Ocean jackets (Nelusetta ayraudi) are distributed in southern Australian waters from Cape Moreton in Queensland to North West Cape in WA (including Tasmania). They can be found in waters from 2 m to 200 m in depth. Juveniles of this species occur close to shore in bays and estuaries and have been caught in seagrass, over sand and rocky reefs (Miller and Stewart 2009).

In recent years, leatherjacket landings have been dominated by ocean jackets (Nelusetta ayraudi). Other species of leatherjacket which are significant in landings are the yellowfin (Meuschenia trachylepis), velvet (M. scaber), sixspine (M. freycineti) and fanbelly (Monacanthus chinensis). The status of all these species is undefined, due to a lack of biological and fishery data (Wilson et al. 2010).

The abundance of ocean jackets appears to have increased significantly since 1999/2000. Status of all other leatherjacket species is undefined (Wilson et al. 2010).

Ocean Jackets are considered to consist of two separate stocks, eastern and western. Stocks from the eastern Great Australian Bight and the south-east of South Australia are considered a common stock.