During November and December 1983 and February to May 1984, the Commonwealth funded South Australian Deep Water Line Fishing Survey investigated the viability of droplining and trotlining on the continental slope off southeast Australia.

At present many south Australian fishermen rely heavily on rock lobster and the establishment of a trot/dropline fishery would provide a valuable alternative for this fishery, and could prove to be a substantial benefit to local fishermen.

In April 1983, the Minister for Primary Industry approved the expenditure of $83,500 from the Fishing Industry Research Trust Account towards a project aimed at providing an alternative fishery to the already established rock lobster and shark fisheries.