Catch, Effort and CPUE

Eastern School Whiting landings in Tasmania have fluctuated widely since 1998/99, with an historical peak catch of 54.0 t recorded in 2020/21 (Figure below). Catches from this fishery are influenced by a small number of Danish seine operators, who mostly operate on the southeast coast, in particular in the Derwent Estuary, although the Tamar Estuary has also been targeted in previous years.

Recreational catches of Eastern School Whiting are generally low, and this species is not an important target for the recreational fishery. Estimates of recreational catch have fluctuated between approximately 10-50% of commercial catch (Figure above).

Danish seine fishing effort has been variable over time, showing notable drops in 2005/06 and 2014/15 (Figure above). Effort in 2020/21 matched effort from the reference year, and CPUE showed a slight increase from the previous year (Figure above).