The Shark Bay Scallop and Shark Bay Crab Managed Fisheries form two commercially important fisheries operating in Shark Bay, WA. Each fishery is managed under separate legislated arrangements which provide the quota management framework for the sustainable harvest of each resource.

Noting the primary method of managing these fisheries is via quota, it was essential that a process was established that provided the Department with accurate weights of all crabs and scallop landed to effectively monitor quota and the manage each resource.  Notwithstanding this, it was also important that the process was practical for industry and the Department to administer.

In developing a process, consideration was given to the unique challenges faced in these fisheries, given the long periods of time at sea, multi-species fishing (vessels are permitted to retain prawns, scallops and crabs), and the large quantities of product unloaded off the vessel at the end of each fishing period. In addition, being based out of a small regional town in northern WA presents its own operational challenges.

The Department has worked with industry to trial a voluntary quota reporting process for the past three years to overcome some of these challenges and assist in developing robust long-term arrangements.