National Survey of Recreational Fishing for Southern Bluefin Tuna in Australia 2018/19

Southern Bluefin Tuna (SBT) Thunnus maccoyii have been managed internationally as a single breeding stock by the Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna (CCSBT) since mid-1994. As a signatory to the international treaty, Australia are required to account for all sources of SBT mortality, including from recreational fishing. For 2018–2020, the global Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for SBT is set at 17,647 tonnes (t) per annum, of which Australia is allocated 6,165 t or 35%. The recreational fishery for SBT in Australia has a long history, dating back to the early 20th century. It is a popular gamefish species, particularly along the south coast of Australia where juvenile SBT seasonally migrate. Sporadic catches of large adult fish are also occasionally caught by the recreational fishery. Over the last two decades, the recreational fishery for SBT has predominantly focused in waters adjacent to South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania, with the species also caught in New South Wales and Western Australia. Until now there has been no comprehensive assessment of the recreational harvest of SBT in Australia.