 51% above

PropG190-09.

Point Westall (Rank 12-10; 3.2-4.8%) Annual catches at Point Westall were initially high, but more than halved between 1987 and 1991, whereafter they remained relatively stable at about 2.6 t.yr-1 for 27 years (range 1.0 t in 2010 and 4.2 t in 2014; Figure 3.13). CPUE was variable in the 1980s, followed by a period of relative stability at low levels in the early to mid-1990s. From 1997, CPUE increased to a maximum of 27.9 kg.hr-1 in 2007. Between 2007 and 2008, CPUE declined 15%, whereafter it has oscillated

-1 around CPUE90-09 and, in 2017, CPUE was 11% above CPUE90-09 (25.3 kg.hr ). The proportion of Grade 1 greenlip in the commercial catch has increased steadily from 2014 and, in 2017,

PropG1 was the highest value on record and 74% above PropG190-09.

31 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

30 40 1 Baird Bay 0.8 0.6 0.4 30 0.2 20 0

10 10

0 0 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 Year 30 40 1 Point Westall 0.8 0.6 0.4 30 0.2 20 0

10 10

0 0 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 Year Figure 3.13. Catch (t, meat weight; green bars) of greenlip from Hotspot, Baird Bay and Point Westall from 1979 to 2017. CPUE ± se (kg.hr-1; solid red line) and PropG1 are shown in red and blue, respectively. Dashed upper and lower red lines and blue line show CPUE90-09, CPUE90-00 and PropG190-09, respectively.

32 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

Fishery Bay (Rank 13-15; 2.9-2.7%) With the exception of relatively high catches from Fishery Bay between 1981 and 1983, and low catches in 2001 and 2007, catch ranged between 0.8 t in 2005 and 3.1 t in 2014 (Figure 3.14). CPUE has varied among years with a low of 13.7 kg.hr-1 in 1987 and a high of 45 kg.hr-1 in 2004.

-1 In 2017, CPUE was relatively low (18.1 kg.hr ) and 27% below CPUE90-09. The proportion of

Grade 1 greenlip in the commercial catch was equivalent to PropG190-09.

South Nuyts Archipelago (Rank 14-28; 2.9-0.4%) Catch has been variable from the South Nuyts Archipelago and, with few exceptions, has been below 5 t.yr-1 (Figure 3.14). Catch decreased steadily from a high in 2010 to zero catch in 2015 and 2016 and 0.3 t catch in 2017. The low catches after 2014 reflect the implementation of a sanctuary zone that now prevents fishing in most of this SAU. CPUE has varied among years

-1 and, in 2013, was equivalent to CPUE90-09 (18.7 kg.hr ) but not estimable thereafter due to limited data. The proportion of Grade 1 greenlip in the commercial was similar to PropG190-09 in 2014 and was not estimable from 2015 to 2017.

Cape Catastrophe (Rank 15-14; 2.9-3.1%) The annual catch from Cape Catastrophe has been relatively stable for the past 39 years (~1.8 t; Figure 3.14). CPUE has fluctuated among years but generally increased from the lowest value on record in 1988 (16.3 kg.hr-1) to a peak of 32.2 kg.hr-1 in 2006. CPUE declined from 2006 and, in

-1 2017, was 17.5 kg.hr and 22% below CPUE90-09. PropG1 has been relatively stable for the past

22 years and, in 2017, was 14% above PropG190-09.

33 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

30 60 1 Fishery Bay 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 20 40 0

10 20

0 0 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 Year 30 40 1 South Nuyts Archipelago 0.8 0.6 0.4 30 0.2 20 0

10 10

0 0 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 Year

Figure 3.14. Catch (t, meat weight; green bars) of greenlip from Fishery Bay, South Nuyts Archipelago and Cape Catastrophe from 1979 to 2017. CPUE ± se (kg.hr-1; solid red line) and PropG1 are shown in red and blue, respectively. Dashed upper and lower red lines and blue line show CPUE90-09, CPUE90-00 and PropG190- 09, respectively.

34 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

Temporal patterns in LOW importance spatial assessment units In approximately half the SAUs, CPUE in 2017 could not be estimated for low importance SAUs and in many cases there were a lack of historic records for this metric (Figure 3.15, Figure 3.16). There were a few exceptions where CPUE could be estimated in many years, including 2017. These were the North Nuyts Archipelago and Cape Bauer, which had relatively high CPUE value in 2017, Venus Bay and the Franklin Islands, which had a CPUE similar to CPUE90-09, and Memory Cove, SW Thistle, NE Thistle and Wedge Island, which had relatively low CPUE values.

3.1.2 Risk of overfishing in SAUs and zonal stock status The stock status outcome from application of the harvest strategy is required under the Management Plan (PIRSA 2012). However, the current harvest strategy does not reflect stock performance, is currently being reviewed, and hence stock status was also determined using a weight-of-evidence analysis using the NFSRF (Stewardson et al. 2016, in prep; see Section 4 – Discussion).

Based on the harvest strategy approach, there were three high and twelve medium importance SAUs for greenlip in the WZ in 2017, with all other SAUs being of low importance (Table 3.1). It was possible to determine the risk-of-overfishing category for 13 (87%) of these 15 SAUs. The inability to estimate CPUE in two medium importance SAUs (South Nuyts Archipelago and Ward Island), due to insufficient data, resulted in the greenlip stocks in these SAUs being categorised as uncertain (Table 3.1).

Summed PI scores ranged from -10 (The Gap and Flinders Island) to 13 (Baird Bay) with two high importance SAUs assigned to a red (Anxious Bay and The Gap) and one to a green (Avoid Bay) risk-of-overfishing category (Table 3.1). Of the ten assessable medium importance SAUs, one was assigned to red (Flinders Island), two to yellow (Hotspot and Fishery Bay), two to green (Taylors Island and Cape Catastrophe) and five to pale blue (Point Avoid, Drummond, Reef Head, Baird Bay and Point Westall) risk-of-overfishing categories. Low importance SAUs were not assessed or categorised.

The catch-weighted zonal score was -0.06. This defined a zonal stock status for WZ greenlip of ‘sustainably fished’.

35 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

Figure 3.15. Catch (t, meat weight; green bars) of greenlip from Cape Bauer, Coffin Bay, D’Entrecasteaux Reef, Elliston Cliffs, Franklin Islands, Greenly Island, Memory Cove, NE Thistle and Neptune Islands from 1979 to 2017. CPUE ± se (kg.hr-1; solid red line) and PropG1 are shown in red and blue, respectively. Dashed upper and lower red lines and blue line show CPUE90-09, CPUE90-00 and PropG190-09, respectively. Note catch scales vary among graphs.

36 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

Figure 3.16. Catch (t, meat weight; green bars) of greenlip from North Nuyts Archipelago, Pearson Island, Searcy Bay Sheringa, Sir Joseph Banks, SW Thistle, Venus Bay, Waterloo Bay and Wedge Island from 1979 to 2017. CPUE ± se (kg.hr-1; solid red line) and PropG1 are shown in red and blue, respectively. Dashed upper and lower red lines and blue line show CPUE90-09, CPUE90-00 and PropG190-09, respectively. Note catch scales vary among graphs.

37 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

Table 3.1. Outcome from application of the harvest strategy described in the Management Plan for the South Australian Abalone Fishery against the greenlip fishery in the Western Zone. Grey shading identifies the performance indicators and their respective scores. ND indicates no data. For harvest strategy scoring see Appendix 6.6.

% contribution to mean % contribution to catch Catch-weighted Proportion Pre-recruit Legal Spatial assessment unit total catch (WZ) over the Importance from high & medium CPUE PropG1 Mortality Combined PI score Risk of overfishing contribution to zonal TACC Density Density last 10 years (08-17) SAU in 2017 score

Anxious_Bay 5.5 High 11.97 -4 0 0 -4 -2 4 -6 -2 -0.24 The_Gap 4.7 High 14.45 -8 0 2 -4 -3 3 -10 -2 -0.29 Avoid_Bay 3.6 High 9.09 -2 0 0 -2 0 3 -1 0 0.00 Point_Avoid 2.9 Medium 8.39 -1 8 0 7 2 0.17 Drummond 2.6 Medium 7.57 -1 8 0 7 2 0.15 Reef_Head 2.2 Medium 6.54 0 8 -1 7 2 0.13 Ward_Island 2.2 Medium - 0 -2 2 Uncertain Not assigned Flinders_Island 2.2 Medium 7.33 -7 -7 4 -10 -2 -0.15 Taylors_Island 2.2 Medium 5.41 -2 0 3 1 0 0.00 Hotspot 1.7 Medium 7.54 1 -8 2 -5 -1 -0.08 Baird_Bay 1.7 Medium 7.33 0 6 7 13 2 0.15 Point_Westall 1.5 Medium 6.51 0 2 8 10 2 0.13 Fishery_Bay 1.4 Medium 3.61 -5 0 0 -5 -1 -0.04 South_Nuyts_Archipelago 1.4 Medium - 0 -8 0 Uncertain Not assigned Cape_Catastrophe 1.3 Medium 4.24 -2 3 1 - - - 2 0 0.00 Memory_Cove 1.3Low ------Not assessed Venus_Bay 1.0Low ------Not assessed SW_Thistle 1.0Low ------Not assessed Wedge_Island 0.8Low ------Not assessed North_Nuyts_Archipelago 0.8Low ------Not assessed Searcy_Bay 0.7Low ------Not assessed Neptune_Islands 0.6Low ------Not assessed NE_Thistle 0.6Low ------Not assessed Franklin_Islands 0.5Low ------Not assessed Coffin_Bay 0.5Low ------Not assessed Cape_Bauer 0.4Low ------Not assessed Waterloo_Bay 0.4Low ------Not assessed Sheringa 0.3Low ------Not assessed DEntrecasteaux_Reef 0.3Low ------Not assessed Elliston_Cliffs 0.2Low ------Not assessed Pearson_Island 0.1Low ------Not assessed Unassigned_WZ_RG_A 0.0Low ------Not assessed Sir_Joseph_Banks 0.0Low ------Not assessed Greenly_Island 0.0Low ------Not assessed Sum 46.4 100.0 Zonal Stock Status -0.06

38 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

3.2 Blacklip

3.2.1 Western Zone Total catches were relatively stable from the introduction of Region A quota in 1985 (98 t) to 2009 (Figure 3.17a). Subsequently, catch from the WZ decreased 35% between 2009 (102 t) and 2017 (67 t) following reductions to the Region A TACC in 2010 (92 t), Region B in 2011 (9.2 t) and 2013 (6.9 t), the removal of one WZ licence in 2014, voluntary catch reductions in 2015 (21%), 2016 and 2017 (10.2%), and a reduction to the WZ TACC to 74.58 t in 2016. Catches between 2015 and 2017 were the lowest since 1979 (i.e. over 35 years).

CPUE was generally stable over two periods: 1979 to 1988 (mean 23.6 kg.hr-1) and 1990-2000 (mean 25.7 kg.hr 1; Figure 3.17a), after which it increased rapidly (15%) to a historic high in 2006 (31.2 kg.hr-1). CPUE then declined consistently (29%) between 2006 and 2017 (22.2 kg.hr-1), with the value in 2017 the lowest on record (Figure 3.17b). There was no evidence that the increase in live catch from 2012 onwards influenced the recent zone CPUE values (Appendix 6.8). When both catch and CPUE were considered together, the 2015, 2016 and 2017 values from the combined trend of relative catch and CPUE were the lowest values since 1980 (Figure 3.17c). In recent years, from 2012 – 2017, the distribution of fished depths has been relatively stable (Figure 3.17d); the increase from 2004 to 2012 reflects increased fishing in the Drummond SAU. With few exceptions, CPUE estimates for the Port Lincoln region were lower than Elliston or Streaky Bay (Figure 3.18). All regions had relatively low CPUE in 2017, with Port Lincoln, Elliston and Streaky the second, sixth and ninth lowest on record, respectively.

3.2.2 Spatial assessment units The distribution of catch among SAUs remained similar between 2016 and 2017 (Figure 3.19), but there were decreases in the percentage of catch from the Anxious Bay and Point Avoid SAUs. Amongst others, catch increased in the Sheringa, Baird Bay and Waterloo Bay SAUs. In 2017, SAU importance remained the same as 2016, with the exception of Ward Island that went from high importance in 2016 to medium importance in 2017 and Hotspot that went from medium importance in 2016 to low importance in 2017. The continuing decline in zonal CPUE was evident in nearly all high and medium importance SAUs and in the newly proposed Drummond North and Drummond South SAUs (Figures 3.20 - 3.25). For most SAUs, the CPUE decreased between 2016 and 2017 and the 2017 values were at, or among, the lowest on record.

39 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

d) s at depth at s r tion h tion r opo r P

Figure 3.17. (a) Catch (t, meat weight; black bars) and CPUE ± se (kg.hr-1; solid red line) of blacklip from the Western Zone from 1968 to 2017. Dashed upper and lower red lines show CPUE90-09 and CPUE90-00, respectively. Red arrows indicate implementation (1985) and amendment (1996 and 2010) of the blacklip TACC in Region A. Blue arrows indicate implementation (1991) and amendment (1993, 1994, 2011 and 2013) of the TACC in Region B. Black arrow indicates amendment to the WZ TACC (2014). (b) Rank order of Western Zone blacklip CPUE (kg.hr-1) from 1979 to 2017. Open square symbol is 2017 data point (c) Combined trend of relative catch and relative CPUE from the Western Zone from 1979 to 2017. (d) Proportion of hours fished in the Western Zone at three depth ranges (see legend) using fishing records where blacklip constituted 75% or more of the catch.

40 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

Figure 3.18. Comparison between CPUE ± se (kg.hr-1) of blacklip at SAUs located near Port Lincoln, Elliston and Streaky Bay (see legend) from the Western Zone from 1979 to 2017.

Greenly Island Greenly Island Sir Joseph Banks Sir Joseph Banks Pearson Island Pearson Island Unass WZ Unass WZ Elliston Cliffs Elliston Cliffs Sheringa Sheringa Waterloo Bay Waterloo Bay DEntrecasteaux Rf DEntrecasteaux Rf Cp Bauer Cp Bauer Neptune Islands Neptune Islands Coffin Bay Coffin Bay Franklin Islands Franklin Islands NE Thistle NE Thistle Searcy Bay Searcy Bay North Nuyts North Nuyts Wedge Island Wedge Island SW Thistle SW Thistle Venus Bay Venus Bay Cp Catastrophe Cp Catastrophe Fishery Bay Fishery Bay Memory Cove Memory Cove Point Westall Point Westall South Nuyts South Nuyts Baird Bay Baird Bay Hotspot Hotspot Rf Head Rf Head Taylors Island Taylors Island Drummond Drummond Ward Island Ward Island Flinders Island Flinders Island Point Avoid Point Avoid Avoid Bay Avoid Bay The Gap The Gap Anxious Bay Anxious Bay

Year

Figure 3.19. Bubble plot showing the spatial distribution of blacklip catch (% of total catch) among the SAUs in the WZ from 1979 to 2017. Note abbreviations for Cape (Cp), Island (Isl), Reef (Rf), North East (NE), South West (SW) and Unassigned (Unass).

41 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

3.2.3 Risk of overfishing in SAUs and zonal stock status The stock status outcome from application of the harvest strategy is required under the Management Plan (PIRSA 2012). However, the current harvest strategy does not reflect stock performance, is currently being reviewed, and hence stock status was also determined using a weight-of-evidence analysis using the NFSRF (Stewardson et al. 2016; see Section 4 – Discussion).

Based on the harvest strategy approach, application of the harvest strategy to determine stock status for blacklip in the WZ in 2017 was based on 10 SAUs (Table 3.2). There were seven high (Drummond, Sheringa, Reef Head, Point Westall, Avoid Bay, Anxious Bay, Searcy Bay) and three (Ward Island, Point Avoid, Venus Bay) medium-importance SAUs (Table 3.2; Figure 3.20Figure 3.23) for blacklip. Remaining SAUs were of low importance (Table 3.2; Figures Figure 3.24 – Figure 3.25). The risk-of-overfishing category could be determined for all of the 10 (100%) high and medium importance SAUs (Table 3.2).

Use of the two alternate TACC values for scoring the “proportion of TACC” PI yielded different results for Sheringa, Reef Head, Point Westall, Avoid Bay, Searcy Bay and Point Avoid. In all of these cases, the “proportion of TACC” PI score was lower when the legislated TACC was used. These differences changed the “risk of overfishing” category for Avoid Bay and Point Avoid resulting in catch-weighted, zonal stock status of -1.21 using the legislated (Table 3.1) and -1.04 using the voluntary (Table 3.2) TACCs. In both cases, these values defined a zonal stock status for WZ blacklip of ‘over fished’.

42 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

Table 3.2. Outcome from application of the harvest strategy described in the Management Plan for the South Australian Abalone Fishery against the blacklip fishery in the Western Zone. Scoring of the “proportion of TACC” PI was against the legislated TACC. Grey shading identifies the performance indicators and their respective scores. ND indicates no data. For harvest strategy scoring see Appendix 6.6.

% contribution to mean % contribution to Catch-weighted Proportion Pre-recruit Legal Spatial assessment unit total catch (WZ) over the Importance catch from high & CPUE PropLge Mortality Combined PI score Risk of overfishing contribution to zonal TACC Density Density last 10 years (08-17) medium SAU in 2017 score

Drummond 21.3 High 32.20 -8 8 -1 -4 -2 2 -5 -1 -0.32 Sheringa 12.6 High 15.76 -8 0 -1 -2 -3 0 -14 -2 -0.32 Reef Head 8.0 High 12.26 -8 5 -1 ND ND ND -4 -1 -0.12 Point Westall 7.6 High 10.57 1 0 -1 0 -2 2 0 0 0.00 Avoid Bay 6.6 High 7.10 -8 2 -1 0 0 0 -7 -2 -0.14 Anxious Bay 6.2 High 6.88 0 0 -1 ND ND ND -1 0 0.00 Searcy Bay 6.0 High 5.47 -8 -3 -1 ND ND ND -12 -2 -0.11 Ward Island 4.6 Medium 2.20 -8 -8 -1 -17 -2 -0.04 Point Avoid 4.6 Medium 4.90 -7 0 -1 -8 -2 -0.10 Venus Bay 4.5 Medium 2.66 -2 -8 -1 -11 -2 -0.05 Hotspot 2.3 Low ------Not assigned Flinders Island 1.9 Low ------Not assigned Fishery Bay 1.9 Low ------Not assessed Elliston Cliffs 1.6 Low ------Not assessed Cape Bauer 1.6 Low ------Not assessed Baird Bay 1.4 Low ------Not assessed North Nuyts Archipelago 1.3 Low ------Not assessed Coffin Bay 1.1 Low ------Not assessed Cape Catastrophe 1.0 Low ------Not assessed DEntrecasteaux Reef 0.9 Low ------Not assessed The Gap 0.8 Low ------Not assessed South Nuyts Archipelago 0.6 Low ------Not assessed Waterloo Bay 0.4 Low ------Not assessed Franklin Islands 0.3 Low ------Not assessed SW Thistle 0.2 Low ------Not assessed Memory Cove 0.2 Low ------Not assessed Taylors Island 0.1 Low ------Not assessed Neptune Islands 0.1 Low ------Not assessed NE Thistle 0.1 Low ------Not assessed Pearson Island 0.1 Low ------Not assessed Greenly Island 0.1 Low ------Not assessed Wedge Island 0.0 Low ------Not assessed Unassigned WZ 0.0 Low ------Not assessed Sir Joseph Banks 0.0 Low ------Not assessed Sum 100.0 100.0 Zonal Stock Status -1.21

43 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

Table 3.3. Outcome from application of the harvest strategy described in the Management Plan for the South Australian Abalone Fishery against the blacklip fishery in the Western Zone for 2016. Scoring of the “proportion of TACC” PI was against the voluntary catch limit (i.e. 21% below the TACC). Grey shading identifies the performance indicators and their respective scores. ND indicates no data. For harvest strategy scoring see Appendix 6.6.

Drummond 21.3 High 32.20 -8 8 -1 -4 -2 2 -5 -1 -0.32 Sheringa 12.6 High 15.76 -8 1 -1 -2 -3 0 -13 -2 -0.32 Reef Head 8.0 High 12.26 -8 6 -1 ND ND ND -3 -1 -0.12 Point Westall 7.6 High 10.57 1 2 -1 0 -2 2 2 0 0.00 Avoid Bay 6.6 High 7.10 -8 4 -1 0 0 0 -5 -1 -0.07 Anxious Bay 6.2 High 6.88 0 0 -1 ND ND ND -1 0 0.00 Searcy Bay 6.0 High 5.47 -8 -2 -1 ND ND ND -11 -2 -0.11 Ward Island 4.6 Medium 2.20 -8 -8 -1 -17 -2 -0.04 Point Avoid 4.6 Medium 4.90 -7 7 -1 -1 0 0.00 Venus Bay 4.5 Medium 2.66 -2 -8 -1 -11 -2 -0.05 Hotspot 2.3 Low ------Not assigned Flinders Island 1.9 Low ------Not assigned Fishery Bay 1.9 Low ------Not assessed Elliston Cliffs 1.6 Low ------Not assessed Cape Bauer 1.6 Low ------Not assessed Baird Bay 1.4 Low ------Not assessed North Nuyts Archipelago 1.3 Low ------Not assessed Coffin Bay 1.1 Low ------Not assessed Cape Catastrophe 1.0 Low ------Not assessed DEntrecasteaux Reef 0.9 Low ------Not assessed The Gap 0.8 Low ------Not assessed South Nuyts Archipelago 0.6 Low ------Not assessed Waterloo Bay 0.4 Low ------Not assessed Franklin Islands 0.3 Low ------Not assessed SW Thistle 0.2 Low ------Not assessed Memory Cove 0.2 Low ------Not assessed Taylors Island 0.1 Low ------Not assessed Neptune Islands 0.1 Low ------Not assessed NE Thistle 0.1 Low ------Not assessed Pearson Island 0.1 Low ------Not assessed Greenly Island 0.1 Low ------Not assessed Wedge Island 0.0 Low ------Not assessed Unassigned WZ 0.0 Low ------Not assessed Sir Joseph Banks 0.0 Low ------Not assessed Sum 100.0 100.0 Zonal Stock Status -1.04

44 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

Catch CPUE

50 Drummond 12a and 11c

30 40

30 20

10 10

0 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 Year 50 40 Drummond 12b and 12c

40 30

20 20

10 10

0 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 Year Figure 3.20. Catch (t, meat weight; black bars) and CPUE ± se (kg.hr-1; solid red line) of blacklip from high importance SAU Drummond and new SAUs Drummond North (mapcodes 12A-11C) and Drummond South (mapcodes 12B-12C) from 1968 to 2017. Dashed upper and lower red lines show CPUE90-09 and CPUE90- 00, respectively.

45 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

20 Reef Head 30 16

12 20

10 4

0 0 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 Year

Figure 3.21. Catch (t, meat weight; black bars) and CPUE ± se (kg.hr-1; solid red line) of blacklip from high importance SAUs Sheringa, Reef Head and Point Westall from 1968 to 2017. Dashed upper and lower red lines show CPUE90-09 and CPUE90-00, respectively.

46 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

Catch CPUE Catch CPUE

Figure 3.22. Catch (t, meat weight; black bars) and CPUE ± se (kg.hr-1; solid red line) of blacklip from high importance SAUs Avoid Bay, Anxious Bay and Searcy Bay from 1968 to 2017. Dashed upper and lower red lines show CPUE90-09 and CPUE90-00, respectively.

47 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery Catch CPUE

Figure 3.23. Catch (t, meat weight; black bars) and CPUE ± se (kg.hr-1; solid red line) of blacklip from medium importance SAUs Ward Island, Point Avoid and Venus Bay from 1968 to 2017. Dashed upper and lower red lines show CPUE90-09 and CPUE90-00, respectively. Note that for Ward Island the values are almost identical and thus the dashed reference lines overlap.

48 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

Figure 3.24. Catch (t, meat weight; black bars) and CPUE ± se (kg.hr-1; solid red line) of blacklip from low importance SAUs Baird Bay, Cape Bauer, Cape Catastrophe, Coffin Bay, D’Enrecasteaux Reef, Elliston Cliffs, Fishery Bay, Flinders Island, Franklin Islands, Greenly Island, Hotspot, and Memory Cove from 1979 to 2017. Dashed upper and lower red lines show CPUE90-09 and CPUE90-00, respectively. Note catch scales vary among graphs.

49 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

Figure 3.25. Catch (t, meat weight; black bars) and CPUE ± se (kg.hr-1; solid red line) of blacklip from low importance SAUs NE Thistle, Neptune Islands, North Nuyts Archipelago, Pearson Island, Sir Joseph Banks, South Nuyts Archipelago, SW Thistle, Taylor Island, The Gap, Unassigned WZ, Waterloo Bay, and Wedge Island from 1979 to 2017. Dashed upper and lower red lines show CPUE90-09 and CPUE90-00, respectively. Note catch scales vary among graphs.

50 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

4 DISCUSSION 4.1 Current status of greenlip and blacklip in the WZ

The harvest strategy for the South Australian Abalone Fishery (PIRSA 2012) is currently under review following concerns that outcomes from its application do not reflect stock status (e.g. Mayfield et al. 2014, 2015; Stobart et al. 2014). The application of the harvest strategy is, however, required under the Management Plan (PIRSA 2012). For 2017, the outcome was ‘sustainably- fished’ for greenlip and ‘over-fished’ for blacklip. However, as outcomes from the harvest strategy have been inconsistent with recent stock assessments (Mayfield et al. 2014, 2015; Stobart et al. 2014), stock status was determined using a weight-of-evidence analysis under the NFSRF (Stewardson et al. 2016). This is considered a more robust approach to determining stock status and is the approach used for reporting on the performance of abalone stocks elsewhere in South Australia (e.g. Burnell et al. 2017; Ferguson et al. 2018). As in 2017, there were four key limitations to this assessment (see Stobart et al. 2017 for details). First, there is neither an agreed trigger reference point for distinguishing between stock status of ‘sustainable’ and ‘depleting’ nor an agreed limit reference point for distinguishing between stock status of ‘depleting’ and ‘depleted’ (Table 1.1). Second, CPUE is used as a key index of legal- sized abalone abundance, based on the assumption that it relates to changes in the relative abundance of the fishable stock (Tarbath et al. 2005), but we note catch rate can be influenced by numerous factors unrelated to abalone abundance (Stobart et al. 2017) with this measure often viewed as a biased index of relative abundance (Harrison 1983, Breen 1992, Prince and Shepherd 1992, Gorfine et al. 2002, Stobart et al. 2017). Third, there have been substantial changes in the distribution of catch among SAUs since 2011 that are difficult to interpret. There are likely numerous explanations for these patterns (Stobart et al. 2017). Fourth, the FIS are (1) with the exception of greenlip at The Gap, available for a relatively short time period; (2) do not include all of the blacklip high-importance SAUs; and (3) cover spatially discreet areas that are assumed to be representative of the broader SAU (Stobart et al. 2017).

4.1.1 Greenlip Greenlip comprised 49% (73 t) of the combined abalone TACC (i.e. greenlip and blacklip), but 52% of the landed catch, in the WZ for 2017. This difference reflects the agreed voluntary under catch of the blacklip TACC. Total annual catch was relatively stable from 1989 to 2009, but since then the WZ greenlip catch has decreased through reductions to the TACCs (see Table 1.2), the

51 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery removal of one licence during the implementation of marine park sanctuary zones and a 5% voluntary under-catch in 2015 and 2016. Overall, these represent a 12% decrease in the WZ greenlip catch between 2009 and 2017.

This stock was classified as ‘transitional depleting’ under the NFSRF in 2014, when stocks were at their weakest position in 25 years (Stobart et al. 2015b), but was subsequently classified as ‘sustainable’ in 2015 and 2016, as there was considerable evidence of an improvement in the stocks between 2014 and 2015, and a reduction to the risk that overfishing was occurring (Stobart and Mayfield 2016a). Evidence supporting this assessment included unprecedented increases in catch rate and the proportion of Grade 1 greenlip between 2014 and 2015. The causes of these changes were complex and, amongst others, were likely associated with changes to (1) the spatial distribution of the catch; and (2) the timing of peak harvest from summer to autumn, the latter being a time when greenlip weigh more, bleed less and meat recovery rates – from the whole weight – are maximised (Stobart et al. 2013, 2016; Stobart and Mayfield 2016a).

The apparent short-term improvement of the stocks in 2015 has not been maintained. CPUE decreased between 2015 and 2016 and again between 2016 and 2017, with the decrease evident irrespective of the CPUE estimation method used (see Appendix 6.3). In 2017, CPUE was relatively low, 6% below the average for the period 1990-2000 (prior to the time of higher CPUE values through the early 2000s), and similar to the historically low mean through the 1980s. Catch rates on abalone are prone to hyperstability (Shepherd and Rodda 2001; Dowling et al. 2004; Stobart et al. 2012) and likely to be affected by changes in effective fishing effort (e.g. differences in skipper skill or technological differences; McCluskey and Lewison 2008). Neither hyperstability nor changes in effective effort have been quantified or accounted for in this assessment. Consequently, while the estimate of CPUE in 2017 is similar to that in the 1980s, the harvestable biomass of legal-sized greenlip in 2017 is likely to be below that in the 1980s.

The recent decline in CPUE was widespread across fishing grounds. In 2017, CPUE values were amongst the lowest on record at the three most important SAUs – Anxious Bay, The Gap and Avoid Bay – from which 26% of the greenlip catch was obtained in 2017. Remaining SAUs, with the exceptions of Hotspot, Baird Bay and Point Westall, generally also had relatively low CPUE values in 2017. These recent declines in CPUE occurred despite a 5% reduction in catch in 2015 and 2016, and the recent change from fishing primarily in summer, when abalone of a given shell length weigh least, to autumn when abalone of equivalent shell length weigh more (Stobart et al. 2013). Fishery-independent surveys at Anxious Bay and The Gap also indicated that the density of legal-sized greenlip at these two locations was relatively low in 2018, while at Avoid Bay where

52 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery the time series is shorter, it was relatively high. Similarly, sub-legal-sized greenlip density was the lowest on record at The Gap and relatively low at Anxious Bay and Avoid Bay. While the proportion of Grade 1 greenlip remains high in most SAUs, there is also evidence that this has decreased recently in the Anxious Bay, Avoid Bay, Drummond and Reef Head SAUs, despite the higher value and targeting of large greenlip.

The spatial distribution of the catch changed from 2010 when there was a substantial reduction in the greenlip catch from SAUs offshore from Elliston (Flinders Island, Ward Island and Hotspot) and an increased catch from SAUs nearer to Elliston (Anxious Bay) and Port Lincoln (e.g. Drummond, Reef Head and Point Avoid). The effect of this change is reflected in catch rates that, similarly to blacklip, are now relatively low at fishing grounds near Port Lincoln and Elliston, but remain relatively high on fishing grounds near Streaky Bay. Previous reports (e.g. Stobart et al. 2014) identified that the Drummond and Point Avoid SAUs would be unlikely to sustain the increased catches that occurred from 2010 onwards. This prediction has eventuated, with CPUE decreasing in both of these SAUs. Similarly, increased catches from Reef Head over the same period have also resulted in decreased CPUE. While there is evidence that catches, CPUE and PropG1 have recently increased at Hotspot, and additional catches could potentially be sustained from the Streaky Bay region, the extent to which catches could be re-distributed to these SAUs to enable (1) maintenance of the TACC; and (2) offset the reductions in abundance now being observed for the Port Lincoln and Elliston regions, is unknown.

The resumption of the downward trend in CPUE for the WZ was spatially consistent. The decreasing CPUE in most SAUs between 2016 and 2017 and the relatively low overall CPUE in 2017, demonstrates an ongoing reduction in harvestable biomass. Current management arrangements, catch reductions and the shift in timing of harvest from summer to autumn have not arrested the deterioration in stock abundance. Current catch levels are not sustainable and a substantially lower catch than that harvested in 2017 is likely to be required to facilitate stock rebuilding. Consequently, the WZ Greenlip Abalone Fishery is classified as ‘depleting’ under the NFSRF. This means that biomass is declining and that the current level of fishing mortality (i.e. catch) is likely to cause the stock to become recruitment impaired. The change in the classification of these stocks from 2016 (‘sustainable’) reflects the widespread deterioration in stock abundance and harvestable biomass.

4.1.2 Blacklip The WZ blacklip stocks have been classified as transitional depleting for the past four years (2013 – 2016; Stobart et al. 2015a, Stobart and Mayfield 2016b, Stobart et al. 2017). In response, the

53 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

TACC has been reduced by 28% since 2009. Combined with additional voluntary agreements to ‘undercatch’ the TACC, this has resulted in a 35% reduction in catch for the past three years compared to what it was in 2009.

The catch reductions have been ineffective at arresting the decline in harvestable biomass. The WZ blacklip CPUE in 2017 was the lowest in the history of the fishery. The low and/or decreasing CPUE observed for the WZ since 2006 was also evident for the three regions (i.e. Port Lincoln, Elliston and Streaky Bay) and almost every WZ SAU. The exceptions were the Point Westall and

Anxious Bay SAUs that had 2017 CPUE values above and equivalent to CPUE90-09, respectively. There is no evidence the continued decrease in CPUE reflects hyperdepletion from the recent increase in live fishing from zero to about 4% of the catch (i.e. CPUE may have declined faster than abundance due to added time needed to effectively harvest live animals; Appendix 6.8).

Most of the available data suggest that the harvestable biomass has declined to an unprecedented low level. As with greenlip, catch rates are prone to hyperstability (Shepherd and Rodda 2001; Dowling et al. 2004; Stobart et al. 2012) and likely to be affected by changes in effective fishing effort (e.g. differences in skipper skill or technological differences; McCluskey and Lewison 2008); neither have been quantified or accounted for in this assessment. Consequently, the harvestable biomass in 2017 is likely to be lower than indicated by the data.

The prolonged decline and weak position of the fishery demonstrate that the catch reductions and management arrangements from 2009 have not arrested the deterioration in stock abundance. Current catch levels are not sustainable and a substantially lower catch than that harvested in 2017 is likely to be required to prevent stock collapse and facilitate stock rebuilding (Stobart et al. 2017). Following several years of very low catch, there is also no evidence for stock recovery in the Ward Island, Venus Bay and Hotspot SAUs that previously yielded relatively high catches at high CPUE. Overfishing of the blacklip stocks has likely been compounded by an inadequate reduction in catch to offset areas of the fishery that have effectively been closed to blacklip fishing due to 1) the prevalence of Perkinsus; and 2) poor recovery at SAUs following stock reduction (e.g. Ward Island).

Determination of stock status for the entire WZ blacklip fishery in 2017 was challenging. This was because of (1) some contrasts in stock performance across the fishery; and (2) the lack of an agreed limit reference point for distinguishing between stock status of ‘depleting’ and ‘depleted’ (Table 1.1). Two SAUs – Point Westall and Anxious Bay – have stable stock status. In contrast, almost all remaining SAUs and the combined SAUs comprising the Port Lincoln region of the fishery demonstrate substantial and ongoing declines in abundance. The two most important

54 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery blacklip fishing grounds are the Drummond and Sheringa SAUs, with approximately 50% of the catch harvested from these SAUs in 2017. In 2017, the CPUE in these two SAUs was at, or among, the lowest on record. The contrasting stock performance and lack of a limit reference point that has made stock status determination difficult in recent assessments (e.g. Stobart et al. 2017; Burnell et al. 2018), suggest that sub-zonal stock status assignments should be considered in future assessments for this fishery, replacing an overall zone status, to better reflect known biological stock structure (Miller et al. 2009, 2014). However, this creates the alternate challenge of determining appropriate sub-zones if – as would be pragmatic – stock status determination by SAU is to be avoided. One approach to achieving sub-zonal status objectively would be to use catch-weighted SAU scores from the new harvest strategy (PIRSA unpublished), but this also requires a limit reference point to separate the stock status of ‘depleting’ and ‘depleted’. The identification of this limit reference point is an expected outcome from the review of the harvest strategy.

In conclusion, there is compelling evidence that blacklip harvestable biomass is now at the lowest level in the history of the fishery. The prolonged weak position of the fishery and ongoing reductions in biomass, despite the lower catches, clearly demonstrate that current catch levels are not sustainable and that a substantially lower catch is needed to prevent this stock becoming recruitment impaired (i.e. classified as ‘depleted’) and to facilitate any potential stock recovery. The reduction in harvestable biomass and spawning individuals has decreased the reproductive potential of the stock. Although the extent of the effect on future recruitment is difficult to quantify, future recruitment is likely to be below the current low levels. There is growing evidence that the stock is recruitment impaired and that the WZ blacklip fishery should be classified as ‘depleted’: (1) the recent low recruitment levels have been unable to support the historically low catches in 2015, 2016 and 2017; and (2) current management is not adequate to recover the stock. However, in this assessment, it was not possible to unequivocally determine whether the WZ blacklip stocks were recruitment impaired or at a biomass level above this point. This was compounded by the lack of an agreed limit reference point that would determine the boundary between the ‘depleting’ and ‘depleted’ stock status classifications. Consequently, for the fifth consecutive year, the WZ blacklip abalone fishery in 2017 is classified as ‘depleting’ under the NFSRF. This means that biomass is declining and that the current level of fishing mortality (i.e. catch) is likely to cause the stock to become recruitment impaired.

The vulnerability of abalone stocks to overfishing should not be under-estimated. Abalone fisheries have demonstrated a high degree of susceptibility to overfishing and have been in

55 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery decline worldwide since the 1970s (Prince 2005, Cook and Gordon 2010, Cook 2016). More recent declines have occurred in Australia (Mayfield et al. 2012) despite reduced TACCs and catches (Stewardson et al. 2016, Ferguson et al. 2017, Mundy and Jones 2017, Strain et al. 2017), including in South Australia with the Central Zone blacklip TACC in 2018 being set at zero following a prolonged, then rapid, reduction in stock abundance (Burnell et al. 2018). In 2016, stocks were in decline in two thirds of the blacklip fisheries in Australia with six of nine fisheries classified as transitional depleting (Stewardson et al. 2016). Management responses to declining blacklip stocks in Australia have been variable among jurisdictions, as have the levels of stock recovery. The largest reduction in catch occurred in the Western Zone of the Victorian abalone fishery following AVG. The fishery was closed for several years, and then re-opened with a low exploitation rate and elevated minimum legal size (Anon 2015). The increasing biomass and catches demonstrate stock recovery. The second biggest reduction was in NSW where the TACC was reduced from 300 t in 2000 to 75 t in 2010 (75% reduction) and this has resulted in strong recovery (Committee 2015). In Tasmania, the eastern and western zone TACCs were reduced by 66% and 42%, respectively, without clear evidence of stock recovery (Mundy and Jones 2017). A reduction in the greenlip TACC of 40% in Western Australia has not yet halted the decline in CPUE (Dr Lachlan Strain WA Fisheries pers comm, Strain et al. 2017).

Importantly, once depleted, abalone stocks do not recover quickly (Prince and Peters 2010). For example, the Californian red abalone fishery was closed in 1997 (Karpov et al. 2000) and, 20 years later, has yet to show signs of recovery (Cook 2016). Long-term, substantial catch reductions in conjunction with spatial management to protect vulnerable and/or remnant stocks (e.g. those in the Drummond and Sheringa SAUs) are likely required for recovery because 1) recruitment is highly localised (Prince et al. 1987, 1988, Temby et al. 2007, Miller et al. 2009); 2) abalone life-history strategies include slow growth rates, low mobility, and irregular recruitment (Hobday et al. 2001); and 3) interventionist approaches such as restocking have rarely been successful (Hart et al. 2007, Hamasaki and Kitada 2008, Chick 2010, Prince and Peters 2010).

4.2 Future research needs The highest priority research needs for the WZ abalone fishery are to (1) develop a strategy to facilitate re-building of the blacklip stocks; and (2) establish and validate an index of recruitment for use as a leading indicator (e.g. FRDC project 2014/010). The first of these should include consideration of the impact of different catch levels on stock re-building and the appropriateness and applicability of spatial management. For the latter, the development of an index of recruitment for use as a leading indicator of harvestable biomass is essential to be able to predict suitability

56 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery of future catch levels. A juvenile abalone monitoring method has recently been developed by the Institute of Marine and Antarctic Studies in Tasmania (FRDC project 2014/010).

There are additional high priority research needs for the WZ abalone fishery. These are to: (1) investigate the impact and factors leading to the proliferation and spread of Perkinsus; (2) undertake analyses to evaluate the new harvest strategy and continue to support the identification and testing of a process to formally include industry information into the assessment process; and (3) collect data and then develop, validate and, if appropriate, integrate PIs from GPS and depth logger data – potentially including biomass – into the assessment program for the fishery. The first two of these are underway, with the harvest strategy due for finalisation during 2019. An FRDC research proposal has been developed to investigate the impact and factors leading to the proliferation and spread of Perkinsus olensi, a protozoan parasite that has negative effects on three commercially harvested abalone species in Australia. This is a high research priority because disease manifestation ranges from high mortality (e.g. New South Wales; (Liggins and Upston 2010) to chronic clinical infection. Chronically infected animals often exhibit extensive macroscopic lesions rendering the product unsaleable. Avoidance of fishing areas in the WZ abalone fishery with high prevalence of Perkinsus-related lesions is estimated to have displaced ~10% (11t.yr-1) of blacklip catch to alternative fishing grounds, exacerbated quota reductions and likely cost the fishery in excess of $10 million over the past ten years. As the impact of Perkinsus on abalone fisheries has not been quantified, and the factors driving prevalence and disease expression are unknown, there is a need to obtain relevant information on this disease that is fundamental to its effective management.

GPS and depth logger data have the potential to transform abalone stock assessments because the data are collected at finer spatial scales than the current catch and effort data (Mundy 2012; see FRDC project 2011/201) and the use of these data can ease the burden of heavy reliance on fishery-dependent data (principally catch and CPUE) for assessing these stocks. However, for these data to be used, their suitability will need to be validated following several years of data collection. This has occurred in the CZ, where these GPS and depth logger data are now a component of the assessment program (see Burnell et al. 2018).

57 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

5 REFERENCES Anon (2015). Victorian wild harvest abalone fishery management plan. State of Victoria dept. of economic development. https://vfa.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0016/341134/Victor ian-Wild-Harvest-Abalone-FMP_March-2015.pdf Breen, P. A. (1992). "A review of models used for stock assessment in abalone fisheries." Abalone of the world: biology, fisheries and culture. Proceedings of the 1st International Symposium on Abalone.: 253-275. Burnell, O., Mayfield, S. and Bailleul, F. (2018). Centreal zone abalone greenlip (Haliotis laevigata) and blacklip (H. rubra) fishery in 2017. Fishery Assessment Report to PIRSA Fisheries and Aquaculture. South Australian Research and Development Institute (Aquatic Sciences), Adelaide. Carlin, L. and J. Morrison (2017). Economic and social indicators for the South Australian Abalone Fishery 2015/16. Adelaide, Econsearch: 76. Cook, P. A. (2016). "Recent trends in worldwide abalone production." Journal of Shellfish Research 35(3): 581-583. Cook, P. A. and H. R. Gordon (2010). "WORLD ABALONE SUPPLY, MARKETS, AND PRICING." Journal of Shellfish Research 29(3): 569-571. Dent, J., S. Mayfield, B. Stobart and J. Carroll (2016). "Setting quotas using provisional data: a case study from the South Australian abalone fisheries." New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research: 1-18. Dowling, N. A., S. J. Hall and R. McGarvey (2004). "Assessing population sustainability and response to fishing in terms of aggregation structure for greenlip abalone (Haliotis laevigata) fishery management." Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 61(2): 247-259. Fargher, S., Morison, J., Rippin. L. (2015). Economic indicators for the South Australian abalone fishery, 2013/14. J. Morrison. Adelaide, Econsearch: 73p. Ferguson, G., S. Mayfield, A. Hogg and J. Carroll (2017). Assessment of the Southern Zone Abalone (Haliotis rubra and H. laevigata) Fishery in 2015/16, Fishery Assessment Report to PIRSA Fisheries and Aquaculture. South Australian Research and Development Institute (Aquatic Sciences), Adelaide. SARDI Publication No. F2007/000552-6. SARDI Research Report Series No. 956. : 62pp. Fleming, A. (1997). Report on the Possible Genetic Effect on Wild Abalone of Translocating Brood Stock to Abalone Hatcheries., Report to the Fisheries Branch, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources: 23. Flood, M., I. Stobutzki, J. Andrews, C. Ashby, G. Begg, W. Fletcher, C. Gardner, L. Georgeson, K. Hartmant, P. Hone, P. Horvat, L. Maloney, B. McDonald, A. Moore, A. Roelofs, K. Sainsbury, T. Saunders, T. Smith, C. Stewardson, J. Stewart and B. Wise (2014). Status of key Australian fish stocks reports 2014. Canberra, Fisheries Research and Development Corporation. Giri, K. and K. Hall (2015). South Australian recreational fishing sruvey, Fisheries Victoria internal report series. No. 62: 65p. Goggin, C. L. and R. J. G. Lester (1995). Perkinsus, a protistan parasite of abalone in Australia: a review. Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research: 46, 639-646. Gorfine, H. K., B. T. Taylor and D. C. Smith (2002). Abalone- 2001, Fisheries Victoria Assessment Report No. 43 (MAFRI, Queenscliff).

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Harrison, A. J. (1983). "The Tasmanian abalone fishery." Tasmanian Fisheries Research 26: 1- 42. Kell, L. (2012). "R tools for tuna management advice." from https://cran.r- project.org/web/packages/kobe/vignettes/kobe.pdf. Liggins, G. W. and J. Upston (2010). Investigating and managing the Perkinsus-related mortality of blacklip abalone in NSW. Final report to the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation, Project Number 2004/084, Industry and Investment NSW. Fisheries Final Report Series No. 120.: 182. Magnusson, A., S. Fargher and J. Morison (2016). Economic and social indicators for the South Australian abalone fishery 2014/15. Adelaide, Econsearch: 93. Mayfield, S., G. Ferguson, J. Carroll and A. Hogg (2014). Southern Zone Blacklip Abalone (Haliotis rubra) Fishery in 2013. Report to PIRSA Fisheries and Aquaculuture. South Australian Research and Development Institute (Aquatic Sciences), Adelaide. SARDI Publication No F20014/000361-1. SARDI Research Report Series No. 791. 21pp. . Mayfield, S., G. Ferguson, A. Hogg and J. Carroll (2015). Southern Zone Abalone (Haliotis rubra and H. laevigata) Fishery. Fishery Assessment Report for PIRSA Fisheries and Aquaculture. South Australian Research and Development Institute (Aquatic Sciences), Adelaide. SARDI Publication No. F2007/000552-5. SARDI Research Report Series No. 850. 57pp. Mayfield, S., R. McGarvey, I. J. Carlson and C. Dixon (2008). "Integrating commercial and research surveys to estimate the harvestable biomass, and establish a quota, for an "unexploited" abalone population." ICES Journal of Marine Science 65(7): 1122-1130. Mayfield, S., C. Mundy, H. Gorfine, A. M. Hart and D. Worthington (2012). "Fifty Years of Sustained Production from the Australian Abalone Fisheries." Reviews in Fisheries Science 20(4): 220-250. McCluskey, S., M. and R. I. Lewison (2008). Quantifying fishing effort: a synthesis of current methods and their applications. Fish and Fisheries 9: 188-200. Miller, K. J., B. T. Maynard and C. N. Mundy (2009). "Genetic diversity and gene flow in collapsed and healthy abalone fisheries." Molecular Ecology 18(2): 200-211. Miller, K. J., C. N. Mundy and S. Mayfield (2014). "Molecular genetics to inform spatial management in benthic invertebrate fisheries: a case study using the Australian Greenlip Abalone." Molecular Ecology 23(20): 4958-4975. Mundy, C. and H. Jones (2017). Tasmanian abalone fishery assessment 2016. Hobart, Tasmania, IMAS, UTAS: 149. Nobes, M., D. Casement and S. Mayfield (2004). Management Plan for the South Australian Abalone Fishery. South Australian Fisheries Management Series No. 42. Adelaide, Primary Industries and Resources South Australia: 47. Paterson, S., L. Rippin and J. Morison (2013). Economic Indicators for the South Australian Abalone Fishery 2011/12. Adelaide, Econsearch: 68. PIRSA (2012). Management Plan for the South Australian commercial Abalone Fishery. Adelaide, Primary industries and Regions South Australia Fisheries and Aquaculture: 85pp. PIRSA (2015). South Australian Fisheries Harvest Strategy Policy, Primary Industries and Regions SA: 17pp. Prince, J. (2005). "Combating the tyranny of scale for Haliotids: micro-management for microstocks." Bulletin of Marine Science 76(2): 557-577.

59 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

Prince, J. D. and S. A. Shepherd (1992). Australian abalone fisheries and their management. Abalone of the World: Biology, Fisheries and Culture. S. A. Shepherd, M. J. Tegner and S. A. Guzmán Del Próo: 407-427. Rippin, L., Paterson, S., Morison, J. (2014). Economic indicators of the Suth Australian Abalone Fishery 2012/13. J. Morison. Adelaide, Econsearch: 71. Shepherd, S. A. (1985). Power and efficiency of a research diver, with a description of a rapid underwater measuring gauge: Their use in measuring recruitment and density of an abalone population. Diving for Science. C. T. Mitchell. La Jolla, CA, American Academy of Underwater Science: 263-272. Shepherd, S. A. and L. D. Brown (1993). "What is an abalone stock- implications for the role of refugia in conservation." Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 50(9): 2001- 2009. Shepherd, S. A. and K. R. Rodda (2001). "Sustainability demands vigilance: evidence for serial decline of the greenlip abalone fishery and a review of management." Journal of Shellfish Research 20(2): 829-841. Stewardson, C., J. Andrews, C. Ashby, M. Haddon, K. Hartmann, P. Hone, P. Horvat, S. Mayfield, A. Roelofs, K. Sainsbury, T. Saunders, J. Stewart, I. Stobutzki and B. Wise (2016). Status of Australian Fish Stocks Reports 2016. Canberra, Fisheries Research and Development Corporation. Stobart, B. and S. Mayfield (2016a). Assesssment of the Western Zone Greenlip Abalone (Haliotis laevigata) Fishery in 2015. Fisheries Stock Assessment report to PIRSA Fisheries and Aquaculture. South Australian Research and Development Institute (Aquatic Sciences), Adelaide. SARDI Publication No. F2014/000373-2. SARDI Report Series No. 920. 67pp. Stobart, B. and S. Mayfield (2016b). Status of the Western Zone Blacklip Abalone (Haliotis rubra) Fishery in 2015. Report to PIRSA Fisheries and Aquaculture. South Australian Research and Development Institute (Aquatic Sciences), Adelaide. SARDI Publication No. F2014/000361-2. SARDI Research Report Series No. 918. 23pp. Stobart, B., S. Mayfield and J. Dent (2015a). Assessment of the Western Zone blacklip abalone (Haliotis rubra) fishery in 2014. Fishery stock assessment report to PIRSA Fisheries and Aquaculture. South Australian Research and Development Institute (Aquatic Sciences). Adelaide. SARDI publication F2015/000407-1. SARDI Research Report Series No. 864. 68pp., SARDI. Stobart, B., S. Mayfield and J. Dent (2015b). Status of the Western Zone greenlip abalone (Haliotis laevigata) fishery in 2014. Report to PIRSA Fisheries and Aquaculture. South Australian Research and Development Institute (Aquatic Sciences). Adelaide. SARDI publication F2014/000361-2. SARDI Research Report Series No. 865. 14pp.

Stobart, B., S. Mayfield, J. Dent and D. J. Matthews (2014). "Western Zone Greenlip Abalone (Haliotis laevigata) Fishery. Fishery Stock Assessment Report to PIRSA Fisheries and Aquaculuture. South Australian Research and Development Institute (Aquatic Sciences), Adelaide. SARDI Publication No F2014/000373-1. SARDI Research Report Series No. 796. 67pp. ." Stobart, B., S. Mayfield, J. Dent, D. J. Matthews and R. C. Chick (2012). Western Zone Abalone (Haliotis rubra and H. laevigata) Fishery (Region A), Fishery Stock Assessment Report to PIRSA Fisheries and Aquaculture. South Australian Research and Development Institute (Aquatic Sciences). Adelaide. SARDI Publication No. F2007/000561-4. SARDI Research Report Series No. 660. 118pp.

60 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

Stobart, B., S. Mayfield and K. Heldt (2017). Western Zone blacklip (Haliotis rubra) and greenlip (H. laevigata) abalone fisheries in 2016. Adelaide, South Australian Research and Development Institute. F2017/000331-1: 91. Stobart, B., S. Mayfield and R. McGarvey (2013). "Maximum yield or minimum risk: Using biological data to optimize harvest strategies in a southern Australian molluscan fishery." Journal of Shellfish Research 32(3): 899-909. Strain, L., F. Fabris and S. Walters (2017). South coast greenlip/brownlip abalone resource status report 2016. Status reports of the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources of Western Australia 2015/16. Department of Fisheries Western Australia. W. J. Fletcher, M. D. Mumme and F. J. Webster: 186-191. Tarbath, D., C. Mundy and M. Haddon (2005). Tasmanian Abalone Fishery 2004. Fishery Assessment Report, Tasmanian Aquaculture and Fisheries Institute: 131. Tarbath, D. B. and C. Gardner (2011). Tasmanian Abalone fishery 2010. Temby, N., K. Miller and C. Mundy (2007). "Evidence of genetic subdivision among populations of blacklip abalone (Haliotis rubra Leach) in Tasmania." Marine and Freshwater Research 58(8): 733-742. Zacharin, W. (1997). Management plan for the South Australian Abalone Fishery. P. F. Internal document: 33.

61 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

6 APPENDIX 6.1 Greenlip biology

Table 6.1. Size at L50 (mm, shell length) for greenlip at different sites in the Western Zone. Parameters (a and b) describe the proportion of mature greenlip. The equation is of the form (f(x) = a/(1+exp(-((x- L50)/b)). N = total number sampled, n = number of abalone sampled within period of maturity transition.

Site Year Month a b L50 N n Reference

Anxious Bay 2005 11 0.983 7.312 76.6 119 32 SARDI unpublished Hotspot 2006 11 1.005 3.637 111.6 109 36 SARDI unpublished Hotspot 2010 8 1.011 6.812 120.8 144 52 SARDI unpublished The Gap 2003 9 1.018 4.441 94.0 96 54 SARDI unpublished The Gap 2004 9 0.984 1.952 93.8 124 62 SARDI unpublished The Gap 2010 9 1.010 4.170 100.6 160 18 SARDI unpublished Waterloo Bay 1974 - - - 102.0 - 34 (Shepherd & Laws 1974) Ward Island 2006 11 1.033 11.548 127.7 90 62 SARDI unpublished

Table 6.2. Relationships between shell length (SL, mm) and fecundity (F, millions of eggs) for legal sized (145 mm) greenlip at different sites in the Western Zone. The equation is of the form F = aSLb.

Site Year a b r n SL F Reference

Anxious Bay 1987 2.94E-02 3.70 0.74 15 145 2.9E+06 (Shepherd et al. 1992b) Flinders Bay 2010 2.50E-03 4.07 0.46 10 145 1.6E+06 SARDI unpublished Hotspot 2010 3.90E-08 6.33 0.85 17 145 1.9E+06 SARDI unpublished Maclaren Point 1987 1.93E-06 5.61 0.97 14 145 2.6E+06 (Shepherd et al. 1992b) Sceale Bay 1987 6.19E-10 7.24 0.90 17 145 2.8E+06 (Shepherd et al. 1992b) Taylor Island 1987 7.55E-06 5.33 0.94 15 145 2.5E+06 (Shepherd et al. 1992b) The Gap 2011 8.20E-03 4.18 0.75 26 145 8.9E+06 SARDI unpublished Waterloo Bay 1987 6.40E-03 3.85 0.76 15 145 1.3E+06 (Shepherd et al. 1992b) Yanerbie 1987 1.11E-02 3.87 0.87 14 145 2.6E+06 (Shepherd et al. 1992b)

Table 6.3. Relationships between fecundity (F, millions of eggs) and whole weight (W, g) for greenlip at different sites in the Western Zone. The equation is of the form F = c + dW.

Site c d Reference

Sceale Bay -1.13 0.011 (Shepherd & Baker 1998) Thorny Passage -1.57 0.014 (Shepherd & Baker 1998) Waterloo Bay -0.36 0.004 (Shepherd & Baker 1998) Ward Island -1.87 0.008 (Shepherd & Baker 1998)

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Table 6.4. Relationships between shell length (SL, mm) and total weight (TW, g) greenlip abalone at various sites in the Western Zone. TW is calculated total weight for 145 mm legal-sized greenlip. The equation is of the form TW = aSLb.

Site Year a b TW r n Reference Anxious Bay 1987 1.0E-04 3.07 432 0.99 46 (Shepherd et al. 1992b) Anxious Bay 2004 4.0E-04 2.79 422 0.97 52 SARDI unpublished Anxious Bay 2005 2.9E-05 3.30 407 0.99 110 SARDI unpublished Flinders Island 1998 3.0E-04 2.90 551 0.94 69 SARDI unpublished Flinders Island 1999 7.2E-04 2.69 469 0.68 47 SARDI unpublished Flinders Bay 2004 2.4E-05 3.34 404 0.98 53 SARDI unpublished Hotspot 1998 2.8E-05 3.33 439 0.94 80 SARDI unpublished Hotspot 1999 3.5E-05 3.29 441 0.90 35 SARDI unpublished Hotspot 2004 4.0E-04 2.81 479 0.93 53 SARDI unpublished Hotspot 2006 6.1E-05 3.18 453 0.98 109 SARDI unpublished Hotspot 2010 1.8E-05 3.41 404 0.98 144 SARDI unpublished Maclaren Point 1987 5.8E-05 3.12 321 0.99 47 (Shepherd et al. 1992b) Price Island 1997 5.0E-05 3.20 417 0.97 47 SARDI unpublished Price Island 1999 2.0E-04 2.89 361 0.90 43 SARDI unpublished Rowly Bay 1991 1.0E-04 3.04 363 0.93 65 SARDI unpublished Searcy Bay 1999 7.0E-04 2.68 437 0.94 127 SARDI unpublished Taylor Island 1987 4.7E-05 3.16 318 0.99 45 (Shepherd et al. 1992b) The Gap 1998 2.0E-04 2.99 578 0.96 88 SARDI unpublished The Gap 2000 1.5E-03 2.51 390 0.77 43 SARDI unpublished The Gap 2003 4.8E-05 3.22 442 0.98 27 SARDI unpublished The Gap 2004 6.1E-05 3.15 392 0.95 87 SARDI unpublished The Gap 2010 4.7E-05 3.20 394 0.98 160 SARDI unpublished Ward Island 1998 6.7E-05 3.15 425 0.94 75 SARDI unpublished Ward Island 2004 1.0E-04 3.05 396 0.97 72 SARDI unpublished Waterloo Bay 1987 2.0E-04 2.92 409 0.99 57 (Shepherd et al. 1992b) Waterloo Bay 1999 6.0E-04 2.72 445 0.74 152 SARDI unpublished Waterloo Bay 2005 2.8E-05 3.33 428 0.97 150 SARDI unpublished Yanerbie 1987 4.6E-05 3.20 379 0.98 53 (Shepherd et al. 1992b)

Table 6.5. Growth rate (mm yr-1) (± se) of sublegal greenlip at different sites in the Western Zone.

Site Size range (mm) Growth rate (mm.yr-1± S.E.) Reference Anxious Bay 25-95 20.4 ± 1.5 (Shepherd & Breen 1992) Avoid Bay 45-115 19.7 ± 2.4 (Shepherd & Triantafillos 1997) Maclaren Point 20-140 20.3 ± 0.4 (Shepherd et al. 1992a) Sceale Bay 45-110 20.4 ± 1.8 (Shepherd et al. 1992a) Taylor Island 15-145 39.6 ± 0.9 (Shepherd et al. 1992a) Ward Island 60-125 25.7 ± 1.5 (Shepherd et al. 1992a) Yanerbie 15-110 15.3 ± 0.9 (Shepherd et al. 1992a)

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Table 6.6. Growth rate, k (yr.-1) and L∞ (mm SL) for greenlip tagged and recaptured at different sites in the Western Zone. Errors are standard errors. Size ranges are shell length at time of tagging for recaptured abalone (mm). n is the number of recaptures. For ‘year tagged’ * indicates uncertainty over aspects of the data including the year of tagging, time period at liberty may not adhere to criteria used for SARDI data (Geibel et al. 2010) while for ‘size range’*indicates size ranges estimated from published graphs.

2 Tag period r k (± se) L∞ (± se) Size n Reference Site (mm) range Anxious Bay 1988* 0.744 0.385(0.07) 119.5(5.3) 43-102* 26 (Shepherd et al. 1992a) Anxious Bay 1999-2000 0.302 0.343 157.0 110-156 40 SARDI unpublished Flinders Is 2004-2005 0.692 0.365 162.8 64-177 153 SARDI unpublished Hotspot 2002-2003 0.477 0.256 213.5 63-158 120 SARDI unpublished Hotspot 2002-2004 0.659 0.306 181.7 63-131 53 SARDI unpublished Maclaren Pt. 1988* 0.534 0.368(0.10) 178.3(7.7) 31-163* 35 (Shepherd et al. 1992a) Sceale Bay 1988* 0.856 0.186(0.04) 186.3(28.2) 79-148* 9 (Shepherd et al. 1992a) Taylor Island 1988* 0.713 0.552(0.08) 180.4 (10.3) 32-158* 41 (Shepherd et al. 1992a) Taylor Island 1996 0.658 0.271 195.0 68-115 23 SARDI unpublished The Gap 2002-2003 0.658 0.278 152.8 45-159 77 SARDI unpublished The Gap 2002-2004 0.731 0.263 155.0 44-165 108 SARDI unpublished The Gap 2009-2010 0.686 0.344 139.3 42-167 82 SARDI unpublished Ward Island 1988* 0.81 0.413(0.053) 167.2(5.2) 76-167* 36 (Shepherd et al. 1992a) Waterloo Bay 1969* 0.921 0.595(0.036) 147.8(1.8) 52-169 126 (Shepherd & Hearn 1983) Yanerbie 1988* 0.642 0.268(0.076) 140.4(8.6) 62-135* 19 (Shepherd et al. 1992a)

Table 6.7. Natural mortality rates (yr-1) for adult (emergent) greenlip at different sites in the Western Zone.

Site M (yr-1) Reference

Sceale Bay 0.25 (Shepherd & Baker 1998) Thorny Passage 0.25 (Shepherd & Baker 1998) Waterloo Bay 0.40 (Shepherd & Baker 1998) Ward Island 0.13 (Shepherd & Baker 1998)

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6.2 Performance indicators Table 6.8. Summary of the PIs and the formulae and data constraints underpinning their utilisation in the harvest strategy.

Performance indicator Description Formulae Data constraints Total catch, expressed as a Species Catch (t) None Catch percentage of the combined Catch  . TACC TACC All measurements >5 mm SL below the MLL excluded; N Large Minimum sample size (N): 100 measurements Proportion large PropLge , Blacklip >165 mm SL defined as large (blacklip) Proportion of large (or Grade 1) Total N or or abalone in the commercial catch or All records where the total catch was >1% different from Proportion Grade 1  Grade 1 Meats (kg) the sum of the three weight-grade categories were (greenlip) PropG1 . excluded; Meats (kg)  Records with zero catch were excluded. Minimum sample size: 10 records All records where: CPUE (total catch/total effort) was -1 ∗ >66.66 kg.hr ; fishing effort was >8 hr.; fishing effort was Commercial catch-per-unit effort <3 hr.; the reported catch of both species was zero; or the CPUE (kg.hr-1) catch of the species for which CPUE was being estimated was <30% of the total catch were excluded. Minimum sample size: 10 records Density of legal-sized abalone on Legal counted >90% of survey completed Densitylegal surveys DensityLegal  Blacklip ≥130 mm SL defined as legal-sized Total area surveyed Greenlip ≥145 mm SL defined as legal-sized Density of pre-recruit (i.e. those >90% of survey completed Densitypre-recruit Pre-recruit counted that will exceed MLL within ~2 Pre-recruit Blacklip 90 to <130 mm SL defined as pre-recruits Density  yrs.) abalone on surveys T ot al area surve yed Greenlip 105 to <145 mm SL defined as pre-recruits Measure of the difference Minimum sample size: 100 measurements ()LL between the MLL and the mean ZK  , Total mortality length of legal-sized abalone. For (MLL)L  consistency with other PIs, it is expressed as 1/total mortality

65 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

6.3 CPUE estimation methods 40

(a) (b) Western Zone Blacklip CPUEwp0.3

CPUEwp0.9

CPUEwp1.0 CPUEcw 30 CPUE

10 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 Year CPUE

Figure 6.1. Western Zone (a) greenlip and (b) blacklip with top plots showing CPUE calculated with alternative estimation methods (kg.hr-1) from 1979 to 2017. Legend indicates method, including the method currently used for the harvest strategy (CPUE0.3) and the old Burch et al. 2011 method -1 (CPUEcw). Bottom plots indicate rank order of CPUE calculated with the alternative estimation methods (kg.hr ; see legend) from 1979 to 2017. Open square symbols are 2017 data points.

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6.3.1 Greenlip CPUE

Figure 6.2. Greenlip CPUE (kg.hr-1) estimation methods for Anxious Bay, Avoid Bay, Baird Bay, Cape Bauer, Cape Catastrophe and Coffin Bay SAUs. CPUE estimation included CPUE (red line), CPUE0.9 (black line) and CPUE1.0 (blue line).

67 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

Figure 6.3. Greenlip CPUE (kg.hr-1) estimation methods for D’Entrecasteaux Reef, Drummond, Elliston Cliffs, Fishery Bay, Flinders Island and Franklin Islands SAUs. CPUE estimation included CPUE (red line), CPUE0.9 (black line) and CPUE1.0 (blue line).

68 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

Figure 6.4. Greenlip CPUE (kg.hr-1) estimation methods for Hotspot, Memory Cove, NE Thistle, Neptune Islands, North Nuyts Archipelago, and Point Avoid SAUs. CPUE estimation included CPUE (red line), CPUE0.9 (black line) and CPUE1.0 (blue line).

69 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

Figure 6.5. Greenlip CPUE (kg.hr-1) estimation methods for Point Westall, Reef Head, Searcy Bay, Sheringa, South Nuyts Archipelago, and SW Thistle SAUs. CPUE estimation included CPUE (red line), CPUE0.9 (black line) and CPUE1.0 (blue line).

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Figure 6.6. Greenlip CPUE (kg.hr-1) estimation methods for Taylor Island, The Gap, Venus Bay, Ward Island, Waterloo Bay and Wedge Island SAUs. CPUE estimation included CPUE (red line), CPUE0.9 (black line) and CPUE1.0 (blue line).

71 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

6.3.2 Blacklip CPUE

Figure 6.7. Blacklip CPUE (kg.hr-1) estimation methods for Anxious Bay, Avoid Bay, Baird Bay, Cape Bauer, Cape Catastrophe and Coffin Bay SAUs. CPUE estimation included CPUE (red line), CPUE0.9 (black line) and CPUE1.0 (blue line).

72 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

Figure 6.8. Blacklip CPUE (kg.hr-1) estimation methods for D’Entrecasteaux Reef, Drummond, Elliston Cliffs, Fishery Bay, Flinders Island and Franklin Islands SAUs. CPUE estimation included CPUE (red line), CPUE0.9 (black line) and CPUE1.0 (blue line).

73 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

Figure 6.9. Blacklip CPUE (kg.hr-1) estimation methods for Hotspot, Memory Cove, NE Thistle, North Nuyts Archipelago, Point Avoid, and Point Westall SAUs. CPUE estimation included CPUE (red line), CPUE0.9 (black line) and CPUE1.0 (blue line).

74 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

Figure 6.10. Blacklip CPUE (kg.hr-1) estimation methods for Reef Head, Searcy Bay, Sheringa, South Nuyts Archipelago, SW Thistle, and Taylor Island SAUs. CPUE estimation included CPUE (red line), CPUE0.9 (black line) and CPUE1.0 (blue line).

75 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

Figure 6.11. Blacklip CPUE (kg.hr-1) estimation methods for The Gap, Venus Bay, Ward Island, and Waterloo Bay SAUs. CPUE estimation included CPUE (red line), CPUE0.9 (black line) and CPUE1.0 (blue line).

76 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

6.4 Historic medium importance SAU FI surveys

Figure 6.12. Mean ± se density (abalone.m-2) of all, legal-sized and sublegal sized (see legend) greenlip (GL) abalone at Hotspot (timed swims; map-code 9D), Ward Island (timed swims; map-code 9A), Southeast Flinders (timed swims; mapcodes 9G & 9H), Flinders Bay (leaded-lines; map-code 9F) and Point Avoid (timed swims; map-code 15A) fishery independent survey sites.

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6.5 Quality Assurance

6.5.1 Research planning The requirements of PIRSA Fisheries and Aquaculture were discussed in December 2012 and subsequently provided to representatives of the WZ abalone fishery to confirm their understanding of proposed deliverables. This ensures that the research undertaken and deliverables provided are consistent with the needs of PIRSA to meet their obligations under the Fisheries Management Act 2007.

6.5.2 Data collection Commercial fishers are advised on the procedures and requirements for commercial catch sampling and completion of the required fishing logbook on a regular basis, usually at the commencement of each fishing season. The data provided by commercial fishers are checked by SARDI prior to acceptance and potential errors corrected through direct correspondence with individual commercial fishers. SARDI staff are trained to undertake FI data collection using the standardised method described in the SARDI Abalone Research Group Quality Assurance and Fishery-Independent Survey Manual.

6.5.3 Data entry, validation, storage and security All logbook data are entered and validated according to the quality assurance protocols identified for the abalone fisheries in the SARDI Information Systems Quality Assurance and Data Integrity Report. The data are stored in an Oracle database, backed up daily, with access restricted to SARDI Information Systems staff. Copies of the database are provided to SARDI abalone researchers on request. All FI data are entered into Excel spreadsheets. A subset of the data (20%) is checked against the original data sheets in accordance with the Abalone Data Library Management Protocol. Once validated, data are uploaded to an Access database stored on the network drive in Port Lincoln. The database is regularly backed up to an external hard drive and to a web-based data storage system called Objective.

6.5.4 Data and statistical analyses Data are extracted from the databases using established protocols. A subset (10%) of data extractions are checked to ensure extraction accuracy. This occurs in two ways. First, data are compared to those extracted previously. Second, the data extractions are undertaken by two SARDI researchers and subsequently compared. Most of the data are analysed using the open

78 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery source software R. A subset (~10%) of the outputs from R are compared against estimates made in an alternative software package (e.g. Excel).

6.5.5 Data interpretation and report writing The results, their interpretation and conclusions provided in the reports are discussed with peers, PIRSA and abalone licence holders. All co-authors review the report prior to the report being formally reviewed by two independent scientists at SARDI in accordance with the SARDI report review process. Following necessary revision, the report is reviewed by PIRSA to ensure it is consistent with their needs and objectives for the fishery.

79 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

6.6 SAU harvest strategy scoring

6.6.1 Greenlip High importance SAUs Anxious Bay

Figure 6.13. Anxious Bay (high importance). Performance indicators catch (Proportion of legislated TACC), CPUE (kg.hr-1), proportion large (Grade1), legal density (n.m-2), pre-recruit density (n.m-2), mortality (Z-1) and scores from the harvest strategy in brackets. Red and blue lines are upper and lower limit and target reference points, respectively. Green bars describe the data and time over which the reference3 points were calculated, open bars describe the measures of the PI outside the reference period and yellow bars the data and year subject to assessment for each PI, i.e. the score-year.

80 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

The Gap

Figure 6.14. The Gap (high importance). Performance indicators catch (Proportion of legislated TACC), CPUE (kg.hr-1), proportion large (Grade1), legal density (n.m-2), pre-recruit density (n.m-2), mortality (Z-1) and scores from the harvest strategy in brackets. Red and blue lines are upper and lower limit and target reference points, respectively. Green bars describe the data and time over which the reference3 points were calculated, open bars describe the measures of the PI outside the reference period and yellow bars the data and year subject to assessment for each PI, i.e. the score-year.

81 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

Avoid Bay

Figure 6.15. Avoid Bay (high importance). Performance indicators catch (Proportion of legislated TACC), CPUE (kg.hr-1), proportion large (Grade1), legal density (n.m-2), pre-recruit density (n.m-2), mortality (Z-1) and scores from the harvest strategy in brackets. Red and blue lines are upper and lower limit and target reference points, respectively. Green bars describe the data and time over which the reference3 points were calculated, open bars describe the measures of the PI outside the reference period and yellow bars the data and year subject to assessment for each PI, i.e. the score-year.

82 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

6.6.2 Greenlip Medium importance SAUs

Point Avoid Drummond Reef Head

Figure 6.16. Point Avoid, Drummond and Reef Head SAUs (medium importance). Performance indicators catch (Proportion of legislated TACC), CPUE (kg.hr-1), proportion large (Grade 1) and scores from the harvest strategy in brackets. Red and blue lines are upper and lower limit and target reference points, respectively. Green bars describe the data and time over which the reference points were calculated, open bars describe the measures of the PI outside the reference period and orange bars the data and year subject to assessment for each PI, i.e. the score-year.

83 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

Ward Island Flinders Island Taylor Island

Figure 6.17. Ward, Flinders and Taylor Island SAUs (medium importance). Performance indicators catch (Proportion of legislated TACC), CPUE (kg.hr-1), proportion large (Grade 1) and scores from the harvest strategy in brackets. Red and blue lines are upper and lower limit and target reference points, respectively. Green bars describe the data and time over which the reference points were calculated, open bars describe the measures of the PI outside the reference period and orange bars the data and year subject to assessment for each PI, i.e. the score-year.

84 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

Hotspot Baird Bay Point Westall

Fishery Bay South Nuyts Archipelago Cape Catastrophe

Figure 6.18. Hotspot, Baird Bay and Point Westall SAUs (medium importance). Performance indicators catch (Proportion of legislated TACC), CPUE (kg.hr-1), proportion large (Grade 1) and scores from the harvest strategy in brackets. Red and blue lines are upper and lower limit and target reference points, respectively. Green bars describe the data and time over which the reference points were calculated, open bars describe the measures of the PI outside the reference period and orange bars the data and year subject to assessment for each PI, i.e. the score-year.

85 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

Fishery Bay South Nuyts Archipelago Cape Catastrophe

Figure 6.19. Fishery Bay, South Nuyts Archipelago and Cape Catastrophe SAUs (medium importance). Performance indicators catch (Proportion of legislated TACC), CPUE (kg.hr-1), proportion large (Grade 1) and scores from the harvest strategy in brackets. Red and blue lines are upper and lower limit and target reference points, respectively. Green bars describe the data and time over which the reference points were calculated, open bars describe the measures of the PI outside the reference period and orange bars the data and year subject to assessment for each PI, i.e. the score-year.

86 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

6.6.3 Blacklip High importance SAUs Drummond

Figure 6.20. Drummond (high importance). Performance indicators catch (Proportion of legislated TACC), CPUE (kg.hr-1), proportion large, legal density (n.m-2), pre-recruit density (n.m-2), mortality (Z-1) and scores from the harvest strategy in brackets. Red and blue lines are upper and lower limit and target reference points, respectively. Black bars describe the data and time over which the reference points were calculated, open bars describe the measures of the PI outside the reference period and yellow bars the data and year subject to assessment for each PI, i.e. the score-year.

87 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

Sheringa

Figure 6.21. Sheringa (high importance). Performance indicators catch (Proportion of legislated TACC), CPUE (kg.hr-1), proportion large, legal density (n.m-2), pre-recruit density (n.m-2), mortality (Z-1) and scores from the harvest strategy in brackets. Red and blue lines are upper and lower limit and target reference points, respectively. Black bars describe the data and time over which the reference points were calculated, open bars describe the measures of the PI outside the reference period and yellow bars the data and year subject to assessment for each PI, i.e. the score-year.

88 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

Reef Head

Figure 6.22. Reef Head (high importance). Performance indicators catch (Proportion of legislated TACC), CPUE (kg.hr-1), proportion large, legal density (n.m-2), pre-recruit density (n.m-2), mortality (Z-1) and scores from the harvest strategy in brackets. Red and blue lines are upper and lower limit and target reference points, respectively. Black bars describe the data and time over which the reference points were calculated, open bars describe the measures of the PI outside the reference period and yellow bars the data and year subject to assessment for each PI, i.e. the score-year. ND indicates no data.

89 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

Point Westall

Figure 6.23. Point Westall (high importance). Performance indicators catch (Proportion of legislated TACC), CPUE (kg.hr-1), proportion large, legal density (n.m-2), pre-recruit density (n.m-2), mortality (Z-1) and scores from the harvest strategy in brackets. Red and blue lines are upper and lower limit and target reference points, respectively. Black bars describe the data and time over which the reference points were calculated, open bars describe the measures of the PI outside the reference period and yellow bars the data and year subject to assessment for each PI, i.e. the score-year.

90 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

Avoid Bay

Figure 6.24. Avoid Bay (high importance). Performance indicators catch (Proportion of legislated TACC), CPUE (kg.hr-1), proportion large, legal density (n.m-2), pre-recruit density (n.m-2), mortality (Z-1) and scores from the harvest strategy in brackets. Red and blue lines are upper and lower limit and target reference points, respectively. Black bars describe the data and time over which the reference points were calculated, open bars describe the measures of the PI outside the reference period and yellow bars the data and year subject to assessment for each PI, i.e. the score-year.

91 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

Anxious Bay

Figure 6.25. Anxious Bay (high importance). Performance indicators catch (Proportion of legislated TACC), CPUE (kg.hr-1), proportion large, legal density (n.m-2), pre-recruit density (n.m-2), mortality (Z-1) and scores from the harvest strategy in brackets. Red and blue lines are upper and lower limit and target reference points, respectively. Black bars describe the data and time over which the reference points were calculated, open bars describe the measures of the PI outside the reference period and yellow bars the data and year subject to assessment for each PI, i.e. the score-year. ND indicates no data.

92 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

Searcy Bay

Figure 6.26. Searcy Bay (high importance). Performance indicators catch (Proportion of legislated TACC), CPUE (kg.hr-1), proportion large, legal density (n.m-2), pre-recruit density (n.m-2), mortality (Z-1) and scores from the harvest strategy in brackets. Red and blue lines are upper and lower limit and target reference points, respectively. Black bars describe the data and time over which the reference points were calculated, open bars describe the measures of the PI outside the reference period and yellow bars the data and year subject to assessment for each PI, i.e. the score-year. ND indicates no data.

93 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

6.6.4 Blacklip Medium importance SAUs

Point Avoid Ward Island Venus Bay

Figure 6.27. Point Avoid, Ward Island and Venus Bay SAUs (medium importance). Performance indicators catch (Proportion of legislated TACC), CPUE (kg.hr-1), proportion large and scores from the harvest strategy in brackets. Red and blue lines are upper and lower limit and target reference points, respectively. Black bars describe the data and time over which the reference points were calculated, open bars describe the measures of the PI outside the reference period and orange bars the data and year subject to assessment for each PI, i.e. the score-year. 94 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

6.7 Summary tables

Table 6.9. Greenlip catch (tons MW) from the Western Zone and SAUs, ordered by importance. Note empty cells denote no catch.

High Medium Low Season Western Zone Anxious Bay The Gap Bay Avoid Avoid Point Drummond Reef Head Island Ward Flinders Island Taylor Island Hotspot BairdBay Westall Point Bay Fishery South Nuyts Cape Catastrophe Memory Cove Venus Bay SW Thistle Island Wedge North Nuyts Bay Searcy NeptuneIslands Thistle NE Islands Franklin Bay Coffin Cape Bauer Waterloo Bay Sheringa DEntrecasteauxReef Cliffs Elliston Pearson Island UnassignedWZ Joseph Banks Sir Greenly Island 1979 138.1 19.7 8.0 19.5 24.3 5.4 2.9 1.9 5.5 2.2 9.6 7.3 8.2 3.5 1.7 1.1 0.7 0.5 2.2 1.3 0.8 1.2 2.0 2.1 0.2 1.4 0.3 1.9 1.9 0.4 0.2 0.0 0.2 1980 123.6 17.1 7.2 9.2 18.4 5.8 7.3 5.2 10.5 2.6 7.0 3.1 5.6 3.8 0.6 3.2 0.5 0.7 2.1 0.8 1.0 1.6 0.4 0.3 0.2 1.4 0.5 4.4 1.8 1.4 0.0 1981 108.1 9.2 10.2 4.6 7.0 10.4 6.3 6.4 7.5 2.1 9.6 1.3 6.2 7.2 1.5 1.9 1.4 1.5 1.0 0.1 4.7 1.7 1.0 0.1 1.2 0.0 0.8 2.1 0.9 0.0 0.1 1982 158.4 10.5 13.3 16.8 22.1 10.4 13.7 4.6 6.9 4.1 4.6 8.1 6.4 6.4 1.0 2.1 2.8 2.5 3.9 1.9 1.7 4.0 1.9 1.0 1.3 2.6 0.4 0.0 1.5 1.0 1.0 0.0 0.0 1983 157.6 12.3 10.0 7.3 30.8 8.7 19.0 2.2 12.0 2.8 7.5 5.7 4.0 7.6 0.2 1.0 1.9 4.9 1.9 3.4 1.8 1.4 0.5 1.1 0.2 1.5 0.5 0.1 2.1 2.7 0.8 0.5 1.1 0.1 0.1 1984 158.8 16.3 4.9 6.2 14.4 6.8 8.4 3.6 13.1 10.9 3.9 6.2 8.2 3.6 6.1 1.2 3.1 5.5 2.3 2.4 7.1 8.4 0.6 0.7 4.8 1.3 2.7 2.6 1.7 1.3 0.4 0.0 0.1 0.1 1985 91.5 5.4 5.7 2.4 5.4 2.9 5.0 2.6 5.0 4.1 2.5 6.7 4.8 4.7 1.3 1.3 2.4 2.8 1.9 1.0 3.4 11.20.20.51.70.21.4 1.51.01.50.70.40.0 1986 106.8 9.3 7.6 6.2 10.7 3.4 5.4 3.0 5.8 9.6 4.3 3.9 3.1 3.1 0.6 2.2 3.9 3.8 1.0 1.1 0.6 2.3 0.3 1.0 0.9 0.4 5.2 3.2 2.0 0.3 1.3 0.9 0.4 0.0 0.1 1987 104.5 9.1 8.1 2.7 5.7 5.0 4.8 3.8 6.0 8.2 3.6 4.0 8.0 3.6 1.3 2.7 3.7 3.5 2.8 2.2 1.1 3.3 1.3 2.2 0.1 1.3 3.1 0.0 0.8 1.4 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.1 1988 106.5 9.7 7.8 4.2 7.9 1.5 2.9 3.9 4.6 6.9 0.8 3.6 6.8 3.6 6.8 2.0 3.1 2.7 2.6 0.9 4.0 4.6 0.9 1.8 5.3 1.1 2.5 0.8 0.5 1.3 1.4 0.1 0.3 1989 82.5 9.4 4.4 3.3 7.4 1.8 3.2 2.1 3.5 4.2 4.5 3.2 4.5 2.2 4.0 1.5 2.6 2.0 1.3 1.8 3.2 1.4 1.1 1.6 2.6 0.4 1.0 0.0 0.7 2.2 0.5 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.5 1990 81.5 5.7 6.8 2.1 2.9 0.8 2.1 1.3 6.3 2.7 8.1 4.1 4.7 3.1 3.3 1.5 3.2 3.0 1.8 1.7 3.6 2.8 0.2 1.1 4.0 0.1 0.4 0.1 0.9 2.1 0.6 0.1 0.0 0.1 0.1 1991 74.3 6.5 8.4 1.9 3.3 1.2 1.6 3.2 4.0 4.2 7.1 3.2 2.9 2.8 2.5 2.3 2.3 1.6 1.9 1.1 1.6 1.7 0.3 2.2 1.6 0.5 2.0 0.3 0.5 1.0 0.3 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.1 1992 75.6 6.3 6.8 3.8 1.8 1.2 2.0 4.1 6.6 2.2 4.3 3.0 3.5 2.8 2.4 2.3 1.4 3.3 1.8 3.6 1.1 1.7 0.7 1.8 1.7 0.3 2.6 0.4 0.5 0.8 0.1 0.4 0.0 0.1 0.3 1993 74.4 4.9 7.6 3.9 2.8 1.8 1.0 4.9 5.2 5.4 4.5 2.5 2.2 1.4 1.5 1.7 1.6 2.9 2.5 1.9 1.3 1.5 1.0 2.9 1.3 0.8 1.4 0.4 0.6 2.2 0.5 0.3 0.0 0.1 0.0 1994 76.3 5.4 8.7 5.0 2.7 0.7 1.4 2.6 7.1 4.9 4.7 2.4 2.5 2.2 1.9 1.4 1.5 3.3 1.5 1.5 2.0 2.9 1.1 2.3 2.5 0.8 1.0 0.1 0.6 1.2 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.0 1995 75.8 4.9 7.4 3.7 1.8 0.5 1.3 3.3 9.9 4.3 3.9 2.4 3.3 2.0 2.9 1.9 2.2 2.5 1.3 2.4 1.6 2.0 2.4 2.1 1.8 0.5 0.7 0.2 0.4 1.2 0.4 0.4 0.0 0.2 1996 75.2 6.2 6.4 3.7 0.9 1.1 1.7 3.8 7.6 3.3 9.3 4.6 1.6 3.2 2.5 2.6 1.6 3.1 0.8 2.1 1.7 1.8 0.2 1.3 1.4 0.1 0.5 0.6 1.1 0.1 0.2 0.0 0.1 1997 75.7 6.3 7.2 2.7 1.7 1.5 1.3 4.3 6.4 2.6 8.5 4.4 2.2 2.4 2.0 3.0 2.1 1.9 1.8 1.8 2.0 1.6 1.4 1.1 1.3 0.1 0.2 2.4 1.3 0.1 0.0 0.3 1998 79.9 6.7 10.1 1.4 0.7 0.6 0.9 5.0 8.3 3.1 8.3 4.7 2.8 2.0 2.9 1.6 2.6 2.5 2.1 1.4 2.0 1.1 0.8 2.4 2.5 0.1 0.3 1.2 0.2 0.9 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.3 1999 82.6 4.6 12.6 2.6 1.6 0.6 0.5 5.7 9.1 1.8 8.6 3.0 2.7 1.1 5.7 2.5 2.8 1.8 1.9 1.5 1.4 1.00.40.82.00.11.33.20.41.00.3 0.20.2 2000 78.1 4.6 9.0 2.1 1.7 1.4 2.9 4.3 12.7 2.1 6.4 2.6 2.8 1.0 3.5 2.0 1.4 2.3 1.6 1.9 2.2 0.80.81.72.10.21.9 0.40.80.20.60.00.2 2001 77.4 6.1 8.8 2.6 2.7 0.7 1.9 3.5 10.5 4.3 8.2 4.3 3.9 0.4 3.7 1.2 1.4 1.0 1.4 1.4 2.4 1.7 1.2 2.0 0.0 0.6 0.5 0.7 0.0 0.2 0.1 0.1 2002 77.9 9.2 8.0 3.1 2.5 2.2 0.9 4.7 10.6 3.8 6.4 3.2 3.3 0.9 3.6 0.4 2.5 1.7 0.6 0.2 2.7 1.4 0.9 1.9 0.3 1.1 0.3 0.8 0.1 0.0 0.5 2003 82.9 8.7 11.6 2.9 1.9 1.7 1.4 3.2 8.4 4.9 8.2 2.5 2.3 1.5 4.5 0.7 2.0 0.9 1.5 0.9 1.1 1.9 0.5 2.9 0.1 0.5 3.1 0.3 1.3 0.0 0.0 1.6 2004 79.2 8.7 9.9 5.6 1.5 0.4 0.9 5.7 5.9 2.6 6.6 3.0 2.3 2.1 4.8 1.8 2.7 0.9 1.2 0.9 1.6 1.0 0.1 1.6 1.9 0.1 0.5 0.2 1.3 0.0 3.5 2005 77.6 7.7 10.3 6.8 0.8 0.7 0.9 4.1 6.3 3.4 8.3 4.6 3.0 0.8 3.6 0.5 2.0 0.4 1.0 1.1 2.7 2.1 0.8 1.4 0.1 0.3 0.1 0.8 0.0 2.6 0.2 2006 83.6 9.9 9.3 11.0 2.1 0.4 1.4 5.3 7.2 1.5 7.8 3.8 2.8 1.3 2.8 1.0 1.6 0.2 1.4 0.9 3.2 0.9 0.7 0.6 0.3 2.5 0.1 0.9 0.0 0.3 2.6 2007 82.2 7.0 9.6 12.0 1.4 0.4 1.2 5.6 9.3 3.3 6.7 3.0 3.2 0.2 3.4 0.7 2.8 0.3 1.3 1.5 1.8 1.4 0.3 1.0 1.0 0.2 1.2 0.1 1.3 1.3 2008 83.1 7.5 7.8 13.1 2.0 1.7 0.8 5.5 4.9 3.9 5.5 2.1 2.6 2.6 4.4 1.8 3.2 1.0 1.2 1.6 1.8 1.21.01.01.20.80.4 0.51.10.00.30.40.0 2009 82.6 9.9 9.1 5.7 3.3 3.4 0.6 6.5 3.6 3.0 5.2 2.8 2.1 3.0 3.6 2.4 3.4 0.9 3.0 2.1 2.1 1.4 1.0 0.8 1.1 0.5 0.3 0.3 1.0 0.2 0.1 0.0 0.2 2010 76.9 13.7 6.8 3.7 6.4 2.8 4.9 3.2 3.2 2.9 3.5 0.8 1.0 1.4 5.1 1.5 1.9 1.7 1.3 1.6 2.3 1.30.21.70.90.80.40.70.40.80.0 0.0 2011 74.8 9.2 7.2 4.4 5.7 4.4 5.6 2.2 4.0 4.1 0.8 0.7 1.8 3.2 3.0 2.4 1.6 2.5 1.0 0.3 2.3 0.7 0.5 1.4 0.9 1.4 0.4 1.7 0.6 0.2 0.5 0.0 0.2 2012 73.4 8.5 6.0 6.4 4.4 6.2 2.6 3.3 3.7 6.8 1.6 1.9 1.5 1.5 2.7 2.0 1.8 1.8 1.3 1.0 0.8 0.8 0.6 1.1 1.2 1.5 0.6 0.5 0.6 0.4 0.2 0.2 0.0 0.0 2013 72.4 7.8 7.7 4.5 3.9 4.3 5.3 4.2 2.4 2.3 1.5 2.6 2.6 1.4 2.0 2.2 1.6 2.6 1.5 1.0 0.8 1.2 1.6 0.7 1.4 2.2 0.6 0.8 0.6 0.7 0.4 0.3 0.0 0.0 2014 71.7 8.1 8.9 3.9 4.2 6.4 3.6 3.0 3.6 3.1 1.3 3.6 4.2 3.1 0.8 2.3 1.7 1.3 1.0 0.8 0.1 1.2 1.2 0.4 0.5 0.2 1.0 0.7 0.4 0.0 0.6 0.2 0.1 0.0 2015 68.9 9.3 6.4 6.3 6.4 4.6 4.8 3.8 1.6 2.2 2.3 4.5 2.5 1.9 1.1 1.4 1.7 1.4 1.1 0.2 1.7 0.6 0.3 0.3 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.0 0.5 0.0 0.0 2016 69.7 7.8 7.7 4.8 5.8 4.0 4.1 3.3 4.5 3.6 1.6 4.4 1.8 1.9 3.3 1.9 1.1 1.2 2.0 0.1 0.8 1.0 0.20.41.00.30.50.00.5 0.0 2017 72.6 6.4 7.7 4.9 4.5 4.1 3.5 1.0 3.9 2.9 4.0 3.9 3.5 1.9 0.3 2.3 1.5 1.0 2.4 1.1 1.9 1.0 2.8 0.6 1.3 0.0 1.3 0.8 0.8 0.2 1.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0

95 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

Table 6.10. Greenlip CPUE (kg.hr-1) from the Western Zone and SAUs, ordered by importance. Note empty cells denote no CPUE.

High Medium Low Season Western Zone Anxious Bay TheGap Bay Avoid Avoid Point Drummond Reef Head Island Ward FlindersIsland Taylors Island Hotspot Bay Baird Westall Point Fishery Bay SouthNuyts CapeCatastrophe Memory Cove Venus Bay Thistle SW Wedge Island Nuyts North Searcy Bay Neptune Islands NEThistle FranklinIslands Bay Coffin Cape Bauer WaterlooBay Sheringa DEntrecasteaux Reef Elliston Cliffs Island Pearson UnassignedA WZ RG Sir JosephBanks Island Greenly 1979 22.23 22.1 17.9 23.2 22.2 17.9 20.8 32.2 24.7 16.3 33.3 22.6 19.8 21.1 22.9 21.3 23.2 26.7 27.3 30.9 15.6 18.2 14.9 27.4 1980 21.2 19.5 21.6 19.9 21.1 19.0 20.1 30.6 24.4 17.6 28.9 19.5 16.4 21.4 22.5 23.7 22.4 24.5 15.5 19.2 22.7 24.0 1981 22.2 18.5 20.9 19.8 22.4 20.5 23.5 32.3 22.6 17.4 31.4 21.3 22.8 19.0 17.7 17.5 27.4 21.7 27.6 28.9 14.2 15.2 19.7 21.3 1982 21.93 19.7 19.2 22.6 23.6 23.0 21.7 29.8 22.8 18.7 25.4 22.5 19.9 20.1 19.8 20.7 24.7 23.4 21.2 31.4 21.6 28.0 15.8 22.1 18.1 18.5 23.2 1983 19.11 20.9 18.0 18.4 20.1 18.6 17.7 25.8 20.2 14.8 23.9 21.9 14.5 15.3 16.5 13.2 20.6 18.7 31.8 21.9 12.0 16.0 13.7 18.2 21.6 23.5 1984 20.11 21.4 18.4 16.1 17.4 20.6 17.1 22.5 19.3 20.6 23.5 27.7 24.4 15.7 17.2 17.3 17.8 23.2 20.0 22.1 21.9 26.6 22.7 14.5 25.9 14.7 17.6 26.4 1985 19.18 18.0 17.4 16.0 19.1 15.1 18.1 23.1 21.8 16.9 24.8 25.1 20.7 16.3 15.5 19.5 18.2 20.3 17.4 17.1 24.7 11.0 14.0 19.7 14.1 26.9 1986 20.81 21.6 17.4 21.0 22.5 17.6 24.6 29.4 22.6 20.3 30.1 22.4 22.7 16.0 18.0 15.8 20.3 17.0 20.5 14.3 22.4 21.1 23.5 18.1 1987 19.92 22.3 17.5 17.6 19.6 18.7 18.3 23.7 19.5 18.8 21.8 26.1 23.0 13.7 25.7 17.4 16.6 21.8 17.1 19.5 18.4 25.0 18.6 20.8 22.6 27.9 1988 19.25 21.2 17.3 27.4 22.7 16.0 19.4 24.2 17.9 15.4 21.4 17.6 14.8 20.5 16.3 16.5 21.4 19.8 17.1 23.0 16.6 18.9 30.5 21.0 17.8 23.6 16.0 1989 20.23 27.0 16.1 24.8 23.5 20.7 20.7 23.0 22.7 15.4 26.0 25.4 19.9 17.0 17.5 16.7 15.8 20.7 18.6 22.6 16.5 17.8 18.4 13.8 24.8 18.3 1990 21.93 25.4 21.0 24.7 19.5 22.3 23.8 17.5 31.4 27.5 19.2 23.3 16.7 20.5 17.7 23.5 19.6 22.2 18.5 23.7 16.2 19.1 23.4 1991 22.41 25.8 21.4 23.6 21.3 19.9 30.8 20.7 17.7 30.9 30.8 18.6 22.1 18.4 19.4 21.6 25.7 19.1 17.3 23.8 18.5 18.9 20.5 24.6 1992 22.86 24.3 21.1 35.4 21.1 20.2 20.5 32.4 22.3 17.4 26.9 23.9 21.1 22.0 21.7 21.2 19.4 21.5 21.0 24.3 19.2 21.1 21.0 19.9 19.5 1993 22.82 27.3 21.5 33.8 23.0 22.1 18.0 29.4 21.1 19.9 24.7 25.5 18.5 17.5 19.5 18.6 18.5 20.7 21.8 21.4 19.2 24.5 18.3 22.3 28.4 31.3 1994 23.43 25.4 22.8 26.8 22.7 26.2 28.0 17.8 30.4 21.5 20.6 20.9 17.5 17.5 19.2 29.2 21.7 25.0 19.1 25.1 18.7 21.8 20.3 28.4 1995 20.92 22.7 20.5 26.6 17.3 19.8 25.0 22.4 16.5 23.9 22.2 20.0 17.6 18.6 19.0 16.6 21.0 22.7 26.6 14.6 21.2 33.4 18.4 20.0 20.1 18.5 1996 21.31 22.2 20.9 25.3 15.1 17.1 17.8 28.0 23.3 16.4 26.3 22.9 19.4 20.2 17.5 20.2 16.3 23.7 17.2 25.7 15.4 23.0 18.2 14.9 1997 22.77 26.7 20.6 23.0 21.2 18.6 32.6 23.5 18.6 26.4 22.5 18.9 24.2 16.7 26.4 19.9 23.5 23.0 23.1 19.4 23.4 16.3 19.4 22.6 17.3 1998 22.41 25.2 26.0 21.5 17.3 30.8 24.8 17.7 27.5 22.4 20.7 23.7 15.4 19.0 21.2 21.2 21.7 13.9 18.8 19.8 17.9 15.7 1999 23.45 26.6 24.2 23.4 22.1 29.7 26.2 19.1 27.4 23.7 22.5 19.7 20.0 23.3 23.3 25.4 21.8 17.1 20.1 24.0 16.3 2000 24.93 27.2 24.3 22.5 22.8 29.1 22.6 34.2 27.6 22.7 29.1 23.8 25.2 19.2 21.4 22.1 26.3 23.1 28.7 21.8 17.6 20.7 21.5 2001 25.97 31.3 25.9 27.2 27.8 28.6 29.8 27.7 21.0 28.6 27.7 26.8 19.3 22.2 26.9 26.2 23.8 27.0 22.4 16.3 2002 27.6 30.6 27.1 29.8 30.7 42.0 31.1 32.1 24.0 31.4 25.2 26.9 19.7 27.1 30.9 17.9 27.622.521.7 2003 28.86 34.8 28.4 33.1 33.6 24.7 37.0 31.4 26.9 35.2 28.6 26.5 32.3 21.9 27.6 34.9 15.032.919.025.429.0 2004 28.83 35.7 29.7 37.7 27.9 40.6 29.0 26.1 32.0 27.5 24.9 45.1 20.4 29.7 28.9 17.9 25.016.6 27.8 2005 29.45 31.3 31.8 38.9 37.0 31.5 27.0 34.4 30.4 26.9 18.0 30.2 22.9 29.1 15.0 29.9 2006 29.55 33.0 28.8 40.3 30.6 34.3 34.7 30.3 21.3 32.7 29.4 27.2 16.9 32.2 29.4 20.8 28.428.8 2007 29.15 36.4 28.8 38.8 27.0 26.1 31.8 28.7 26.4 31.3 29.9 27.9 19.0 30.1 32.0 28.1 21.1 27.0 16.9 25.6 20.0 2008 27.63 33.4 26.4 34.9 29.0 29.4 29.1 25.5 24.2 28.1 29.7 23.6 30.9 19.7 26.0 27.9 22.3 29.7 15.6 20.9 2009 24.44 28.6 24.1 28.4 26.5 34.2 26.2 21.9 22.7 30.3 29.8 23.3 28.0 17.3 23.1 21.0 27.028.116.024.3 12.6 2010 23.41 25.5 22.2 24.4 29.0 30.5 24.7 24.8 22.5 24.0 25.3 26.1 25.0 17.3 23.0 26.7 30.3 24.8 15.5 32.3 21.8 12.6 14.0 2011 23.44 24.9 25.7 26.7 24.1 27.1 23.6 25.1 25.3 25.0 21.5 25.9 15.0 23.0 26.2 25.1 14.6 23.1 14.1 24.9 2012 23.42 26.3 21.0 26.0 23.4 26.0 22.2 30.2 22.8 23.5 31.0 27.8 21.0 17.9 17.1 20.7 19.5 27.7 20.1 15.3 25.0 15.8 28.0 2013 22.33 25.3 22.4 24.4 25.0 26.7 24.7 29.3 20.3 15.6 24.5 25.3 17.2 18.7 16.7 17.5 24.7 19.2 24.7 27.4 19.0 20.5 12.3 2014 20.15 22.3 18.2 21.0 20.5 22.7 17.9 23.8 18.6 17.6 21.0 29.0 22.3 15.3 17.7 14.0 23.9 16.8 25.2 24.6 28.5 2015 22.76 27.1 18.0 22.5 26.6 23.8 19.1 33.2 17.9 16.5 22.9 30.8 25.0 19.5 18.3 13.2 25.9 18.2 22.6 27.6 2016 22.24 22.4 19.0 25.4 22.4 23.7 20.6 23.7 22.0 19.2 25.4 31.4 24.9 20.7 22.3 18.4 19.3 23.0 17.4 2017 21.18 20.42 18.25 20.32 20.28 21.79 18.69 21.08 16.72 31.49 28.18 25.34 18.13 17.5 14.9 22.93 20.4 15.71 20.64 41.02 12.35 17.35 28.99

96 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

Table 6.11. Greenlip PropG1 from the Western Zone and SAUs, ordered by importance. Note empty cells denote no PropG1 estimate.

High Medium Low Season Zone Western Bay Anxious Gap The Avoid Bay Avoid Point Drummond Reef Head Island Ward Island Flinders Island Taylors Hotspot Baird Bay Westall Point Bay Fishery Nuyts South Catastrophe Cape Memory Cove Bay Venus SW Thistle Island Wedge North Nuyts Bay Searcy Islands Neptune NE Thistle Islands Franklin Bay Coffin Bauer Cape Bay Waterloo Sheringa Reef DEntrecasteaux Cliffs Elliston Island Pearson RG A WZ Unassigned Banks Joseph Sir Island Greenly 1979 0.35 0.24 0.52 0.30 0.23 0.21 0.39 0.29 0.28 0.43 0.47 0.34 0.47 0.44 0.41 0.30 0.510.31 1980 0.41 0.40 0.63 0.48 0.30 0.31 0.44 0.57 0.39 0.52 0.25 0.33 0.36 0.66 0.63 0.65 0.33 0.59 0.26 0.40 0.59 1981 0.39 0.30 0.45 0.28 0.25 0.30 0.29 0.70 0.31 0.33 0.56 0.51 0.36 0.52 0.55 0.43 0.39 0.71 0.43 0.35 0.29 0.43 1982 0.44 0.38 0.62 0.43 0.36 0.32 0.37 0.27 0.54 0.32 0.28 0.50 0.74 0.65 0.73 0.61 0.63 0.45 0.50 0.28 0.39 1983 0.44 0.36 0.61 0.43 0.41 0.27 0.41 0.30 0.32 0.31 0.31 0.38 0.63 0.69 0.55 0.47 0.54 0.92 0.37 0.39 0.51 0.44 0.70 0.82 1984 0.42 0.35 0.50 0.38 0.39 0.40 0.33 0.23 0.39 0.46 0.18 0.42 0.45 0.71 0.28 0.68 0.49 0.45 0.59 0.73 0.44 0.54 0.55 0.37 0.35 0.43 0.73 1985 0.48 0.28 0.71 0.47 0.49 0.30 0.37 0.39 0.37 0.56 0.26 0.36 0.27 0.72 0.50 0.70 0.68 0.48 0.63 0.52 0.40 0.45 0.23 0.49 0.56 0.57 1986 0.45 0.38 0.66 0.50 0.61 0.27 0.40 0.28 0.30 0.60 0.28 0.19 0.34 0.64 0.70 0.73 0.31 0.46 0.42 0.18 0.66 0.31 0.40 0.49 0.51 1987 0.42 0.19 0.64 0.38 0.45 0.26 0.21 0.33 0.48 0.56 0.20 0.17 0.16 0.57 0.68 0.67 0.38 0.63 0.54 0.41 0.13 0.69 0.66 0.32 0.17 0.34 0.48 1988 0.40 0.29 0.59 0.42 0.37 0.15 0.38 0.31 0.26 0.56 0.16 0.34 0.55 0.37 0.57 0.55 0.40 0.57 0.34 0.23 0.61 0.39 0.18 0.26 0.59 0.35 0.43 1989 0.40 0.31 0.58 0.32 0.47 0.31 0.29 0.32 0.31 0.58 0.31 0.22 0.40 0.64 0.13 0.69 0.55 0.58 0.50 0.67 0.24 0.29 0.71 0.46 0.29 0.49 0.27 1990 0.45 0.30 0.60 0.36 0.37 0.09 0.30 0.59 0.47 0.48 0.49 0.30 0.28 0.69 0.52 0.61 0.61 0.65 0.56 0.59 0.37 0.29 0.44 0.32 0.57 0.39 0.31 1991 0.46 0.20 0.62 0.38 0.65 0.29 0.37 0.42 0.29 0.53 0.38 0.39 0.31 0.73 0.32 0.67 0.68 0.56 0.64 0.38 0.25 0.23 0.61 0.52 0.16 1992 0.44 0.25 0.68 0.48 0.46 0.32 0.34 0.43 0.34 0.50 0.30 0.27 0.35 0.72 0.29 0.71 0.64 0.41 0.66 0.66 0.37 0.27 0.57 0.21 0.46 1993 0.50 0.28 0.63 0.64 0.60 0.49 0.36 0.47 0.37 0.58 0.36 0.30 0.42 0.60 0.48 0.74 0.53 0.49 0.58 0.49 0.28 0.64 0.41 0.65 0.33 1994 0.55 0.31 0.66 0.63 0.65 0.48 0.64 0.63 0.52 0.50 0.57 0.32 0.38 0.80 0.42 0.59 0.58 0.42 0.69 0.70 0.50 0.52 0.66 0.38 0.48 0.38 0.36 0.43 1995 0.52 0.22 0.67 0.42 0.61 0.45 0.43 0.59 0.45 0.61 0.38 0.46 0.50 0.62 0.62 0.56 0.62 0.46 0.50 0.68 0.50 0.52 0.62 0.63 0.51 0.31 0.54 0.41 1996 0.56 0.32 0.65 0.33 0.47 0.63 0.40 0.64 0.58 0.57 0.58 0.42 0.31 0.83 0.58 0.75 0.69 0.44 0.76 0.55 0.51 0.69 0.37 0.38 0.55 0.33 1997 0.57 0.31 0.67 0.42 0.61 0.53 0.46 0.62 0.50 0.60 0.59 0.50 0.34 0.72 0.65 0.81 0.59 0.57 0.58 0.61 0.49 0.66 0.57 0.62 0.41 0.54 1998 0.58 0.33 0.78 0.55 0.65 0.61 0.54 0.63 0.58 0.61 0.61 0.38 0.38 0.79 0.57 0.72 0.68 0.36 0.61 0.41 0.54 0.66 0.57 0.00 0.51 0.44 1999 0.58 0.45 0.72 0.54 0.63 0.63 0.52 0.60 0.55 0.47 0.46 0.46 0.47 0.83 0.57 0.83 0.59 0.43 0.68 0.48 0.57 0.48 0.46 0.37 0.80 0.47 2000 0.64 0.42 0.79 0.70 0.72 0.69 0.69 0.78 0.57 0.73 0.48 0.40 0.51 0.95 0.62 0.73 0.82 0.50 0.64 0.75 0.42 0.56 0.64 0.46 0.38 0.62 2001 0.61 0.57 0.73 0.69 0.81 0.74 0.61 0.62 0.55 0.68 0.48 0.66 0.52 0.53 0.78 0.60 0.65 0.40 0.75 0.44 0.77 2002 0.60 0.54 0.73 0.70 0.67 0.79 0.69 0.73 0.50 0.52 0.59 0.40 0.30 0.77 0.52 0.65 0.59 0.52 0.57 0.65 0.45 0.28 0.75 0.67 2003 0.61 0.43 0.75 0.57 0.65 0.66 0.64 0.77 0.50 0.62 0.63 0.47 0.40 0.87 0.71 0.57 0.79 0.70 0.47 0.44 0.42 0.26 0.70 0.72 0.64 2004 0.58 0.29 0.75 0.67 0.75 0.77 0.62 0.79 0.38 0.46 0.57 0.35 0.50 0.98 0.53 0.85 0.65 0.77 0.76 0.42 0.45 0.38 0.34 0.70 0.65 0.56 2005 0.67 0.43 0.83 0.84 0.91 0.74 0.75 0.80 0.41 0.77 0.66 0.58 0.67 0.46 0.80 0.55 0.72 0.38 0.75 0.61 2006 0.67 0.54 0.71 0.81 0.91 0.76 0.76 0.79 0.57 0.59 0.54 0.44 0.54 0.85 0.41 0.59 0.80 0.53 0.62 2007 0.64 0.56 0.77 0.85 0.90 0.81 0.91 0.70 0.47 0.61 0.43 0.38 0.51 0.40 0.93 0.45 0.47 0.35 0.84 0.44 0.62 2008 0.59 0.51 0.77 0.67 0.75 0.79 0.78 0.56 0.31 0.61 0.33 0.33 0.28 0.94 0.46 0.79 0.71 0.66 0.45 0.54 0.27 0.69 0.43 2009 0.64 0.51 0.80 0.72 0.81 0.75 0.83 0.61 0.48 0.56 0.38 0.60 0.58 0.92 0.41 0.84 0.74 0.87 0.72 0.78 0.46 0.71 0.50 0.61 0.47 0.93 2010 0.60 0.53 0.65 0.69 0.84 0.80 0.72 0.50 0.38 0.58 0.26 0.50 0.60 0.41 0.83 0.82 0.64 0.49 0.71 0.56 0.23 0.80 0.42 2011 0.65 0.55 0.79 0.71 0.74 0.62 0.74 0.48 0.60 0.75 0.44 0.60 0.82 0.40 0.74 0.77 0.62 0.73 0.50 0.70 0.34 0.73 2012 0.65 0.61 0.79 0.79 0.84 0.61 0.71 0.52 0.48 0.63 0.27 0.63 0.50 0.83 0.37 0.82 0.74 0.86 0.75 0.33 0.64 0.61 0.33 0.93 0.59 2013 0.59 0.56 0.70 0.64 0.73 0.50 0.67 0.48 0.50 0.54 0.49 0.61 0.82 0.45 0.71 0.66 0.66 0.48 0.41 0.62 0.31 0.84 0.46 0.56 0.76 0.56 0.88 2014 0.56 0.50 0.63 0.62 0.71 0.56 0.53 0.45 0.44 0.46 0.19 0.52 0.55 0.72 0.47 0.75 0.68 0.89 0.47 0.45 0.63 0.87 2015 0.67 0.55 0.74 0.74 0.71 0.71 0.62 0.79 0.51 0.63 0.43 0.65 0.58 0.86 0.92 0.73 0.80 0.72 0.77 0.67 0.57 0.64 2016 0.66 0.60 0.73 0.64 0.77 0.61 0.55 0.72 0.58 0.65 0.42 0.66 0.62 0.77 0.66 0.89 0.74 0.72 0.65 0.67 0.69 0.56 0.84 2017 0.67 0.47 0.79 0.66 0.75 0.59 0.38 0.79 0.71 0.65 0.70 0.73 0.73 0.79 0.83 0.67 0.92 0.80 0.55 0.60 0.73 0.79 0.63 0.61 0.45 0.64 0.84

97 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

Table 6.12. Blacklip catch (tons MW) from the Western Zone and SAUs, ordered by importance. Note empty cells denote no catch estimate.

High Medium Low

R s

s x

d d d d u

o d a

l e W n n n s a y n d r l n

y f n t v a B s a a e a a n a r s f y l a d d l l t l a d t a i s t y t o l

d i l a e l y a B e s e s h n s y y s s l y a e s d a y l I s B I I I n y C s o l a u t I t a C a n p B a u I s a a e a t u o l B a I o v t a a e s p s s n e B c g n y

e B s y g N i B s o y n i i s r N r i l o B a n W u I A l s y B e C l e o

m r r

n h H s s e o r r n o h n i p h u t d c o t k s o g e h t G i t o d i i d e e t s T t r f u e r d r m t l e s f T J n n r n r s t d h n m x t r f a e i e o i i p p u p a n i e a n y e u

a a l a e r i s e r r e v n o a a o o E a n E e h o e o e l o W e i l i h r a Season D S P R A S A W P V H F F B C N E C D T W C S U F S M T N N W P G S Western Zone Western 1979 43.0 16.1 5.3 2.2 1.1 3.2 0.7 2.1 0.2 3.4 0.9 0.1 0.2 0.6 1.1 0.0 0.3 0.1 1.9 1.4 0.4 0.0 0.0 0.6 0.2 0.2 0.4 0.1 0.0 0.2 1980 71.4 17.5 9.2 4.5 6.2 2.6 1.0 8.7 1.6 4.2 1.5 0.7 1.4 2.3 1.0 0.3 0.3 1.0 1.0 2.3 1.5 1.2 0.1 0.9 0.1 0.0 0.0 1981 119.1 31.7 29.6 8.3 4.6 1.1 5.8 8.4 1.9 4.7 2.3 1.0 2.0 6.9 0.6 0.0 1.2 1.8 2.2 1.7 0.9 0.0 1.0 0.5 0.5 0.2 0.2 0.0 1982 102.0 30.3 19.9 2.7 14.1 2.8 2.9 7.5 0.4 4.6 3.8 0.4 0.5 2.1 3.0 0.0 0.0 0.4 0.5 2.4 0.0 0.7 0.1 1.1 0.7 0.4 0.3 0.5 0.1 1983 94.1 20.7 17.7 1.8 15.9 2.5 2.5 6.3 0.3 6.1 5.1 0.9 1.1 3.0 2.2 0.0 0.1 1.5 0.8 0.4 2.1 0.0 0.7 0.0 0.8 0.6 0.5 0.3 0.1 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 1984 117.0 22.7 16.6 4.0 9.3 1.8 3.3 15.1 1.0 3.8 12.3 1.1 4.8 1.4 2.9 1.0 0.8 4.2 0.7 0.2 2.1 0.8 0.2 0.3 1.5 1.9 1.6 0.6 0.1 0.8 0.0 0.0 1985 116.2 10.5 28.3 6.7 7.6 1.6 18.2 6.0 1.2 2.4 8.0 0.6 3.7 2.3 5.6 0.3 1.3 2.8 0.5 1.0 2.0 1.1 0.1 0.7 1.1 0.9 0.5 0.8 0.2 0.0 0.1 0.4 1986 100.2 16.8 16.6 4.9 5.7 1.9 7.2 6.5 1.4 5.1 7.4 0.9 3.7 2.4 2.8 1.8 0.2 3.5 0.9 0.2 1.1 4.6 2.0 0.2 0.1 0.2 0.7 0.3 0.5 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 1987 95.9 18.8 13.1 8.9 12.4 1.0 5.7 5.8 0.7 4.8 3.4 0.2 0.9 2.7 3.0 1.3 0.5 1.1 1.7 0.8 2.0 0.0 2.0 0.1 1.2 0.1 1.9 0.4 0.6 0.2 0.6 0.0 0.0 0.0 1988 84.4 11.1 6.3 6.5 8.2 1.7 7.6 4.4 1.9 3.5 3.4 0.2 1.5 3.0 2.1 1.2 1.7 0.5 0.9 2.9 3.4 1.6 1.4 2.6 0.1 1.6 1.5 1.3 1.1 0.9 0.1 0.0 0.1 1989 109.1 14.6 10.5 12.0 6.1 2.6 4.1 5.7 2.0 4.4 7.6 0.6 2.0 3.0 1.9 0.2 2.9 0.9 0.5 7.4 3.3 2.6 2.0 1.0 3.1 1.9 1.6 2.1 0.7 0.5 0.3 0.1 1.0 0.1 1990 109.0 8.7 18.0 13.1 9.8 1.0 6.4 5.1 1.6 3.7 8.9 1.9 4.7 2.0 2.0 0.5 3.1 1.4 0.4 4.7 2.1 0.1 0.7 1.2 0.2 2.5 1.7 1.1 0.7 1.3 0.0 0.2 0.0 0.2 0.0 1991 98.5 19.6 12.8 8.6 8.8 2.3 4.5 3.1 1.1 2.5 8.6 1.3 2.4 2.0 3.1 0.6 0.6 1.4 1.3 0.5 3.7 0.8 1.5 0.6 0.3 0.5 1.7 1.1 1.2 1.3 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.3 0.0 1992 100.4 4.0 14.1 9.4 9.0 4.3 8.5 3.4 4.7 1.6 12.7 1.6 3.7 2.0 4.3 2.3 0.5 0.7 0.8 1.0 2.1 0.7 1.9 0.6 0.2 0.8 1.9 1.1 1.3 0.7 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.2 0.0 1993 102.4 13.7 5.6 7.8 6.9 2.5 5.0 4.0 7.4 4.5 14.9 4.0 2.0 1.4 3.8 1.2 1.0 1.2 1.5 3.7 2.5 0.6 1.8 0.2 0.1 0.6 0.9 0.4 1.6 1.2 0.2 0.3 0.0 0.1 0.1 1994 104.1 6.7 12.2 8.1 7.2 3.7 5.8 5.6 6.0 6.3 10.8 2.4 2.8 1.6 3.3 1.2 1.7 1.0 1.7 2.6 4.2 0.1 1.3 1.1 0.8 1.4 0.9 1.7 0.9 0.8 0.4 0.0 0.0 1995 103.7 10.4 17.3 8.2 7.1 4.6 6.9 2.5 5.0 4.0 11.4 1.5 3.6 1.0 3.2 3.1 2.6 1.3 1.7 2.0 1.9 0.3 0.5 1.2 0.6 0.5 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.0 0.1 1996 92.6 7.3 14.0 5.3 4.1 4.3 7.5 3.9 6.2 0.5 10.8 3.3 4.2 1.9 4.0 1.1 3.4 0.9 0.9 1.9 1.9 2.1 1.0 0.1 0.4 0.6 0.8 0.0 0.4 0.0 1997 104.9 9.8 13.0 7.9 5.2 4.5 6.5 4.6 6.9 3.6 8.0 5.9 3.0 1.8 3.9 0.4 2.6 0.9 1.1 2.6 5.2 2.2 0.9 0.3 0.9 0.7 1.0 1.1 0.2 0.2 1998 103.8 5.7 11.6 9.0 4.0 2.4 6.9 3.8 7.7 2.0 10.8 6.8 4.4 3.0 4.0 0.8 1.5 1.0 0.9 2.7 4.4 1.9 3.3 0.6 0.8 1.2 1.2 0.4 0.8 0.0 0.2 0.0 0.0 1999 102.3 6.4 12.0 8.7 2.5 0.9 5.8 7.5 9.5 1.6 11.2 7.9 5.5 1.7 2.3 2.5 0.9 0.5 0.8 1.3 3.2 1.8 3.9 1.2 0.0 0.6 1.3 0.5 0.1 0.3 0.2 0.0 2000 105.1 9.4 10.3 8.2 8.6 3.2 5.0 3.9 6.8 3.4 11.7 5.8 6.4 0.8 3.7 4.1 2.1 2.0 1.0 1.1 2.5 1.7 1.0 0.0 0.6 0.4 0.4 0.3 0.4 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.0 2001 104.8 8.9 13.8 8.8 6.7 5.4 5.2 6.5 6.3 4.2 6.5 4.9 7.9 0.9 4.9 2.1 1.3 1.0 0.5 1.6 1.7 1.0 1.7 0.2 0.8 0.7 0.4 0.6 0.2 0.1 0.0 2002 101.7 8.0 12.7 8.6 4.2 5.5 5.5 8.5 6.9 3.2 9.7 5.1 4.9 0.7 3.3 2.1 1.7 0.3 2.1 2.1 2.9 0.6 0.5 0.8 0.2 0.5 0.2 0.6 0.0 0.2 2003 101.5 9.1 11.4 5.0 5.1 3.9 8.9 7.9 6.5 2.9 12.1 6.8 4.0 0.9 3.7 1.6 1.2 0.6 2.2 1.2 1.6 0.7 0.8 1.8 0.7 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0.0 2004 101.4 5.5 12.1 5.4 4.5 4.9 9.2 5.4 9.8 3.6 7.9 4.3 2.1 2.0 4.8 1.9 1.7 0.2 2.6 0.7 3.2 2.0 0.8 3.4 0.7 0.7 1.0 0.2 0.4 0.1 0.1 2005 102.4 8.2 7.9 6.8 7.5 5.2 8.4 7.4 6.1 1.8 7.5 11.0 2.4 1.1 5.7 1.5 3.1 0.6 1.7 0.4 2.0 0.7 1.2 2.7 0.4 0.2 0.4 0.2 0.1 0.0 2006 103.9 10.5 6.5 11.4 5.1 8.6 4.9 5.5 7.8 4.2 4.4 8.2 3.0 1.6 3.7 3.0 3.9 0.9 0.6 1.0 2.2 0.6 1.0 3.2 0.1 0.6 1.2 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.0 2007 103.7 12.4 6.6 8.8 3.5 12.4 8.0 4.2 6.6 2.3 1.7 7.3 3.8 0.6 2.8 1.6 3.2 0.3 0.8 2.2 2.5 5.9 0.6 1.1 2.8 0.2 0.4 0.4 0.3 0.3 0.1 0.2 2008 103.0 12.8 12.0 8.5 3.3 9.9 5.4 3.7 9.6 3.2 7.0 5.4 2.8 2.4 3.0 1.1 2.2 0.4 1.5 2.2 1.9 1.5 1.1 0.1 0.5 0.4 0.9 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.0 2009 102.3 14.9 9.7 7.5 2.6 5.2 6.5 6.0 10.0 4.4 5.6 6.9 3.4 2.5 2.4 1.1 2.2 2.4 0.7 1.6 1.4 1.3 1.0 0.2 0.3 0.8 0.4 0.4 0.2 0.5 0.1 0.1 2010 97.0 12.5 12.0 4.2 11.0 6.6 5.9 7.9 5.8 5.4 6.0 4.2 2.5 1.3 1.9 1.1 2.7 0.5 0.9 0.9 1.1 0.3 0.8 0.9 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.0 2011 94.3 21.9 14.9 6.0 8.4 6.0 5.7 5.2 2.5 4.4 4.0 1.3 1.6 1.5 0.7 1.4 1.5 1.2 1.5 0.5 0.7 0.8 0.8 0.5 0.2 0.4 0.3 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 2012 93.5 24.9 14.3 5.5 9.0 7.5 5.7 5.8 2.7 3.4 2.8 0.8 1.5 1.4 1.0 0.8 0.5 1.1 1.7 0.7 0.5 0.1 0.5 0.3 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.4 0.1 2013 89.0 18.2 14.2 8.1 9.2 3.4 6.2 4.3 2.6 4.4 5.7 0.2 1.6 1.7 1.2 1.6 0.9 1.0 1.2 0.8 0.3 1.0 0.6 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.0 2014 82.4 24.1 8.8 8.8 5.2 6.4 4.5 5.0 2.0 3.9 2.9 0.1 1.0 1.6 0.7 2.1 0.0 1.3 0.3 0.3 0.4 0.2 0.9 1.0 0.6 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 2015 65.8 18.2 8.1 4.8 6.5 3.7 4.6 4.7 1.7 3.7 2.2 0.3 0.4 1.8 0.8 0.8 0.3 1.3 0.6 0.2 0.1 0.4 0.6 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 2016 66.7 18.1 5.5 5.9 6.9 4.2 3.8 6.7 1.7 4.2 1.0 0.3 1.0 1.0 0.0 2.0 0.1 2.0 0.7 0.1 0.3 0.2 0.6 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 2017 66.9 18.1 8.8 5.9 6.9 4.0 3.1 3.9 1.2 2.8 1.5 0.5 0.8 0.7 0.4 1.4 0.5 2.8 0.5 0.3 0.2 0.8 0.8 0.0 0.1 0.4 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.1 0.0

98 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

Table 6.13. Blacklip CPUE (kg.hr-1) from the Western Zone and SAUs, ordered by importance. Note empty cells denote no CPUE estimate.

High Medium Low Season Western Zone Western Drummond Sheringa Head Reef Westall Point Bay Avoid Anxious Bay Bay Searcy Island Ward Avoid Point Bay Venus Hotspot Island Flinders Bay Fishery Cliffs Elliston Bauer Cape Bay Baird Nuyts North Bay Coffin Catastrophe Cape Reef DEntrecasteaux Gap The Nuyts South Bay Waterloo Islands Franklin SW Thistle Cove Memory Island Taylors Islands Neptune NE Thistle Island Pearson Island Greenly Island Wedge A RG WZ Unassigned Banks Joseph Sir 1979 22.7 22.8 25.1 22.0 39.0 20.6 22.4 0.0 0.0 20.7 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 21.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 16.5 0.0 17.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1980 24.7 22.1 30.6 29.4 23.7 26.4 24.9 0.0 26.2 24.7 22.7 0.0 0.0 28.3 0.0 0.0 16.4 0.0 26.3 25.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 18.6 0.0 0.0 0.0 23.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1981 23.8 23.1 27.1 26.6 20.7 22.3 19.9 25.4 31.6 22.2 30.7 0.0 23.7 21.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 20.3 0.0 0.0 23.2 0.0 19.8 0.0 24.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1982 25.2 24.7 27.5 25.9 21.5 27.0 25.3 23.5 0.0 22.4 32.2 0.0 0.0 22.0 0.0 0.0 21.9 0.0 0.0 20.6 0.0 18.6 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1983 23.2 22.4 30.6 21.0 17.9 19.5 24.9 22.6 0.0 23.0 24.6 0.0 19.6 17.2 26.6 0.0 25.0 0.0 15.5 0.0 0.0 18.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1984 24.2 22.9 27.9 19.3 30.1 21.1 23.5 27.1 22.3 18.8 28.6 0.0 24.6 18.5 30.2 0.0 28.3 0.0 0.0 18.0 0.0 24.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 27.5 21.8 20.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1985 23.6 20.1 27.7 19.2 23.1 18.7 20.0 27.8 0.0 18.8 26.0 0.0 26.3 18.7 24.6 0.0 25.4 20.9 0.0 18.5 19.5 17.9 0.0 0.0 16.1 19.0 0.0 20.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1986 23.9 22.0 28.3 22.8 26.7 17.3 24.8 24.4 22.2 23.5 25.7 0.0 23.8 18.4 28.1 23.2 27.0 0.0 16.5 22.0 0.0 19.7 0.0 22.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1987 22.5 24.6 27.0 19.8 22.8 14.3 21.4 23.1 0.0 21.2 24.6 0.0 19.4 13.6 0.0 21.7 31.1 0.0 18.0 19.2 0.0 17.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 19.6 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1988 22.4 26.6 28.3 20.4 23.8 15.5 21.1 26.2 24.6 19.2 23.7 0.0 30.0 14.6 0.0 18.9 25.5 17.1 21.2 19.3 23.7 20.4 23.5 18.8 20.1 18.0 17.0 15.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1989 23.7 24.5 28.8 20.4 25.1 21.8 23.7 22.7 32.5 26.0 30.3 0.0 32.6 16.1 0.0 0.0 25.9 20.3 0.0 23.0 23.0 19.6 19.7 0.0 20.6 21.8 20.0 17.7 0.0 13.7 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1990 25.9 25.3 32.8 23.5 26.4 27.5 25.7 28.9 34.6 21.8 29.9 25.2 28.5 19.8 27.9 0.0 30.6 20.0 0.0 0.0 22.2 20.3 19.6 0.0 21.7 21.0 19.7 0.0 0.0 18.9 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1991 26.3 27.5 32.0 24.8 23.4 24.9 24.6 32.8 0.0 25.7 29.7 30.9 21.8 22.8 31.2 0.0 34.6 0.0 22.7 21.6 0.0 21.6 0.0 0.0 0.0 19.7 20.4 15.9 0.0 17.6 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1992 25.8 22.8 30.9 21.0 23.4 34.1 25.0 29.3 34.0 20.2 27.8 37.0 23.1 22.2 0.0 22.9 28.0 0.0 19.1 22.0 0.0 21.0 0.0 0.0 20.1 21.9 20.5 20.0 0.0 15.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1993 25.8 27.1 30.0 20.4 22.6 28.6 25.7 28.4 37.5 25.4 29.0 27.9 24.3 16.2 0.0 30.8 23.8 0.0 21.1 19.4 32.3 19.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 20.1 0.0 17.3 0.0 18.7 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1994 26.0 23.8 31.5 23.8 22.8 23.4 24.4 26.6 36.8 25.8 30.6 35.9 25.6 21.7 0.0 25.9 23.6 20.9 21.2 20.1 35.6 25.2 19.1 0.0 0.0 22.2 16.4 17.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1995 25.6 24.6 31.7 22.5 26.0 23.9 21.8 29.4 27.9 24.3 27.1 25.0 22.5 20.4 0.0 20.9 24.5 21.4 19.9 0.0 23.8 24.3 20.1 0.0 19.6 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1996 24.7 22.0 28.9 21.7 22.7 26.1 22.0 29.4 35.5 0.0 27.0 27.6 21.9 17.1 0.0 20.0 24.3 22.9 19.4 19.6 28.2 20.5 17.6 0.0 0.0 0.0 19.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1997 26.0 26.3 29.1 18.5 25.1 23.1 23.8 29.0 35.1 26.0 30.8 29.8 23.6 26.6 0.0 0.0 26.8 22.6 17.7 23.4 26.3 19.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 22.7 0.0 0.0 0.0 19.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1998 25.2 28.3 29.6 21.5 21.5 21.1 20.0 27.1 35.3 21.1 26.4 29.6 22.4 23.2 0.0 0.0 27.9 21.0 0.0 24.0 28.9 21.0 0.0 24.2 0.0 26.9 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1999 25.6 24.9 31.2 21.0 24.0 0.0 28.5 24.4 32.9 20.7 28.8 26.2 25.3 20.2 0.0 24.2 26.4 0.0 0.0 22.0 25.5 20.2 22.7 16.3 0.0 19.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 2000 26.1 27.1 30.4 25.1 23.3 27.9 20.9 26.8 30.8 24.1 27.4 29.6 26.7 17.5 0.0 25.8 29.5 22.5 0.0 21.9 0.0 21.9 17.1 0.0 17.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 2001 28.4 29.5 34.1 28.2 26.3 28.8 26.8 27.8 31.0 26.4 28.2 26.4 29.2 0.0 0.0 22.4 29.1 24.9 0.0 28.3 30.6 0.0 23.4 0.0 20.7 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 2002 28.3 29.0 32.2 26.9 26.8 29.9 26.8 29.5 31.9 28.5 28.8 32.2 26.7 0.0 0.0 24.6 25.0 25.0 29.2 0.0 28.5 23.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 2003 29.8 29.2 32.9 24.2 22.8 27.8 29.6 30.8 36.6 32.1 30.9 33.1 30.1 0.0 0.0 27.6 31.4 22.4 23.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 27.5 0.0 2004 29.4 27.5 32.0 24.4 28.4 27.1 31.2 30.8 38.5 26.7 29.9 32.6 29.1 33.1 0.0 30.8 25.5 25.2 23.9 29.0 0.0 25.6 0.0 0.0 20.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 34.2 0.0 2005 30.2 28.6 32.2 26.6 29.2 35.8 30.6 30.2 38.9 27.4 34.1 36.1 31.2 0.0 0.0 28.4 28.0 26.6 19.2 0.0 0.0 28.2 22.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 30.0 0.0 2006 31.2 31.1 37.4 27.8 33.2 36.0 29.8 30.2 33.3 33.7 30.8 33.2 27.9 0.0 0.0 27.2 29.4 27.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 29.7 20.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 28.2 0.0 2007 29.1 29.6 32.0 24.8 29.4 36.3 31.5 29.9 32.3 27.2 25.7 31.3 26.9 0.0 0.0 28.3 26.4 23.2 0.0 0.0 25.3 28.7 19.0 25.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 27.6 0.0 2008 28.5 30.4 30.5 25.9 27.8 31.1 26.8 29.5 33.1 29.4 26.4 26.2 25.2 29.8 0.0 0.0 27.0 19.6 21.8 27.5 25.3 30.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 2009 27.0 28.9 31.3 22.0 24.8 24.7 27.4 26.6 29.5 26.9 25.7 28.0 24.5 31.0 31.9 24.3 24.4 21.0 0.0 25.8 25.8 24.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 2010 26.2 28.4 30.5 25.4 24.6 26.1 25.8 28.2 29.7 26.1 25.9 20.5 27.2 24.0 0.0 0.0 28.2 17.9 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 20.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 2011 25.6 26.3 28.6 21.8 29.6 22.9 28.5 28.5 24.7 23.7 26.3 21.4 23.6 21.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 14.3 25.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 2012 24.8 24.6 29.3 21.0 23.6 23.4 28.5 27.3 29.5 22.7 28.2 0.0 24.9 19.9 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 22.30.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0 2013 24.6 25.9 27.9 21.9 25.9 23.8 23.9 24.5 30.7 24.0 24.8 0.0 23.2 15.6 24.5 23.4 0.0 0.0 21.3 11.0 16.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 2014 23.0 23.7 25.3 19.1 27.0 20.7 22.3 24.0 27.0 18.9 21.9 0.0 19.7 15.6 26.7 27.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 17.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 2015 22.8 22.7 24.8 20.2 27.0 17.0 23.8 25.1 29.4 22.6 24.1 0.0 0.0 19.9 31.9 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 2016 22.4 21.9 26.4 18.7 26.2 21.2 25.2 24.0 24.6 19.7 0.0 0.0 23.8 0.0 26.4 27.7 0.0 0.0 17.60.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0 2017 22.2 21.4 24.5 18.7 28.4 17.8 24.6 23.4 28.9 20.2 22.7 0.0 0.0 16.5 26.4 23.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 17.7 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

99 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

Table 6.14. Blacklip PropLge from the Western Zone and SAUs, ordered by importance. Note empty cells denote no PropLge estimate.

High Medium Low Season Western Zone Western Drummond Sheringa Head Reef Westall Point Avoid Bay Bay Anxious Bay Searcy Island Ward Point Avoid Venus Bay Hotspot Island Flinders Bay Fishery Cliffs Elliston Bauer Cape Baird Bay North Nuyts Coffin Bay Catastrophe Cape Reef DEntrecasteaux The Gap SouthNuyts Waterloo Bay Islands Franklin Thistle SW Memory Cove Island Taylors Islands Neptune Thistle NE Island Pearson Island Greenly Island Wedge WZ RG A Unassigned Banks Joseph Sir 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 0.07 0.02 0.09 2000 0.05 0.10 0.02 0.11 0.01 0.02 0.10 0.03 2001 2002 0.09 0.09 0.02 0.24 0.00 0.09 0.03 0.21 0.02 0.06 2003 0.07 0.09 0.03 0.05 0.13 0.13 0.19 0.05 0.13 2004 0.07 0.03 0.09 0.05 0.02 0.04 0.10 0.14 0.09 0.33 0.06 0.13 0.04 0.01 0.02 0.02 0.00 0.04 0.14 2005 0.08 0.03 0.06 0.01 0.05 0.13 0.09 0.12 0.07 0.16 0.22 0.05 0.02 0.05 0.02 0.01 0.130.01 2006 0.11 0.02 0.08 0.24 0.08 0.07 0.18 0.08 0.17 0.39 0.05 0.20 0.23 0.32 0.01 0.16 0.20 0.03 0.11 0.08 0.07 0.02 0.09 0.05 2007 0.12 0.12 0.12 0.18 0.02 0.09 0.12 0.21 0.09 0.11 0.09 0.14 0.40 0.03 0.02 0.10 0.100.15 2008 0.10 0.05 0.03 0.02 0.21 0.01 0.21 0.22 0.89 0.13 0.07 0.63 0.09 0.02 0.19 0.13 0.48 0.04 0.43 2009 0.21 0.21 2010 2011 0.15 0.12 0.31 2012 0.12 0.06 0.30 0.08 0.06 0.01 0.17 0.09 0.11 0.04 0.19 0.24 0.16 0.06 0.09 0.06 2013 0.11 0.09 0.20 0.11 0.08 0.15 0.11 0.09 0.19 0.03 0.25 0.09 0.07 0.01 0.02 0.45 0.05 2014 0.08 0.08 0.02 0.08 0.03 0.04 0.10 0.08 0.13 0.11 0.19 0.12 0.15 0.07 0.05 0.13 0.31 2015 0.14 0.18 0.40 0.16 0.11 0.06 0.14 0.18 0.20 0.16 0.05 0.12 0.04 2016 0.08 0.02 0.27 0.14 0.14 0.10 0.02 0.15 0.01 2017

100 Stobart, B. et al. (2018) Western Zone Abalone Fishery

6.8 Fishing for the live market

Percent live catch

Figure 6.28. Percent of greenlip and blacklip (see legend) catch landed live in the Western Zone from 2010 to 2017.

BL CPUE GL CPUE

10 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 Year

Figure 6.29. Western Zone greenlip and blacklip (see legend) CPUE calculated from 1979 to 2017 with estimates from 2010 to 2017 excluding fishing days where live catch was landed.

101