Improving confidence in the management of the blue swimmer crab (Portunus armatus) in Shark Bay PART II: Socio-economic significance of commercial Blue Swimmer crabs in Shark Bay. FRDC project no. 2012/15

Abstract

The Shark Bay crab fishery is faced with substantial changes. The fishery reopened in late 2013 after a 18 month closure due to a significant stock decline from adverse environmental conditions. The stock is now recovering and The Department of Fisheries Western Australia (DFWA) has implemented substantial management changes including the introduction of catch quotas to limit the catches of individual fishing businesses and a Total Allowable Commercial Catch (TACC) for the fishery. Fishers are challenged with adapting to the changes in management and inter-annual variability in crab catch volume linked to environmental conditions