This program has collected data on the development and performance of the fishery, as well as biological data relevant to assessment of the impact of fishing on the exploited population.

The development and operation of the fishing and processing sectors of the fishery are described as are the development and implementation of jack mackerel management in Tasmania.

Biological data presented for jack mackerel include size structure of catch, length-weight relationships, catch age structure and reproductive development Estimates for the Von Bertalanffy parameters L∞, K and t0 are resented. Problems encountered estimating mortality rates are discussed and preliminary estimates given.

The bycatch species redbait, Emmelichthys nitidus, and blue mackerel, Scomber australasicus, make up approximately 5% of the landed catch. Some biological information on these two species is also presented.

The discovery of several adult Peruvian jack mackerel Trachurus murphyi raises questions as to the importance of this species, if any, in the fishery. These samples constitute the most westerly reports of this species distribution.

The importance of inter-annual variability in this fishery is discussed with reference to examples in the short history of the fishery.