Sardine fishery
The South Australian sardine fishery targets the Australian Sardine. The sardine fishery is a component of the marine scalefish fishery.
The area of the fishery includes all South Australian waters out to the 200 nautical mile Australian Exclusive Economic Zone.
Licensing
There are no new licences available for the marine scalefish fishery.
Fees
Commercial licence fees must be paid each financial year. Invoices are issued annually in early June and payments can be made:
- up-front
- in a lump sum
- in quarterly instalments.
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 sardine quota form ().
Boat registration and de-registration
All boats used for commercial fishing must be registered.
Use the Application to vary a boat registration endorsement form () to register or de-register a boat.
Master registration
All persons who will act as master of the boat must be registered to the licence.
See the Application to change registration of a master/s () for more information.
Vessel monitoring system
All marine scalefish fishery licence holders with sardine net entitlements are required to have an operational vessel monitoring system (VMS) fitted to their boat.
Sardine fishery management
- Management Plan for the South Australian Commercial Sardine Fishery ()
- 2021 Review of the ESD Risk Assessment of the South Australian Sardine Fishery ()
- Threatened, endangered and protected species (TEPS) mitigation and monitoring workplan ()
Stock assessment reports:
- Stock assessment of Australian Sardine (Sardinops sagax) off South Australia 2023 ()
- Spawning biomass of Sardine, Sardinops sagax, in waters off South Australia in 2024 ()
- Assessment of dolphin interactions, effectiveness of code of practice and fishing behaviour in the South Australian sardine fishery in 2023 ()
Economic indicator reports:
Ecological sustainability
The Australian Government requires that all commercial fisheries that export product be assessed under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. Product from the Sardine Fishery is currently approved for export.
For more information, see South Australian managed fisheries.
Closures
See Fishing closures.
Rules and regulations
The Sardine Fishery is regulated under:
- Fisheries Management (Sardine Fishery) Regulations 2021
- Fisheries Management (General) Regulations 2017.
See the Commercial Sardine Fishery User Guide () for more information on:
- permitted species
- size limits
- commercial limits
- gear rules
- closures
- licence transfers
- demerit points.
Determinations
Contact
Hamish Telfer – Acting Commercial Fisheries Manager
Phone: (08) 8767 2358
Email: hamish.telfer@sa.gov.au
Claire Webber – Executive Officer, South Australian Sardine Industry Association
Phone: 0488 900 384
Email: eo@sasardines.com.au
