Fishing News

THE NSW Government is calling on anglers, community groups, councils and others to apply for funding under the Dollar for Dollar Native Fish Stocking program, with applications now open. NSW Department of Primary Industries Senior Fisheries Manager, Cameron Westaway said the Dollar for Dollar funding program complements the NSW Government’s native fish stocking recovery plan, by increasing fish stocking activities. …

WHITE spot disease has returned to southeast Queensland more than three years since the disease was first detected. Biosecurity Queensland undertook routine surveillance for white spot syndrome virus in Moreton Bay last month with mangrove swimming crabs returning positive for the disease. Subsequently, samples from two prawn farms on the Logan River in southeast Queensland also returned positive for white …

A RECREATIONAL fisher in Hervey Bay has been fined $5000 and ordered to pay restitution after admitting to interfering with commercial crab pots and illegally selling mud crabs. Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries Mark Furner said the man was caught after Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol officers began investigating reports of people interfering with commercial crab apparatus in …

THE Easter four-day weekend is typically a wonderful time for boating across Australia but 2020 is far from a typical year, with the Boating Industry Association urging people to please stay home this Easter. Fires, floods and now a pandemic have made this an extraordinary and challenging time. The BIA supports government countermeasures to protect Australians from the full impact …

TWO Central Queensland commercial fishers caught with female mud crabs have been fined $26,000 in the Rockhampton Magistrates Court. Member for Rockhampton Barry O’Rourke said the court’s penalty sent a message to all fishers that the illegal take of Queensland fisheries resources will not be tolerated. “By blatantly disregarding Queensland’s fisheries laws and taking protected species such as female mud …

The Redland City Local Disaster Management Group  and Redland City Council are encouraging people to reconsider their need for non-essential travel to the Redlands Coast islands. This includes North Stradbroke Island (Minjerribah), Coochiemudlo Island (Goochie mudlo), and the four Southern Moreton Bay islands of Russell (Canaipa), Lamb (Ngudooroo), Macleay (Jencoomercha) and Karragarra. The request comes as Chair of the Redland …

Coronavirus changes tropical rock lobster fishery area – Temporary expansion of tropical rock lobster fishery area Due to the impacts of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, the tropical rock lobster fishery area has been temporarily expanded south to 18°S (just north of Cardwell) for three months – this temporary expansion will be in place until, and including, 9 June 2020. This …

FOLLOWING a state-wide telephone conference last week, a network of concerned recreational fishing activists issued the following statement: The Sustainable Fisheries Strategy reforms Queensland Labor PROMISED us to improve our fish stocks appear to have been canned! Reforms that would have seen fish stock level ultimately raised to those already existing in the Net Free Zones were supposed to be …

MORE than 6251 marine invertebrates have been seized, 337 offences detected and $63,000 in fines issued in an operation designed to target illegal shellfish collection in the Sydney metropolitan region. The issuing of fines has completed Operation Turbo Reef, an initiative of NSW Department of Primary Industries Fisheries Compliance Unit. Acting Director Fisheries Compliance Brett Andrew said the operation is …

East coast black jewfish fishery CLOSED The annual catch limit for the east coast has been reached. Black jewfish is a no-take species on the east coast for all fishers for the rest of the 2020 calendar year. Penalties apply to any fisher caught taking black jewfish on the east coast during this closure. Penalties of up to $400 000 or 3 years imprisonment apply to any …