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White Teatfish is a species of sea cucumber found in northern Australia. It is assessed as sustainable on QLD's east coast and in the Torres Strait Bêche-de-mer Fishery. Stocks in the NT and the Commonwealth Coral Sea Fishery are undefined.

White Teatfish is broadly distributed throughout the tropical Indo-Pacific [Conand 1990]. There are likely to be multiple populations in all northern Australian states and territories. However, there is very little information on the distribution, abundance and stock structure of White Teatfish in northern Australia. Current taxonomic records indicate that its distribution extends from Ningaloo in Western Australia to Brisbane, Queensland [ALA 2018]. The known depth range of this species is 0–40 m, but most animals are caught between 15 m and 30 m [Conand et al. 2013].

Here, assessment of stock status is reported at the management unit level—Torres Strait Beche-de-mer Fishery, Coral Sea Fishery (Commonwealth), Trepang Fishery (Northern Territory) and East Coast Sea Cucumber Fishery (Queensland).

Coral Sea Fishery

There are no reliable indicators of current White Teatfish biomass for the Coral Sea Fishery, nor are there any reliable indicators of the impact of recent and historical catches on the successful recruitment of the stock [Noriega et al. 2022]. There is therefore insufficient information available to confidently classify the status of this stock. Annual catch of White Teatfish in the Coral Sea Fishery has averaged < 2 tonnes (t) over the last decade (2013–2022).  

On the basis of the evidence provided above, the Coral Sea Fishery (Commonwealth) management unit is classified as an undefined stock.

Torres Strait Beche-de-mer Fishery

The Torres Strait White Teatfish stock was last surveyed in 2019–20 [Murphy et al. 2021]. The estimated 4-zone average density in 2019–20 (1.8 individuals per hectare) was larger than the estimates in 1995–96 (1.2 individuals per hectare), 2005 (1.6 individuals per hectare) and 2009 (0.8 individuals per hectare), but lower than the 2002 estimate (2.5 individuals per hectare). Density of White Teatfish was variable across zones, ranging from 0 individuals per hectare (Great North East Channel) to 9.4 individuals per hectare (Don Cay). Estimated densities in waters deeper than 20 m (average 13.9 individuals per hectare) were consistently higher than the average densities for other shallower strata (the highest other stratum, the reef edge, was estimated to average 4.4 individuals per hectare). Estimated length frequency was similar to other survey years, with most individuals below the minimum legal length (320 mm).

The current TAC (15 t) was calculated through surveys in 2002 [Skewes et al. 2004]. It is likely that density for this stock (and therefore biomass) is underestimated because of the broad depth range of the species (up to 37 m) [Murphy et al. 2021] and the 20 m safety limit imposed on diving during surveys. Deep water (20–50 m) represents 31% of the survey area, and 72% of the estimated White Teatfish biomass. This indicates that a large proportion of the stock is afforded some protection from fishing.

Murphy et al. [2021] estimated the total biomass of White Teatfish in eastern Torres Strait, including the deeper waters, to be 1,493 t (lower 90th percentile 880 t); the lower 90th percentile of available biomass (biomass of animals larger than the minimum legal size of 320 mm) was estimated to be 143 t. Biomass estimates are gutted wet weight.

Catch of White Teatfish in 2021 was 2.0 t, up from 1.8 t in 2020, which are below the TAC and a small proportion of the estimated available biomass from 2019–20 surveys [Butler et al. 2022]. The stock has never been considered to have been reduced to below the limit reference point, and surveys in 2019–20 estimate densities that are similar to previous surveys. 

The above evidence indicates that the biomass of this stock is unlikely to be depleted, that recruitment is unlikely to be impaired, and that the current level of fishing mortality is unlikely to cause the stock to become recruitment impaired. 

On the basis of the evidence provided above, the Torres Strait Beche-de-mer Fishery management unit is classified as a sustainable stock.

White Teatfish (Sea Cucumber) biology [Purcell et al. 2012]

Distribution of reported commercial catch of White Teatfish. Due to confidentiality constraints, catches from the Northern Territory are not shown.

Northern Territory – Indigenous (Management methods). The Fisheries Act 1988 (NT), specifies that “…without derogating from any other law in force in the Territory, nothing in a provision of this Act or an instrument of a judicial or administrative character made under it limits the right of Aboriginals who have traditionally used the resources of an area of land or water in a traditional manner from continuing to use those resources in that area in that manner”.

Queensland – Indigenous (Management Methods). For more information see: https://www.daf.qld.gov.au/business-priorities/fisheries/traditional-fishing.

Queensland - Commercial (Catch). Queensland commercial and charter data have been sourced from the commercial fisheries logbook program. Further information available through the Queensland Fisheries Summary Report https://www.daf.qld.gov.au/business-priorities/fisheries/monitoring-research/data/queensland-fisheries-summary-report 

Queensland – Commercial (Management Methods). Harvest strategies are available at: https://www.daf.qld.gov.au/business-priorities/fisheries/sustainable/harvest-strategy  

Commonwealth – Recreational. The Australian Government does not manage recreational fishing in Commonwealth waters. Recreational fishing in Commonwealth waters is managed by the state or territory immediately adjacent to those waters, under its management regulations.

Commonwealth – Commercial (Catch). Catch is by calendar year. All catch is Indigenous in Torres Strait.

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