Stock Assessment of Ballot's saucer scallop (Ylistrum balloti) in Queensland, Australia

Abstract

This assessment estimates the status of saucer scallops in the main fishing grounds of the Queensland Southern Inshore fishery. The stock assessment data inputs included total harvests, standardised catch rates and fishery independent density estimates. The model used data from 1956 to 2020.

Analyses suggested that spawning biomass in 2020 fell to around 12 per cent of the unfished level. The report presents recommendations on fishing effort levels to begin rebuilding the stock to levels consistent with 40 per cent of unfished biomass.