Implementing an Industry Partnership Agreement (IPA) was necessary to provide a more coordinated approach to RD&E and ensure that research funds were utilised in the more cost effective and strategic manner. It also “quarantined” funds to be overseen by the ACA for investment in Abalone specific research, giving the industry greater opportunity for input into the research that was funded and greater relevance of project outputs.

The second ACA/FRDC IPA expired in early 2024 and the ACA Board and FRDC are now establishing a new IPA for the period 2024 to 2029.

Historically, industry’s focus has been on management and stock sustainability, although the potential for growth through higher harvest levels via upward quota adjustment is limited. Indeed, since 2011/12, the total annual harvest has fallen from 4,450t to 1965 t in 2023/2024 (a reduction of 56%). The decreasing productivity of Australian abalone fisheries may be attributed to a number of “complex” causes of which fishing mortality is but one; others include: habitat loss due to Centrostephanus urchin, environmental change & marine heat waves, disease outbreak (AVG, Perkinsus), and reduced natural recruitment, all of which reduce fishery productivity.

Please refer to the below table which clearly shows the decreasing productivity of all abalone fisheries in Australia.

State TACC in tonnes 2011/2012 TACC in tonnes 2017/2018 TACC in tonnes 2022/2023 TACC in tonnes 2023/2024
Tasmania 2366 1333.5 794.5 756
South Australia 834 717.5 564.4 544
Victoria 806 595.3 610.9 457
Western Australia 349 143.4 123.5 108
New South Wales 94 100 100 100
TOTAL 4450 2889.70 2193.3 1965

Notwithstanding the lower harvest levels, the industry remains a significant exporter with a total GVP around $135 million in 2023/24.