Tuna and Billfish fisheries

Eastern Tuna and Billfish
The Eastern Tuna and Billfish Fishery extends from Cape York, Queensland, to the South Australian/Victorian border. Fishing occurs in both the Australian fishing zone and adjacent high seas.

Southern Bluefin Tuna
Southern bluefin tuna (SBT) is a highly migratory species and is widely distributed throughout waters of the southern oceans. The key areas where SBT is caught are the Great Australian Bight and waters off south eastern Australia.

Skipjack Tuna
The Western and Eastern Skipjack Fisheries (WSF and ESF) extend throughout the areas of the Western Tuna and Billfish Fishery (WTBF) and the Eastern Tuna and Billfish Fishery (ETBF), excluding Area E (Cairns/Townsville Restricted Area) of the ETBF. These fisheries also extend to high seas areas of the Indian Ocean and western and central Pacific Ocean.

Western Tuna and Billfish
The Western Tuna and Billfish Fishery extends westward from Cape York Peninsula (142°30’E) off Queensland to 34°S off the west coast of Western Australia. It also extends eastward from 34°S off the west coast of WA, across the Great Australian Bight to 141°E at the South Australian/Victorian border.

Page last updated 1 July, 2008