Māori Octopus
Macroctopus maorum (Māori Octopus)
2022/23 Māori Octopus Status
| Stock Status | Sustainable |
| Summary | Māori Octopus may be at moderate risk of recruitment impairment in Tasmania, however annual catches remain low. A total of 12.4 t of Māori Octopus was landed commercially in 2022/23. |
| Stock | Tasmanian Māori Octopus |
| Indicator(s) | Catch; risk assessment of recruitment impairment |
Background
Māori Octopus in Tasmania is a by-product species landed in small quantities by the Southern Rock Lobster fishery, the Tasmanian Octopus Fishery and developmental Pale Octopus fishery, and the Tasmanian Scalefish fishery. It is also a target species of the very small Eaglehawk Bay octopus fishery. The Southern Rock Lobster fishery generally lands the highest catch of Māori Octopus. The formerly productive Eaglehawk Bay fishery targeting Māori Octopus has not been fully operational since the ban on gillnets in 2009, however small catches are sometimes still reported. Southern Rock Lobster and Scalefish fishing licences have a trip limit of 100 kg of retained octopus.
A pdf of the complete 2022-2023 Tasmanian Octopus Assessment is available here:
Learn more about what each stock status classification means on our Stock Status Classifications Information Page:
Social and Economic Indicators