*

Longfin Eel is considered a single biological stock for eastern Australia, but is assessed at the jurisdictional level due to the absence of a cross-jurisdictional stock assessment. Longfin Eel is classified as sustainable in New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania and undefined in Queensland.

The Longfin Eel has a wide species distribution that extends the entire eastern Australian coast from Cape York to Tasmania and is also found at Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island [Beumer and Sloane 1990], and in northern New Zealand [Jellyman et al. 1996]. The Australian stock structure was investigated via a microsatellite genetic study, and the results indicated a single panmictic biological stock along the east coast [Shen and Tzeng 2007]. However, there is currently no cross-jurisdictional stock assessment undertaken for the shared stock, so this assessment of stock status is presented at the jurisdictional level—New South Wales, Queensland, Tasmania and Victoria

Victoria

The Victorian Eel Fishery catches both Longfin Eel and Southern Shortfin Eel, which have different but overlapping distributions in estuarine and freshwaters east and south of the Great Dividing Range. Commercial fishing is generally confined to lower and estuarine reaches of waters that are open to fishing and predominantly targets migrating eels.

The Victorian Longfin Eel Fishery, which is managed as one stock, supports both recreational and commercial fisheries. The status of the Victorian Longfin Eel fishery has been evaluated using catch and nominal CPUE for the commercial eel fishery [Bell et al. 2023]. 

From 1979–80, annual catch increased to a peak of 59 t in 2004–05. The Millennium Drought (2001–11) affected Longfin Eel catch less than that of Southern Shortfin Eel. Fishing pressure (effort) increased dramatically in the late 1990s but declined into the early 2000s, after which it was variable from year-to-year. Since the Millennium Drought annual catch has been variable (2.7-17.8 t).

Between 1979–80 and 2000–01 nominal average annual CPUE was 1.6–18.8 kg per net-day (mean 10.3 kg per net-day). Throughout the Millennium Drought CPUE declined, reaching its lowest value of 0.24 kg per net-day in 2011–12.  Since then, however, CPUE has been slowly but steadily increasing to an annual average of 0.5–1.09 in the last three years.

Juvenile and undersized eels (elvers and “snigs”), known as “restock”, are netted from coastal rivers and relocated into designated culture lakes (confined lakes and impoundments) in inland western Victoria for on-growing to market size under an Aquaculture Licence. This practice, which commenced in the 1960s, is dependent on access to restock eels. Productivity from culture lakes is highly susceptible to short and long term and seasonal environmental variations, particularly drought [Victorian Fisheries Authority 2017]. 

There is no long-term estimate of recreational harvest of Longfin Eel in Victoria but it is believed to be very low. In recent surveys of recreational fishing licence holders, less than 0.4% of anglers fishing in rivers and lakes preferred to catch eels and just 2.6% indicated their favourite fish to catch was eel [Australian Survey Research 2012; Australian Survey Research Pty Ltd 2018].

Eel is an important resource for some Aboriginal communities. The use of fish traps, channels, and aquaculture systems (ponds and dam walls) in western Victoria dates back tens of thousands of years [Head 1989; Richards 2011]. However, there are no catch statistics for the Aboriginal harvest of eels from Victorian waters.

Despite strong environmental drivers that can severely reduce productivity, the Victorian Longfin Eel fishery is well-managed using a range of input controls and at least 30% of all connected rivers, creeks and streams with a common opening to the sea are closed to commercial fishing. The above evidence indicates that the biomass of this stock is unlikely to be depleted and that recruitment is unlikely to be impaired. The above evidence also indicates that the current level of fishing mortality is unlikely to cause the stock to become recruitment impaired.

On the basis of the evidence described above, Longfin Eel in Victoria is classified as a sustainable stock.

[Walsh et al. 2003, 2004]

Distribution of catches of Longfin Eel.

New South Wales – Commercial (Catch). Data are provided in financial years.

New South Wales – Recreational (Catch). Estimate from Murphy et al. [2020, 2022], based on a survey of Recreational Fishing Licence households. Note, estimates for eels are highly uncertain, with a relative standard error of greater than 30% and based on survey data from fewer than 20 households.

New South Wales – Indigenous (Management Methods). https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fishing/aboriginal-fishing)

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

Victoria – Indigenous (Management Methods). A person who identifies as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander is exempt from the need to obtain a Victorian recreational fishing licence, provided they comply with all other rules that apply to recreational fishers, including rules on equipment, catch limits, size limits and restricted areas. Traditional (non-commercial) fishing activities that are carried out by members of a traditional owner group entity under an agreement pursuant to Victoria’s Traditional Owner Settlement Act 2010 are also exempt from the need to hold a recreational fishing licence, subject to any conditions outlined in the agreement. Native title holders are also exempt from the need to obtain a recreational fishing licence under the provisions of the Commonwealth’s Native Title Act 1993.

Tasmania - Recreational (Management Methods). In Tasmania, an angling licence is required to take eels. There is a 12 fish daily bag limit for eels with a minimum size of 300 mm and a possession limit of 24 eels at any one time [IFS 2018].
Tasmania - Indigenous (Management Methods). In Tasmania, Indigenous persons engaged in traditional fishing activities in marine waters are exempt from holding recreational fishing licences, but must comply with all other fisheries rules as if they were licensed. For details, see the policy document 'Recognition of Aboriginal Fishing Activities” (https://fishing.tas.gov.au/Documents/Policy%20for%20Aboriginal%20tags%20and%20alloting%20an%20UIC.pdf).

Commercial catches of Longfin Eel.

1. Australian Survey Research 2012, Improving Inland Recreational Fishing Survey Report. DPI: Fisheries Victoria. Australian Survey Research Group Pty Ltd, Ormond, Victoria. 89 pp.
2. Australian Survey Research Group Pty Ltd, September 2018, Victorian Fisheries Authority Recreational Fishing Survey 2018
3. Bell, JD, Ingram, BA, Gorfine, HK and Conron, SD 2023, Review of key Victorian fish stocks — 2022. Victorian Fisheries Authority Science Report Series No. 38. Victorian Fisheries Authority, Queenscliff, Victoria, 141 pp.
4. Beumer, J and Sloane, R 1990, Distribution and abundance of glass-eels Anguilla spp. in east Australian waters. Internationale Revue der gesamten Hydrobiologie und Hydrographie 75: 721-736
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10. Inland Fisheries Service 2018, Tasmanian Inland Recreational Fishery Management Plan 2018-28
11. Jellyman, DJ, Chisnall, BL, Dijkstra, LH and Boubee, JAT 1996, First record of the Australian longfinned eel, Anguilla reinhardtii, in New Zealand. Marine and Freshwater Research 47: 1037-1040.
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13. Murphy, JJ, Ochwada-Doyle, FA, West, LD, Stark, KE, Hughes, JM and Taylor, MD 2022, Survey of recreational fishing in NSW, 2019/20 – Key Results. Fisheries Final Report Series No. 161. NSW Department of Primary Industries, Nelson Bay, NSW, Australia.
14. Pease, BC 2004, Description of the biology and an assessment of the fishery for adult longfinned eels in NSW. FRDC Final Report for Project No. 98/127. NSW Department of Primary Industries, Cronulla, New South Wales, 167 pp.
15. Purser, J, Cooper, P, Diggle, J and Ibbott, T 2014, Tasmanian Eel Industry Development and Management Plan, FRDC Project No 2012/208
16. Pusey, BB, Kennard, MM and Arthington, AA 2004, Freshwater Fishes of North-Eastern Australia, CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood, Victoria
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18. Schnierer, S and Egan, H 2016, Composition of the Aboriginal harvest of fisheries resources in coastal New South Wales, Australia. Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries 26:693-709.
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20. Teixeira, D, Janes, R and Webley, J 2021, 2019–20 Statewide Recreational Fishing Survey Key Results. Project Report. State of Queensland, Brisbane.
21. Victorian Fisheries Authority 2017, Review of key Victorian fish stocks — 2017 Victorian Fisheries Authority Science Report Series No. 1.
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24. Webley, J, McInnes, K, Teixeira, D, Lawson, A and Quinn, R 2015, Statewide recreational fishing survey 2013–14. Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Brisbane, Queensland