Great Barrier Reef

WHILE surveillance vessels are out in force over the Christmas period targeting illegal fishing on the Great Barrier Reef, community members are being urged to help to protect the World Heritage Area by being the eyes and ears on the water. Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority field management director Chris Cochrane said the Reef belonged to everyone and reporting suspected …

On the first cast another large coral trout ate my plastic and swam straight into a bommie. I have never felt so out-gunned when using such a high calibre of gear. After hits and misses, a few little reefies such as stripey seaperch, a spanish mackerel and various sweetlip, we left the area with a score of coral trout five; …

CORAL reef fin fish will be off-limits from this Saturday, November 26 in the second of two annual closures that protect these fish during spawning season. Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol district officer Tony Loader said the closure would start immediately after midnight at the beginning of November 26 and end immediately before midnight at the end of November 30. “The …

CORAL reef fin fish will be off-limits from this Friday, October 28, as the first of two annual fishing closures that protect these fish during spawning season commences. Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol district officer Tony Loader said the two five-day fishing closures coincided with the new moon when key coral reef fish species aggregate to spawn. “October and November …

The 20,000-litre fuel tank provides plenty of fuel capacity for the long haul out to Wreck Reefs and back..  As for your freshwater needs, she holds 13,500 litres of fresh water for showers, cooking and hosing off gear and the deck. Upstairs on the bridge, she’s equipped with all the latest electronic equipment such as a 64 nautical mile Furuno …

Marine Park green zones are critical for protecting and conserving the biodiversity of marine ecosystems. They help protect fish breeding and nursery habitats such as seagrasses, mangroves, and shoals. Green zones are more important than ever as the Reef ecosystem recovers from the worst coral bleaching event to hit the Marine Park — doing whatever we can to minimise impacts is …

As the squid come in towards the light you can use the squid net to scoop them up quickly.  The dimmer switch comes into play if the squid are staying out of reach of the net.  Once you have attracted the squid to the light, slowly dim the light and the squid will come closer until you can reach them. …

A MACKAY dory operator has received a $6000 fine after being caught fishing for coral trout in a green zone in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. The Mackay Magistrates’ Court convicted the dory operator last week after he was detected fishing offshore of Mackay in the Swain Reefs area by aerial surveillance. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority’s …

RECREATIONAL and commercial fishers operating in the Burdekin area have been urged to take extra care to avoid dugongs. A local commercial fisher has notified the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority after sighting up to a dozen dugongs, along with adult-sized green turtles, foraging on seagrasses off the mouth of Groper Creek, near Ayr. Operations support manager Mark Read said it …

CORAL reef fin fish will be off limits from this Monday, November 9 in the second of two annual closures that protect these fish during spawning season. Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol district manager Bob Russell said the closure would start immediately after midnight at the beginning of November 9 and end immediately before midnight at the end of November 13. “The coral reef …