Increasing fishing efficiency is one of the main ways fisheries can improve their profitability. This can be achieved in two ways for species that exhibit seasonal variation in weight – harvesting fewer individuals for the same catch (raise CPUE by increasing stock abundance), or catching the same number of fish but obtaining a larger catch (increase catch per day and overall). Recent research has demonstrated there are benefits to changing the fishing season in greenlip abalone, using information on their seasonally variable biology, to increase revenue, reduce exploitation rates, or achieve a combination of these two management objectives. This research has resulted in changes to seasonal greenlip fishing patterns made by Industry in the Western Zone of South Australia.
Blacklip abalone constitute 82% of the Australian abalone catch, so considerable benefits could be obtained from changes to the fishing season if they exhibit similar seasonal biological traits to greenlip. However, there are currently insufficient data to evaluate this. This project will address the need for additional information on the seasonal biology of blacklip and, following the success with greenlip, has been developed in direct response to the Western Zone of the South Australian abalone fishery seeking similar information on blacklip abalone. The proposal was discussed and supported by members of the Abalone Council of Australia in Adelaide on the 2nd May 2014 and is also a high priority for PIRSA Fisheries and Aquaculture.
The project will enable an analysis of newly obtained and existing data using the model already developed for greenlip. The outputs will be a cost-benefit analysis across a range of temporal fishing pattern scenarios. The key outcome will be adjustment of seasonal blacklip harvests, by industry, to maximise profitability.

In 2010 marine biotoxins are being targeted by Chinese and Japanese authorities for import testing of Australian shellfish, including abalone. Australia is a major exporter of ‘wild caught’ abalone, with over 50 % of Australian abalone caught in 2008 exported to Hong Kong and China, therefore the results and cost of these import testing regimes can have a significant impact on this trade.

Codex are progressing an international abalone standard with proposed marine biotoxin testing components. These standards could require Australia to intensively sample abalone from the coast line and would have large cost implications for industry.

The EU have reduced requirements for biotoxins in abalone, however some end product testing of abalone for biotoxins is still required for access and this imposes additional cost on industry.

The proposed project involves testing of wild caught abalone for biotoxins. The core purpose of the data collected in the project is to improve the quality of the risk assessment. This risk assessment can then be used to support:
- negotiations towards risk based biotoxin testing requirements in the international Codex standard, and
- reduced testing requirements for abalone going to China, Japan and the EU (e.g. aim for no end product testing).

The project will also provide scientific information to support risk management strategies to assist in decision making if biotoxins ever do become an issue for abalone in Australia.

An objective in the strategic plan of the Abalone Council of Australia (ACA) is to “Determine the product quality and integrity parameters specific to each product type”. In relation to this objective, the ACA have strongly supported the development of this project, which aims to determine the quality of abalone with respect to marine biotoxins and will underpin future negotiations on international requirements for biotoxins in abalone.

Approximately 48% of the total Australian abalone legally captured (5465 tonnes) in 2006/2007 was exported to China (+Hong Kong). The Chinese market accounts for ~70 % of all exported abalone (3911 tonnes).

In China the retail price of Haliotis discus hannai (in shell Japanese abalone) in 2005 was RMB 250/kg (~$52 AUD) and the price in 2008 is RMB 150/kg (~$31 AUD). One possible forecast is for rising volumes of abalone from Chinese aquaculture, with further declines in Chinese domestic prices.

The high reliance of the Australian abalone sector on the Chinese market, falling prices in China, and the introduction of strengthened import requirements for live seafood into China (including requirements for testing seafood for a range of pathogenic bacteria and marine biotoxins) suggests that market diversification would be beneficial.

The EU, North America, and China are the biggest markets for seafood (~350 million seafood consumers), however the EU is the biggest importer of seafood. The EU produces limited quantities of abalone at the moment (e.g. Ireland and France produce small amounts).

Until March 2007 several companies in Australia were exporting abalone to the EU, since this time the EU abalone market has been ‘closed’ due to the EC requirement to classify production areas.

The low scale production of abalone in the EU coupled with the declining prices and new food safety requirements for abalone in China presents a market opportunity for Australian abalone in the EU.

The abalone industry (ACA and AAA) has expressed a desire to re-enter the EU market. This project aims to provide information for use in technical market access negotiations to assist in ‘re-opening’ the EU market for Australian abalone.

Industry faces a range of regulatory requirements for storage and transport of live oysters, notably: ASQAP stipulates colder than 10°C after 24 hours;
· current AQIS Export Control (Fish and Fish Products) Orders 2005 indicate that live oysters should be stored at 5°C UNLESS alternative storage arrangements can be validated and shown to not affect fitness for human consumption;
· NSW currently have a dispensation for colder than 25°C for 72 hours then colder than 15°C thereafter.