Stock assessment of white teatfish (Holothuria fuscogilva) in Queensland, Australia

Abstract

A stock assessment model was used to assess the population of white teatfish (Holothuria fuscogilva) in the Queensland Sea Cucumber Fishery (East Coast). The assessment used an age structured surplus production model with annual time steps. The model incorporated commercial catch data from 1996 to 2021, and commercial standardised catch rates from 1999 to 2021. The key population performance indicator was an annual estimate of exploitable biomass. The stock assessment estimated the exploitable biomass in 2021 was 76% of unfished levels in 1995.