The Malinauskas Labor Government has enacted regulation change to make the closure on the taking of Giant Australian Cuttlefish in the Upper Spencer Gulf permanent from 1 May 2023.
Prior to the last state election, the then Labor opposition committed to better protection for the giant Australian cuttlefish, whose breeding aggregation in the Upper Spencer Gulf is the only known event of its type for this species anywhere in the world.
The State Government worked quickly last year to put in place temporary arrangements that were in place during the 2022 spawning event, which saw a 28% increase in cuttlefish numbers compared to 2021, after the former Liberal government allowed protection to lapse and failed to provide any new protection.
The cuttlefish aggregation provides an incredible tourism platform for communities around the Upper Spencer Gulf, and in particular Whyalla. In making the protection permanent, it gives the community and tourism operators on the Upper Spencer Gulf confidence to continue to build upon what is already a hugely popular nature-based tourism experience, while giving the iconic giant Australian cuttlefish the best chance to grow in numbers well into the future.
