Foreword

The 2024 Status of Australian Fish Stocks (SAFS) Reports (6^th edition) contain assessments for 155 species, comprising 503 stocks. This is Australia’s most comprehensive status report ever completed on fish stocks.

Australia’s assessed fish, shark, ray, molluscs, crustaceans, sea cucumber and sea urchin stocks continue to be well managed, and a majority have been assessed as sustainable.

The strength of the SAFS reports continues to be their foundation in science. They provide information on the sustainability of fish stocks for a wide audience that includes the public, policy makers, managers, fishers, consumers, retailers or an international audience.

The 2024 reports incorporate an additional seven new species and 24 new stocks. The new species are Painted Sweetlips, Redbait, Redspot Emperor, Sandfish, Shortspined Sea Urchin, Striped Marlin and Western Yellowfin Bream.

SAFS authors use an online form to complete reports for the 6^th edition. The approach facilitates the collection of information required for Australia to meet its reporting requirements against the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 14 (Life Below Water) and Indicator 14.4.1 (Proportion of fish stocks within biologically sustainable levels).

To make the status reports more accessible to consumers, the 6^th edition is also available through a SAFS phone app. The app allows users to easily access key information about the species assessed and links back to the website, which contains the full reports.

Over one hundred Australian fisheries scientists were involved in producing SAFS 2024, with each report anonymously peer-reviewed by at least one independent expert. FRDC thanks all SAFS authors and reviewers for their involvement in the ongoing development of the reports and their commitment to rigorous scientific methods.

The 6^th edition of the SAFS reports demonstrates that most of Australia’s fish stocks are in a healthy state with management regimes in place to maintain and improve the sustainability of all our fisheries. Future editions will continue to provide a valuable tool to ensure the sustainability of Australia’s fish stocks into the future.