Fishing Rules

Record your feral fish information

feral

A free resource for landholders, community groups, recreational fishers and biosecurity organisations, FeralFishScan is a purpose-built community website and app for recording feral fish sightings and evidence. Since European settlement, the deliberate or accidental introduction of non-native fish into Australian freshwater ecosystems has resulted in the establishment of many populations of pest fish species. These species are broadly considered as …

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Tagging female mud crabs

female

Fishers who support research by reporting tagged mud crabs in Queensland can get their claws on free escape vents. The reports will help researchers track the spawning migration of female mud crabs and learn more about the species. Department of Agriculture and Fisheries principal scientist Dr Julie Robins said the research would help ensure Queensland mud crab fisheries remained sustainable. …

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Redclaw biosecurity practices

redclaw

Do you know the biosecurity rules for redclaw in your area? We have 135 known species of crayfish in Australia. Many of these are endangered and at risk from crayfish plague, caused by people spreading species like redclaw beyond their natural range. You can follow good biosecurity practices for redclaw by: Do not return species to the water outside their …

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Fishing etiquette

etiquette

It’s been a few years since I wrote about fishing etiquette in this publication, but with an increasing amount of frustration on and around the water from the selfish actions of others, I thought it was time for a refresher and update on this topic. I understand many readers will be doing the right thing – however a few reminders …

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Know the rules of crabbing

crabbing

Crabbing is one of Queenslander’s favourite pastimes, but do you know the rules? There are restrictions in place to protect mud, blue swimmer, spanner and three-spotted crabs from overcollection. Here’s a rundown: Mud crab: – Size limit: 15cm minimum – Possession limit: 7 per person/14 per boat (with 2 or more people on board) – Female mud crabs must be …

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Do the right thing for fishing and the environment

litter

With popular fishing locations seeing a recent increase in fishing activity, in some cases unfortunately that means more litter and lost fishing gear. Fishing related litter and debris can have a big impact on wildlife that interact with it. Birds, turtles, seals, platypus and other aquatic animals can be accidentally injured by discarded fishing tackle, including fishing line, hooks and …

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National Carp Control Plan

National Carp Control Plan

The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry has publicly released the National Carp Control Plan and nine technical papers. The NCCP represents comprehensive scientific research outcomes, investigating the technical feasibility of using cyprinid herpesvirus 3 as a biological control agent for carp. One of the most wide-ranging assessments of a biological control strategy for aquatic environments ever undertaken globally, the …

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How to catch sand whiting

whiting

Hi everyone, November on the Gold Coast is when some of our favourite fish start to fire up, and that includes sand or summer whiting. These incredibly prolific fish are distributed along the east coast of Australia, from Cape York south to Tasmania. They spawn two to three times at river mouths and surf zones during September to April and …

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Rules regarding closed waters near dam walls and weirs

Do you know the rules regarding closed waters near dam walls and weirs? 🤔 Fisheries Queensland has noticed an increase in anglers fishing near the Mt Crosby Weir over the past couple of months. Fishing within 100m upstream and 200m downstream of the Mt Crosby Weir is illegal. These closures are in place for your safety and the safety of …

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Regulations for marking and using crab pots

There are regulations for marking and using crab pots.  Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol officers found several incorrectly marked crab pots in Weipa. The pots were removed from the water and seized. Crabbing can be a great experience when you follow the regulations. Remember:  A person must not possess more than 4 pots.  Pots must be marked with the name …

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