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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

Tasmania

In Tasmania the freshwater eel fishery catches adult Southern Shortfin Eel and Longfin Eel. The fishery is primarily focused on Southern Shortfin Eel, with Longfin Eel typically constituting less than 5% of the harvest by weight. The commercial fishery is managed by the Inland Fishery Service (IFS) with 12 commercial fishing licences that restrict operators to geographically defined areas. Fishing is not permitted in an extensive region in Tasmania including the World Heritage Area and 99% of rivers. Harvesting of juvenile eels is prohibited through application of a minimum legal size limit. The retained commercial catch for all eel species for the 2021–22 season was 31.2 t (at or exceeding minimum legal size limit), whereas, the total catch was recorded as 56.8 t (includes released animals). The Longfin Eel component is a small proportion of the overall eel catch, and the retained catch is lestimated at 3  t. Recreational eel fishing is limited by a bag limit, possession limit and minimum legal size limit which apply to both species [IFS 2018]. 

The IFS supports the fishery and the stock through annual catch of juvenile eels during their annual upstream migration and relocating these above stream structures [Purser et al. 2014]. Eel ladders and dam bypasses to assist eel migration have continued to be developed by IFS and Hydro Tasmania. Eel catches across both species are reported to have remained consistent over decades, with most of the fluctuation in catches due to changes in the commercial fishing sector and fluctuating market demand. The above evidence indicates that the biomass of this stock is unlikely to be depleted and that recruitment is unlikely to be impaired.

Longfin Eel is a small proportion of the Tasmanian eel catch. Tasmania is at the extreme end of the species' distribution and there is a naturally low abundance. A substantial portion of Tasmania's waterways are protected from eel fishing including those in the World Heritage Area where there are also fewer barriers to eel migration. Existing management restrictions appear to have successfully maintained catches of both species at a consistent level (although data available to assess this is limited). This evidence indicates that the currently level of fishing mortality is unlikely to cause the stock to become recruitment impaired. On the basis of the evidence provided above, Longfin Eel in Tasmania 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.

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2. Australian Survey Research Group Pty Ltd, September 2018, Victorian Fisheries Authority Recreational Fishing Survey 2018
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