Blue crab fishery
The blue crab fishery takes blue crabs. Other species may be landed and sold as by-products or used as personal bait.
The blue crab fishery uses crab pots and bait nets. Most of the South Australian commercial catch is sold to Sydney and Melbourne markets.
Licensing
Expiry
Fishery licences are issued for the term of the management plan. The current management plan will expire 30 June 2024.
Fees
Commercial licence fees must be paid each financial year. Invoices are issued annually in June and payments can be made:
- up-front
- in a lump sum
- in quarterly instalments.
Transfer licence
Blue crab fishery licences are fully transferable: Application to transfer a blue crab fishery licence ()
Boat registration and de-registration
Every boat that is used for commercial fishing must be registered.
Use the application to vary a boat registration endorsement () to register or de-register a boat.
Boat master registration
All people who act as a commercial fishing boat master must be registered by the licence holder. Multiple boat masters can be registered using the form below.
Application to change registration of a master/s ()
Quota trading
Licence holders can temporarily or permanently transfer their quota entitlements to another licence holder using the Quota Trading Service or by using the application to transfer blue crab quota units form ()
Quota units may also be transferred between blue crab fishery and the marine scalefish fishery licences.
Electronic reporting
As of 21 October 2024, licence holders are required to submit their catch and effort electronically through the Commercial Fishing SA application. Fishers can also access the myPIRSA portal and directly report their catch and effort electronically into the eCatch (Digital Reporting) Service.
- Electronic reporting guide for commercial fishing ()
- Electronic catch and effort logs – Instructions for use ()
Blue crab fishery management
Management plan:
- Management Plan for the South Australian Commercial Blue Crab Fishery ()
- Ecologically sustainable development (ESD) risk assessment of the South Australian commercial blue crab fishery (2009) ()
- Revised ecologically sustainable development (ESD) risk assessment of the South Australian commercial blue crab fishery (2023) ()
Stock assessment report:
- Blue Crab (Portunus armatus) Fishery 2022-23. Fishery Assessment Report to PIRSA Fisheries and Aquaculture ().
Economic indicator reports:
Department of Environment
The Australian Government Department of the Environment requires that all commercial fisheries that export product be assessed under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
For more information, see South Australian managed fisheries.
Regulations
The blue crab fishery is regulated by:
- Fisheries Management (Blue Crab Fishery) Regulations 2013
- Fisheries Management (Marine Scalefish Fisheries) Regulations 2017
- Fisheries Management (General) Regulations 2017
Determinations
More information
See information about blue crab:
See the Blue Crab Fishery Operator User Guide () for more information on:
- permitted species
- size limits
- commercial limits
- gear rules
- closures
- licence transfers
- demerit points.
Contact
Sam Stone – Community Fisheries Manager
Phone: (08) 8429 2101
Email: sam.stone@sa.gov.au
