Saucer scallop management changes

Training for fishers

One-on-one training sessions with our staff are available for the:

  • new trawl fishery logbook
  • new scallop reporting requirements
  • Qld eFisher app.

The sessions will cater to your individual operation and can be face-to-face, by telephone or online. You are welcome to bring any crew or family members with you.

If you would like to attend a training session, please submit a request and we will contact you directly to organise a time.

New saucer scallop fishery management arrangements and reporting requirements take effect at midday 1 March 2026.

The following changes to reporting requirements for the east coast otter trawl fishery are due to start in February and March 2026:

  • new otter trawl logbook
  • new saucer scallop reporting requirements.

New otter trawl logbook

New management arrangements

General requirements

Fishers must:

  • monitor the regional total allowable commercial catch (TACC) limits
  • only take saucer scallops in one region during a fishing operation
  • not remove saucer scallop meat from the shell at sea
  • return to a relevant port area or a landing place to unload saucer scallops within 36 hours of the regional TACC being reached or 18 hours after the close of the season at midday on 1 May.

Central region

Saucer scallops in this region will be managed under a:

  • TACC limit of 167,776kg whole-shell weight
    and
  • possession limit of 3,500kg whole-shell weight (equivalent to approximately 100 baskets).

Southern offshore region

Saucer scallops in this region will be managed under a TACC limit of 248,609kg whole-shell weight.

Southern inshore region

Saucer scallops will remain no take in this region.

The 2025 fishery-independent scallop survey revealed that the biomass was still low (below the 20% limit reference point for the fishery).

Quota reporting process

From midday 1 March 2026, fishers will need to report saucer scallop catches in the central and southern offshore regions against the relevant TACC:

  • Before landing, the commercial fisher in control must give a prior notice reporting the number of baskets of whole-shell and/or half-shell saucer scallops, by using the Qld eFisher app or calling 13 25 23.
  • Once all saucer scallops are fully unloaded and before returning to sea, the commercial fisher in control must give a weight notice (kilograms of whole-shell and/or half-shell scallops) by using the Qld eFisher app or calling 13 25 23.

If reporting via phone, you must:

The new OT12 otter trawl logbook will replace the OT11 logbook—it must be used from 16 February 2026.

Not taking scallops

If you don’t take saucer scallops during a fishing operation, you can continue to operate with no changes. However, you still need to report discarded saucer scallops and mud scallops via the paper logbook or the Qld eFisher app.

New paper OT12 logbooks with information sheets have been posted to all primary commercial fishing licence holders. The Qld eFisher app will also be updated, with the changes in effect from 16 February 2026.

Several industry-requested changes were made to simplify reporting and the new logbook has been tested by some trawl fishers at sea.

You can view and download the logbook templates.

Daily logbook form

The following fields have been removed from the daily logbook form:

  • ‘start shot’ and ‘end shot’ fields (effort section)
  • ‘number of containers’ field, except for saucer scallop (retained catch section)
  • ‘estimated weight’ field for slipper lobster, blue swimmer crab, three spot crab, Duncker’s pipehorse, pallid pipehorse and leader prawn (Penaeus monodon) (retained catch section)
  • ‘grade’ field for endeavour prawn and redspot king prawn (retained catch section)
  • ‘mixed prawn’ category (retained catch section) – you must report an estimated weight for each species of prawn, including when more than 1 prawn species is boxed together
  • ‘wet/dry boat’ question (effort section).

The following species have been added to the daily logbook form:

  • banana prawn and blue leg king prawn (target species list in effort section).

Gear description sheet

The following changes have been made to the gear description sheet:

  • The field ‘average trawl speed’ has been removed.
  • The following fields have been added:
    • ‘total net foot rope length’ – to be used in conjunction with the existing ‘total net head rope length’ to better understand the impact of lead ahead nets on fishing power
    • ‘computer mapping system version’ – to be used to better understand the impact of computer technologies on fishing power.
  • The reporting units have been changed from imperial to metric (to align with legislation) for the following fields:
    • ‘total net head rope length’ – fathoms to metres
    • ‘net mesh size’ – inches to millimetres
    • ‘otter board dimensions’ – feet to metres.

New scallop reporting requirements

Qld eFisher app

The Qld eFisher app will update on 1 March 2026 to support saucer scallop quota reporting, including prior and weight notices and quota balances.

If you use the app, you do not need to fill out paper logbooks and make multiple phone calls. The app:

  • automatically adds up the number of baskets of saucer scallop across your fishing operation, which can help you stay within possession limits in central region.
  • prefills your prior notice for you.

Upcoming changes are anticipated to introduce quota reporting requirements for saucer scallops from 1 March 2026.

Departures before 1 March 2026

  • Saucer scallop quota reporting will not be available in the Qld eFisher app before 1 March.
  • If your fishing operation starts before then, you can still use the app for logbook reporting but must complete quota reporting by calling 13 25 23 for your first trip of the season.
  • You will be able to use the app for all your reporting on subsequent fishing trips.

More information

Enquiries and support