Sand flathead rated as depleted in latest IMAS stock assessment

Tasmania's favourite fish rated as depleted today © TARFish

Today's announcement that sand flathead has been rated as depleted is a blow for Tasmania's recreational fishers as we head into peak fishing season.

Sand flathead is the "bread and butter" fish of recreational fishers, representing 70% of all recreationally caught fish.

"This news will be a shock for many Tasmanian fishers," said TARFish CEO Jane Gallichan.

"If fishers don't know what's going on, how can they help manage the fishery?

"We know fishers want to do the right thing and fish sustainably but they rely on the government to tell them when things aren't going well and the science behind it. They haven't done that in a broad, consistent and sustained way that has reached people in a way they can understand," she said.

This situation has developed as a result of chronic underinvestment in recreational fishing over an extended period.

"The State Government's investment in this critical fishery is shameful.

"In March 2021, the Tasmanian Liberal Party committed just $250,000 dollars for a "flathead for the future program" to "better understand stocks" and "work with fishers to improve sustainability."

"Right now, we have very little to show for this investment.

"All we have is a stock assessment that says the government has not done enough.

"I encourage the Minister to talk to fishers directly, to hold public meetings and to get this fishery back on track. We know management changes are being actively considered so it is time to put them out transparently for all recreational fishers to have a say.

TARFish has been calling on the government to increase their investment in the sand flathead fishery for over two years. Most recently through a community budget submission requesting $5m over 5 years.

"Today, I reiterate our budget request in the most urgent terms. Fund flathead properly," she concluded.

TARFish will be engaging with fishers directly and will attend any meetings held by the government.

The statistics:

• Recreational fishers land 184t of sand flathead each year. This represents 98% of the total take (commercial take is around 3 tonnes)*
• More than 50% of sand flathead are caught in the south-east of the state
• Tiger and blue spot flathead are not rated as depleted - only sand flathead.

*Catch information sourced from IMAS 2017-18 Recreational Survey and 2018-19 Scalefish Report.