Safe disposal of fish frames

January 12, 2021

THERE’S been a noticeable increase in fishers throwing fish frames back in the water near several popular swimming spots. In addition to kids and swimmers standing on fish spikes, discarded fish frames can also attract sharks and crocodiles. While it’s not an offence under fisheries legislation, everyone is encouraged to think of others when disposing of frames.

Here are some ways you can safely dispose them:

Use them for crab pot bait
Dispose of them at nearby council bins
Keep them and make a fish soup or stock
Freeze them and put them in your garbage bin on rubbish day or dispose of them at sea on your next fishing trip

In relation to coral reef fin fish, a recreational fisher:

Must not possess on board a boat a fish other than in any of the following forms – whole, gilled, gutted or filleted
May possess on board a boat a fillet of a fish – other than a blue spotted coral trout – as long as the length of the fillet is at least 40cm and the skin and scales are attached
Must not return fish to a boat that have been taken ashore from a boat and filleted, unless the length of the fillet is at least 40cm and the skin and scales is attached, or
Must not possess a live coral reef fin fish unless the person or fisher intends to immediately return the fish to the sea or to display the fish in an aquarium.

In relation to fin fish other than coral reef fin fish, a recreational fisher must not:

Remove the skin from a fish on a boat until the fish is brought to shore
Bring a fish ashore and remove its skin and return the fish to the boat
Divide a fish into portions other than in a way that allows an inspector to easily count the number of fish possessed by the fisher.

In relation to barred javelin or spotted grunter taken in the Gulf of Carpentaria, in addition to the above, a recreational fisher must:

Ensure that the whole fish is at least 40cm in length
Ensure that the fillet is at least 26cm in length.

For information that may apply to recreational fishers on a commercial fishing tour, consult the Fisheries Regulation 2008 and relevant management plan.