DAF

Be Crocwise Croc country (considered to be typical crocodile habitat) begins at the Boyne River south of Gladstone, and extends northward, up the east coast and across Far North Queensland. Crocodiles can sometimes also be found outside of croc country. Just because you can’t see a crocodile, it doesn’t mean there is not one close by. Crocodiles can stay underwater …

Working groups provide Fisheries Queensland with important operational advice on the sustainable management of our fisheries – a key action under the Sustainable Fisheries Strategy. We are currently seeking a range of people to join 14 fishery working groups, including commercial and recreational fishers, charter operators, seafood marketers and processors, conservation representatives and First Nations peoples. We look for a …

A diver has been caught illegally fishing for eastern rock lobsters in Long Reef Aquatic Reserve. On a recent patrol Fisheries Officers were conducting covert surveillance at Long Reef on the Northern Beaches of Sydney, when they intercepted a diver who was found with three eastern rock lobster taken illegally from the reserve. Two of the lobsters were prohibited in …

The Darling River was once again making headlines as the muddy waters were hardly visible through a blanket of dead fish. The Murray-Darling Basin Authority’s mantra of ‘just add water’ has had a schooling once again by Mother Nature as the kills came on the back of some of the highest inflows and floods on record. Closer to home, residents …

Thirty new public moorings will be installed across the Whitsundays to help protect sensitive coral on the Great Barrier Reef. The new environmentally friendly vessel moorings will be located at key points on the Reef to provide safe and sustainable access to some of the Whitsundays’ most popular snorkelling and anchorage sites. Townsville-based company Pacific Marine Group has been awarded …

Maritime Safety Queensland is focusing on responsibility for safety on the vessel skipper. You’re The Skipper, You’re Responsible is an initiative aimed at encouraging recreational operators to take responsibility for their actions on the water and for skippers to be aware they are ultimately responsible. If the skipper takes the lead, then crew and passengers will follow. You’re The Skipper, You’re …

A significant risk to Australia’s biosecurity was prevented by biosecurity officers securing approximately 38 tonnes of risk material, including boxes of turtle meat, frog meat, plant products, avian meat, pig meat, beef meat and raw prawns. Recently, a Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry biosecurity officer noted suspicious boxes of goods at a routine inspection in NSW. The observations led …

NSW DPI Fisheries is cracking down on the sale of black-market seafood heading into the Easter holiday period. Fisheries Officers will be conducting regular inspections across NSW to detect, deter and disrupt the black-market trade in seafood products. Buying seafood from established seafood retailers, authorised commercial fishers, fish and shellfish farmers this Easter will ensure the produce has met the …

Last month Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development compliance officers conducted a joint operation with Lancelin Police to apprehend people fishing for marron in the Moore River. The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) said the bust on February 26 came three weeks after the 2023 marron season had closed. A DPIRD spokesman said officers were continuing …

Did you know that the name jewfish refers to its large otoliths (ear bones) which are prized as jewels by some fishers? This year saw the inclusion of black jewfish in our biological monitoring program. The aim is to collect age, length, and sex data from areas of high catch for black jewfish in waters off the east coast of …