Blue swimmer crab stock
Species
- Blue swimmer crab (Portunus armatus)
Fish stock status
Although a species may be classified as sustainable under the Status of Australian Fish Stocks (SAFS) framework, this does not mean that the stock is meeting Queensland targets under the harvest strategy.
| Stock | 2023 | 2020 | 2018 | 2016 | 2014 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North-Eastern Australia | Sustainable | Sustainable | Sustainable | Sustainable | Sustainable |
Stock assessment
Monitoring
We collect data on the abundance, size and sex of juvenile blue swimmer crabs using scientific trawl surveys.
The data is used to:
- estimate an annual index of abundance
- identify trends over time
- examine the relationship between juvenile abundance and subsequent catches of blue swimmer crabs in the commercial fishery
- aid in the assessment of the blue swimmer crab stock.
Surveys were undertaken between 2007 and 2022, targeting Moreton Bay and Hervey Bay. Sampling within these areas has changed over time, however sites to be sampled are always selected randomly. Due to the variety of times and locations sampled, especially during the initial survey years, a subset of all available data is used to estimate the best index of abundance.
Length
The size of crabs sampled ranged in size between 11 and 85mm. The most common size class was 31-35mm. More than 75% of the juvenile crabs caught were between 21 and 55mm.
Age
Annual sex ratios of juvenile blue swimmer crabs were similar over the spread of years with an average of 45% females and 55% males.
Ecological risk management
Assessed in the mud and blue swimmer crab fishery.