More sardines could be on the menu if proposed plans to expand commercial fishing limits are passed in South Australia, with the fishery’s peak body looking to develop its human consumption market.
Key points:
- The SA sardine industry has the potential to expand if new fishing limits are introduced
- A new draft Sardine Fishery Management Plan for SA is open for public submissions
- The industry is enthusiastic about the proposed increase to fishing limits
South Australia’s new draft Sardine Fishery Management Plan is now open for public consultation.
Under the ten-year plan by the Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA), the commercial fishery would be able to catch 8 per cent more sardines.
Gavin Begg, PIRSA’s executive director of fisheries and aquaculture, said new research had revealed sardine stocks were strong in SA waters.
“They’ve been doing amazingly well actually, it’s a sustainable stock and … the number of fish out there in the ocean are at a really high level,” Mr Begg said.
“I think it’s a combination of factors, we’ve had really conservative fishing strategies.
“At the same time, I’m sure environmental conditions have been conducive to spawning and recruitment.”
38,000 tonnes caught last year
Mr Begg said under the old management plan, the allowable sardine catch was 25 per cent of the biomass.
“The new management plan goes up to 33 per cent, and that’s an international global standard,” he said.
“Ideally the target is to make sure there’s more than 200,000 tonnes of fish in the water that are swimming around at any time — and of that, the maximum that [can] be taken out would be up to 55,000 tonnes.”
Commercial sardine fishing in Australia primarily takes place in the Spencer Gulf and the Gulf of St Vincent in restricted zones.
It is the largest fishery by volume in the country, catching 38,000 tonnes last year.
Sardines from SA are predominantly used to feed tuna.
There is a small human consumption market, but no export market in the state.
What the industry says
SA Sardine Association executive officer Claire Webber said the potential increase in sardine fishing limits was good news for the industry.
“We’d have to develop our markets … currently the majority of our product goes to the southern blue fin tuna industry here in Port Lincoln,” Ms Webber said.
“But what we could do is … look at developing our human consumption market, because at the moment it’s really undeveloped.”
She said naturally consumed sardines were good eating and were not overly salty.
“If you have a freshly cooked panko crumbed butterflied sardine fillet, I would tell you it would be up there with any garfish or whiting,” she said.
“It’s a delicious fish and it’s really high in those omega oils that we need to keep our hearts and brains healthy.”
The SA Sardine Association was consulted during the creation of the draft Sardine Fishery Management Plan and will also make a submission during the consultation period.
“The industry will be making a public submission through this process and I encourage anyone interested to jump on to the PIRSA website, and have a look at the consultation which ends on May 28,” Ms Webber said.