Commercial crab fishery consultation

Project overview

The Queensland Government is committed to a seafood industry that provides quality products consumers appreciate, while protecting our unique ocean environments – especially the Great Barrier Reef and its surrounds. The commercial harvest of mud crabs is currently subject to suite of fishing regulations, including a Total Allowable Commercial Catch limit.

With the phase-out of gillnet fishing in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, Fisheries Queensland has been working in close collaboration with industry to monitor the potential for the transfer of commercial fishing effort so that it does not impact the sustainability of other fisheries.

Fisheries Queensland recently consulted with stakeholders on fishery management options proposed by parts of industry for the commercial C1 crab fishery on the east coast and in the Gulf of Carpentaria.

We thank everyone who responded to the discussion paper.

A consultation report summarising submissions received is now available in the document library on this eHub.

The report on the recent commercial crab fishery consultation is now available.

We received 207 submissions on fishery management reforms proposed by parts of industry to avoid additional pressure and ensure economic and sustainable management, following the phase-out of gillnet fishing in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

Further discussions with the relevant fishery working groups and the Sustainable Fisheries Expert Panel are proposed before any decisions are made or implemented.