Spanner Crab Harvest Strategy Working Group

DPI Fisheries established the Spanner Crab Harvest Strategy Working Group to engage key stakeholders in a collaborative process to develop the harvest strategy for the NSW Spanner Crab fishery.

The Working Group process engaged industry, independent experts and key stakeholders in the design and development process, with public consultation also undertaken to ensure the views of all interested stakeholders were taken into account.

The Working Group was established as a sub-committee of the Commercial Fishing NSW Advisory Council (CommFish NSW). The appointed members and Chairperson were highly experienced and brought decades of experience to the Working Group.

Independent members of the working group included:

  • Chairperson - Dr James Findlay GAICD

Dr Findlay is a former Chief Executive Officer and Commissioner of the Australian Fisheries Management Authority, with several decades of experience in fisheries and aquaculture policy, management and research.

  • Independent Scientist - Dr Jeremy Prince

Dr Prince is an experienced fisheries assessment scientist with specific expertise in the assessment and development of harvest strategies for small-scale and data-poor fisheries.

  • Independent Economist - Dr Julian Morison

Dr Morison has over 30 years’ experience as an agricultural and natural resource economist, providing advice on economic aspects of fisheries management.

Other members of the Working Group included:

  • Mr Andrew Rigby, Mr John Joblin, Mr Ian Stewart McRae and Mr Gary Bordin appointed as Ocean Trap and Line – Spanner Crab Fishery representatives.
  • Mr Mitchell Sanders appointed as the CommFish NSW member.
  • Ms Patricia Beatty appointed as the Professional Fisher’s Association member.
  • Mr Daniel Johnson appointed as the NSW DPI Fisheries Scientist and Dr Veronica Silberschneider (with Mr Darren Reynolds as Deputy) as NSW DPI Fisheries Manager.

Terms of Reference – Spanner Crab Harvest Strategy Working Group

Meeting 1 - 1 October 2021 -  Online

Meeting 2 - 29 October 2021 -  Online

Meeting 3 - 28-29 April 2022 - Ballina

Meeting 4 - 4-5 August 2022 - Ballina

Meeting 5 - 9 September 2022 - Online

Meeting 6 -  21 October 2022 - Online

Meeting 7 -  2 February 2023 - Online

Final Chair's Summary

Public Consultation

Public submissions for the Draft NSW Spanner Crab Harvest Strategy were invited from 23 November 2022 and closed 9 January 2023. Feedback was invited using an online form available on the DPI website, and all feedback was considered. The Harvest Strategy is now finalised.