Crab is the largest single species recreational fishery in Western Australia, providing a quality recreational experience.
Commercially, Blue Swimmer Crabs are a readily available resource that can be sold in existing markets.
Previous recruitment overfishing coupled with a downturn in recruitment caused by changes in environmental conditions resulted in the closure of the fishery in 2007. As the fishery is due to reopen in December 2009 there is a need to discuss alternative management arrangements to prevent further closures, via management plans underpinned by elasticity and the ability to adapt to climatic perturbations.
From an industry perspective this project will emphasize the benefits of allowing fishermen flexibility in harvesting crabs to suit market conditions. The advent of new management arrangements would remove the inherent ‘rush to fish’, a shift towards a quota by numbers system will ultimately encourage fishers to retain larger heavier crabs, increasing the value of the catch by increasing the dollar value per kg, thus, maximising the economic yield of the fishery. Promoting the take of more mature crabs will allow a greater number of individuals to remain in the system and add to the standing and breeding stock of the fishery.
The proposed initiative will encourage the sustainable development of recreational and commercial fishing through fair allocation of resources between users to achieve optimum economic, ecological and social benefits from the use of those resources, sustainability through a triple bottom line approach.

Wild capture fisheries are a national asset. They contribute in two ways: USE as a social, cultural or economic asset, AND value created through people and MANAGEMENT systems guiding that use. Aquaculture is an increasingly important seafood source offering potential across all sectors.

The IRG's RD&E Strategy contains 5 Aspirations, 11 Principles and related Outputs. Their comprehensive, integrated approach provides a single framework that offers a key role for all stakeholders, locally and nationally.

The IRG's Strategy will be successful only when it resolves key challenges, including:
- poor understanding and awareness of the needs of indigenous fishery users, and their monitoring of progress toward social/cultural/economic aspirations they aspire to,
- lack of capacity (human, management, structural) of fishers and communities to respond to and benefit from this Strategy,
- lack of alignment between customary sea management practices, enterprise profit motives, social/cultural/economic drivers for community viability, and government practices,
- the diversity of indigenous fisheries, across cultures, geography, aquatic environments, species and economic opportunities.

The Strategy must:
- create a viable pathway forward,
- increase fishery value in the hands of users, and
- better align government policy and process. This will require a policy and regulatory gap analysis and review options to better align these with traditional sea management approaches.

Change will take time - but outputs must demonstrate increasing value (social/cultural/economic) to fishers and communities.

The Project Team will partner with 4-5 indigenous fishery communities to consult and understand their fisheries, aspirations, needs, capacities and alignment with social/cultural/economic factors. The Team will respond with actions that aim to boost fishery value. Local case studies will inform national approaches and about what works, when and where.

The project will cost effectively create new tools, structures, alignments, data, and capacities, in the hands of the IRG, indigenous fishers and communities.