*

Vongoles are found in southern coastal waters. They occur in the intertidal zone of shallow bays and estuaries. SA has three management zones, with one zone sustainable, one undefined and one depleted. The stock in TAS is depleted. The WA stock is negligible.

Vongole (Katelysia spp.) is a species complex that inhabits southern coastal waters from Augusta in Western Australia to Port Jackson in New South Wales. They are found on sand banks in shallow bays and estuaries from the intertidal zone to a depth of five metres [Cantin 2010]. Stock structure is unknown. However, given the short larval life span, about 16 days for K. rhytiphora hatchery animals [Gluis and Li 2014], it is likely that Vongole populations in individual bays would be self-seeding and constitute functionally separate stocks.

Due to the potential for there to be a large number of stocks, assessment of stock status is presented at the management unit level—Western Australian Vongole Fishery; Ansons Bay Vongole Fishery (Tasmania); Coffin Bay Cockle Fishing Zone, Port River Cockle Fishing Zone, and West Coast Cockle Fishing Zone (South Australia).

Western Australia Vongole Fishery

Stock status for the Western Australia Vongole Fishery management unit is reported as Negligible due to historically low catches and the stock has not been subject to targeted fishing. The total catch was 0.1 t or less in 2004, 2005, 2012–2014 and 2017 and zero in other years and the species is not a major component of recreational landings. Fishing is unlikely to be having a negative impact on the stock.

Vongole biology [Riley et al. 2005; Gorman et al. 2010; Dent et al. 2012] *Note that differences in maturity (50 per cent) occur among species and locations

Active Vessels. Vongole can be collected from beaches and bay on foot therefore, ‘vessels’ are not always used. Hence, numbers of licences and fishers are presented here instead of vessel numbers. Licences refer to the number of licence holders with an endorsement to take Vongole for sale.   

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