Giant Australian Cuttlefish (Sepia apama) and Nova’s Cuttlefish (S. novaehollandiae), are commercially harvested in the MSF. The Giant Australian Cuttlefish is the largest and most abundant local cuttlefish species reaching a maximum size of 500 mm mantle length and weighing up to 10.5 kg. This species is endemic to Australia, broadly distributed around the southern coastline from Point Cloates, Western Australia to Moreton Bay, Queensland, including Tasmania.  Giant Australian Cuttlefish are generally found over seagrass beds and rocky reef habitats in waters of up to 100 m depth.

Two populations of Giant Australian Cuttlefish have been identified in South Australia. While the Cuttlefish stock in southern Spencer Gulf extends into Gulf St. Vincent, the northern stock is restricted to northern Spencer Gulf (NSG) with individuals returning to the site of hatching to breed at either one or two years of age. The NSG population forms a breeding aggregation at Point Lowly during late autumn and early winter each year. The species is semelparous, dying soon after spawning.

Source:  Assessment of the South Australian Marine Scalefish Fishery in 2018.  Report by PIRSA