Distributed from Hervey Bay in southern Queensland, around southern Australia to Red Bluff in Western Australia (Ref. 188, 26420). Pilchards are also found in Bass Strait, across the north coast of Tasmania and along the east coast to Hobart (Ref. 6390).

Stock structure: Genetic studies on pilchards have been conducted at the University of New South Wales. Early work (Ref. 26426) proposed the existence of at least 3 separate breeding populations of pilchards in Australian waters. These population units were based on differences in spawning periods, vertebral counts and growth rates. However, a recent study (Ref. 27267) concluded that Sardinops is monotypic and the differences between these (and eastern Pacific populations) are not large enough for even subspecific status. The authors also concluded that sagax was the appropriate name for the species (Ref. ). Edmonds and Fletcher (1997) subsequently used stable isotope ratio to identify 3 separate stocks in Southwestern Australia.

Commercial fishery: In Australia, exploitation of pilchards began in the 1800s, although the development of a fishery was hampered by the lack of a substantial or consistent market. Since the 1970s, fishing for pilchards has intensified (Ref. 26420).

The largest pilchard fisheries are located in Western Australia with major fisheries in the coastal regions off Fremantle, in King George Sound and the surrounding Albany region and Bremer Bay. Smaller pilchard fisheries are located in Geographe Bay and Esperance areas in the southwest (Ref. 26428), and in other States. In Queensland, pilchards are taken occasionally as part of a mixed catch in beach seine fisheries (Ref. 26430). Pilchards are also harvested along the length of the New South Wales coast, although most of the catch is taken from waters between Ballina and Tweed Heads, Jervis Bay and south of Eden. In Victoria, pilchards are fished in waters within 1 km of shore east of Lakes Entrance, in eastern Bass Strait and in Port Phillip Bay. Small catches are also taken from Western Port and waters out side the Port Phillip Bay (Ref. 858, 26428). The only fishery for pilchards in South Australia is bait fishing by tuna pole-and-line fishers (Ref. 26428).

In Western Australia, the biggest catches of pilchards are made in winter (Ref. 26428). Most fishing is done in the early morning or late afternoon using echo sounders and sonar to locate schools, and pollard ('wheat germ' or chicken feed) to attract the fish. In Victoria, pilchards are fished all year with the largest catches being made during the late summer, autumn and early winter (Ref. 858, 26431). Commercial purse seiners fishing for pilchards there and in New South Wales work mainly at dusk or after dark using lights to attract the fish (Ref. 26428).

Purse seine nets are the main gear used in pilchard target fisheries (Ref. 26428, 26431). In Western Australia, a small quantity of pilchards is caught for bait by part time fishers and rock lobster and tuna fishers (Ref. 26428). They use lampara nets, hand hauled purse nets and beach seine nets (Ref. 26428). The average size of pilchards caught varies among locations but, in general, fish are between 14 cm and 16 cm long and 2-5 years old.

Pilchards have a high oil content which increases with the size of the fish (Ref. 858). The condition and fatness of fish are important for canning or oil production. Pilchards are used either for bait for anglers, rock lobster pots and fish traps, food for tuna in fish farms, pet food, or canned as 'sardines' for human consumption (Ref. 26428, 26430). There is also a small but increasing market for fresh pilchards in capital city fish markets (Ref. 26430). Most of the New South Wales catch is sold through the Sydney Fish Market or processed into pet food (Ref. 26428). Substantial quantities of pilchards were canned for human consumption or processed as fish meal in Victoria during the 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s. They are now used mainly as pet food with small quantities sold as recreational fishing bait or as fresh fish for human consumption.

Resource status: There is inadequate knowledge of the pilchard stock size (or biomass) in most fishing areas. Along the southwest coast of Western Australia, pilchards are heavily exploited, and during the 1990s there has been moderately heavy exploitation of other stocks. Also Ref. 28, 5868, 7300.