Can a sardine fishery be sustainable and fair for recreational fishers targeting tuna?

QUESTION

Due to changes in ocean conditions, sardines are now present in Bass Strait in large number, as are tuna. If a sardine fishery is opened, how can it be best managed so that it is sustainable and recreational fishers won’t be disadvantaged?

ANSWER 1

By: Dr Tim Ward

The Tasmanian Sardine Fishery will adopt many of the features of the ecosystem-based management frameworks that have been established for the South Australian Sardine Fishery and Commonwealth Small Pelagic Fisheries (Ward et al. 2024). Both fisheries have conservative harvest strategies that include precautionary exploitation rates (AFMA 2025, PIRSA 2023) that have been shown to be ecologically sustainable (Smith et al. 2015). Both fisheries operate alongside thriving recreational fisheries for Southern Bluefin Tuna.

The Tasmanian Government’s vision for the Tasmanian Sardine Fishery is “A profitable, socially responsible, ecologically sustainable commercial fishery that delivers tangible economic benefits to the Tasmanian community”. The four key guidelines for developing the new fishery are:

Environmental Sustainability;
Best Practice Governance,
Economic Return; and
Benefits to Tasmanians.

References
AFMA 2025. Small Pelagic Fishery Harvest Strategy. Canberra: Australian Fisheries Management Authority.
https://www.afma.gov.au/sites/default/files/2025-04/SPF-Harvest-Strategy-2025.pdf

PIRSA 2023. Management Plan for the South Australian Commercial Sardine Fishery. South Australia: Department of Primary Industries and Regions South Australia.
https://pir.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/439252/management-plan-sa-commercial-sardine-fishery.pdf

Smith A., Ward T.M., Hurtado F., Klaer N., Fulton E. and Punt A. (2015). Review and update of harvest strategy settings for the Commonwealth Small Pelagic Fishery – Single species and ecosystem considerations. Fisheries Research and Development Corporation, Canberra, Act, Australia.
https://www.frdc.com.au/sites/default/files/products/2013-028-DLD.pdf

Ward T.M., Charitonidou K., Alderson T., Shute A.J., Grammer G.L., and Carlos G. 2024. Research to support the development of a Tasmanian Sardine Fishery, Hobart, October, Final Report for FRDC project 2023-005, 32 pp.
https://www.frdc.com.au/sites/default/files/products/2023-005-DLD.pdf

NRE Tasmania 2024. Development Guidelines for a New Tasmanian Sardine Fishery. Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania. 12 pp
https://fishing.tas.gov.au/Documents/Development%20Guidelines%20for%20a%20New%20Tasmanian%20Sardine%20Fishery.pdf