[[File:South Australian sardine fishery - total catch graph 1990-2012.PNG|alt=South Australian sardine fishery - Total catch (1990-2012)|thumb|left|South Australian sardine fishery - Total catch (1990-2012)]]
The South Australian sardine fishery targets ''Sardinops sagax'' and is the highest yielding single species fishery in Australia by volume.<ref>{{Cite report |url=https://figshare.utas.edu.au/articles/report/Stock_assessment_of_Australian_Sardine_Sardinops_sagax_off_South_Australia_2019/23171060/1 |title=Stock assessment of Australian Sardine (Sardinops sagax) off South Australia 2019 |last=Ward |first=Timothy |last2=Smart |first2=J. |date=2020-01-01 |publisher=University Of Tasmania |language=en |last3=Grammer |first3=G. |last4=Ivey |first4=A. |last5=McGarvey |first5=R.}}</ref>. The fishery employs the technique of [[purse seining]], which contributes to the sardines' status as sustainable.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Australian Sardine 2020 |url=https://fish.gov.au/report/311-Australian-Sardine-2020 |access-date=2024-02-14 |website=fish.gov.au |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Ward |first=Tim M. |last2=Wolfe |first2=Barrett W. |last3=Grammer |first3=Gretchen L. |last4=Ivey |first4=Alex R. |last5=King |first5=Edward |last6=Schiller |first6=Andreas |last7=McDonald |first7=Karlie S. |last8=Dambacher |first8=Jeffrey M. |date=2023-09-01 |title=Large sardine resource discovered off south-eastern Australia: Potential risks, challenges and benefits of establishing a new fishery |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308597X23002725 |journal=Marine Policy |volume=155 |pages=105739 |doi=10.1016/j.marpol.2023.105739 |issn=0308-597X}}</ref>. Schools of sardines are encircled by a net up to 1 kilometre in length which is then drawn closed at the bottom. The catch is then pumped on board the fishing vessel where it is stored in refrigerated holds at below freezing temperatures. 94% of the catch is used as feed in [[Southern bluefin tuna]] ranching operations off [[Port Lincoln]], South Australia.<ref>{{Cite report |url=https://figshare.utas.edu.au/articles/report/Stock_assessment_of_Australian_Sardine_Sardinops_sagax_off_South_Australia_2019/23171060/1 |title=Stock assessment of Australian Sardine (Sardinops sagax) off South Australia 2019 |last=Ward |first=Timothy |last2=Smart |first2=J. |date=2020-01-01 |publisher=University Of Tasmania |language=en |last3=Grammer |first3=G. |last4=Ivey |first4=A. |last5=McGarvey |first5=R.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Ward |first=Tim M. |last2=Wolfe |first2=Barrett W. |last3=Grammer |first3=Gretchen L. |last4=Ivey |first4=Alex R. |last5=King |first5=Edward |last6=Schiller |first6=Andreas |last7=McDonald |first7=Karlie S. |last8=Dambacher |first8=Jeffrey M. |date=2023-09-01 |title=Large sardine resource discovered off south-eastern Australia: Potential risks, challenges and benefits of establishing a new fishery |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308597X23002725 |journal=Marine Policy |volume=155 |pages=105739 |doi=10.1016/j.marpol.2023.105739 |issn=0308-597X}}</ref>. The remaining 6% of the catch serves human consumption, recreational [[fishing bait]] and premium [[pet food]] markets.<ref name=":2" />
The industry commenced in South Australia in 1991 with an annual catch quota of {{convert|1000|MT}}. In 2003, the fishery's annual quota was set at {{convert|36000|MT}}.<ref name=":0" /> By 2014, the annual quota had increased to {{convert|38000|MT}}.<ref name=":1" /> The fishery's total landed catch peaked at {{convert|56952|MT}} in the financial year 2004-05 stabilising at around {{convert|32000|MT}} per year thereafter.
