Abalone quotas reduced
Posted
The abalone industry on the New South Wales far south coast says it is in for another hard year with a further reduction in the allowable catch.
The Primary Industries Department says only 90 tonnes of abalone can be taken commercially and the bag limit for recreational fishers has been reduced from 10 to two per day.
The department says shellfish stocks are severely overfished, but commercial abalone operator John Smythe, from Merimbula, says numbers are actually on the increase.
"It's been reduced by 20 tonne and a further 15 tonne will be allowed to be caught in our previously closed areas, regions one and two," he said.
"The net effect is going to be a loss of five tonne. We weren't expecting it because our catches have been improving. However, the independent fishery data showed a continued decline of stocks in this area."
