Fishing

Commercial fishers fined $26,000 for taking female mud crabs

female mud crabs fine commercial crabbers

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 …

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Wading the Broadwater flats for wily whiting

broadwater flats whiting

HI everyone, at the time of writing our local rivers had begun to clear after the recent heavy rain events. The bulk of the fish are in the lower to middle estuary reaches, taking advantage of the feeding opportunity created by the floods flushing baitfish and prawns downstream. This is giving us fun sessions on charters, with a wide variety …

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Chasing Cape York sailfish

cape york sailfish

SEPTEMBER is a great time of year to target western Cape York sailfish. As well, we get a few more decent weather windows, the temperature is warming and so is the fishing. The Hay, Mission and Embley rivers are also holding good numbers of barramundi and blue salmon. These fish are hanging around bait drains and adjacent dirty water lines, …

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Reconsider non-essential travel to the bay islands

Southern Moreton Bay islands

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 …

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Bucket list fishing trip in far north Queensland

bucket list fishing trip north queensland

I RECENTLY had the pleasure of taking a keen angler on a bucket list fishing trip in tropical north Queensland. He had set himself up with a couple of trips arranged through Fishing Cairns, one out to the reef to chase GTs and the other up the river with me to chase jungle perch and sooty grunter. The trips were …

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Coronavirus changes tropical rock lobster fishery

Tropical rock lobster

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 …

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Recreational fishers furious at Queensland government

rec fishers furious understanding recreational fishing

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 …

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Illegal fishers cop $63,000 in fines after Operation Turbo Reef

operation turbo reef illegal crab haul red handed crabbing rules queensland aussie salvage squad fined commercial fisher fined $12,000 deter black marketing

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 …

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Drought-breaking rain changes the game

drought-breaking rain brunswick heads fishing

WELL the drought’s over on the Northern Rivers! Twenty-four inches of drought-breaking rain in four days will do that. All those fish that were above Mullumbimby in the Brunswick River aren’t there anymore. We really needed a good flush of the system like this to get things moving both in the river and offshore. Offshore was stagnant, with cold water …

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Expanded FAD program reeling in fish and fishers

expanded fad program queensland

A PROJECT to boost the world-class fishing experience in southeast Queensland waters has been expanded with the installation of 15 new fish-attracting devices off the coast in early March. Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries Mark Furner said the FAD program involved floating buoys tethered offshore to attract fish. “We’re creating a world-class fishing experience by investing $1 million …

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