South Australia has three Vongole (Mud Cockles) species that are commercially harvested.  These include ‘greys’ (Katelysia scalarina), ‘yellows’ (K. rhytiphora) and ‘whites’ (K. peronii). All three species inhabit shallow estuarine and marine embayments and are broadly distributed along the temperate coastline from Augusta, Western Australia to Port Jackson, New South Wales.

The stock structures of these species have not been resolved, but given the short larval periods of the genus individual bays are predicted to constitute separate stocks. In South Australia, three putative biological stocks have been identified as separate management zones, including the West Coast, Coffin Bay, and Port River. Vongole reach a maximum age of 29 years and attain sizes of 55 mm shell length (SL).  Size and age at maturity have been estimated at 23-31 mm SL and 4 years, respectively.

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