Leatherjacket

Leatherjacket
Monacanthidae family

Illustration©R.Swainston/anima.fish

2020/21 Leatherjacket Status (Released Dec 22)

Stock Status UNDEFINED
Summary Several species of Leatherjacket are found in coastal waters around Tasmania. Most likely to be captured by coastal fisheries are the Brown-striped (Meuschenia australis), Toothbrush (Acanthaluteres vittiger), and Six-spine (Meuschenia freycineti) Leatherjacket. Leatherjackets are largely a by-product and not actively targeted due likely to a lack of market demand. However, impacts of historic catches (estimated at around 40 tonnes in 1995/96) on the biomass depletion of individual species are uncertain. Thus, there is overall insufficient information to confidently classify the status of Leatherjacket stocks, especially as multiple species are involved.
Importance Minor
Stock Tasmanian Scalefish Fishery
Indicator(s) Catch, effort and CPUE trends
Managing Jurisdiction Commonwealth

Background

Leatherjackets are reef-associated species of the Monacanthidae family (Edgar 2008). There is no substantial commercial fishery for Leatherjackets in Tasmania and a small recreational fishery for this family. In the commercial fishery, Leatherjackets are a generally discarded by-product of fish traps and netting operations.

The full 2020/21 Scalefish Assessment, released Dec 2022, can be found at the link:

Latest Scalefish Assessment

Learn more about what each stock status classification means on our Stock Status Classifications Information Page:

Stock Status Classifications

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Science Terms and Concepts

Scalefish Fishery

Regulations

Catch, Effort and CPUE

Social and Economic Indicators