The fishery is managed by:
- a transferable quota system. Each of the 116 scallop licences has a number of tradeable units attached to it; each unit allows the holder to take 500 kg of scallops. The maximum potential catch for the fleet is capped at close to the long-term annual average catch of about 4,500 tonnes.
- a limited season (July - October) when beds with commercial quantities of fish are identified.
- a 80 mm minimum size limit, which allows for the scallops to have spawned twice before they are harvested.
- closed areas to protect juvenile beds.
- prohibition of dredging in sensitive inshore areas.
- a combination of telephone reporting and paper documentation by fishers to record the weight and other details.
Further information can be found on the Scallop Fishery page on the Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment web site.
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