Your legal obligation for invasive freshwater animals
Queensland has the highest diversity of freshwater fish in Australia. Unfortunately, this diversity is threatened by invasive fish (pest fish), which have successfully established in some of our waterways. Some invasive fish pose such a threat to Queensland waters that they have been listed as 'noxious' in Queensland legislation.
Noxious fish
Noxious fish are invasive fish that have been listed as harmful by Queensland law because they are, or may become, a serious problem for native aquatic communities and require specific actions and restrictions to manage them. Noxious fish have characteristics that are detrimental to other fish, aquatic habitats or humans.
Your legal requirements
Prohibited noxious fish
The Biosecurity Regulation 2016 (the Regulation) identifies species that are prohibited noxious fish (refer to Schedule 1, Part 6 of the Regulation). These species are not in Queensland, nor are they able to be brought into Queensland. If sighted, they must be reported to Biosecurity Queensland within 24 hours of the sighting.
Restricted noxious fish
The Regulation identifies 7 species as restricted noxious fish (refer to Schedule 1A, Part 1 of the Regulation):
- carp (Cyprinus carpio)
- Chinese weatherfish, weatherloach (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus)
- climbing perch (Anabas testudineus)
- freshwater gold clam (Corbicula fluminea)
- gambusia (Gambusia holbrooki)
- spotted gar (Lepisosteus oculatus)
- tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus and Tilapia mariae).
If you sight any of the following fish, you must report this to Biosecurity Queensland within 24 hours:
- alligator gar (Atractosteus spatula)
- black pacu (Piaractus brachypomus)
- giant cichlid (Boulengerochromis microlepis)
- marbled lungfish (Protopterus aethiopicus)
- spotted gar (Lepisosteus oculatus).
You must not move these fish, give them away, sell them or release them into the environment. You have a general biosecurity obligation to take all reasonable and practical measures that are under your control to minimise the risk of these fish escaping until you receive advice from an authorised officer.
If you catch any of the following fish, you must immediately humanely kill them and dispose of them responsibly away from the water body, and you must not use them for bait:
- carp (Cyprinus carpio)
- Chinese weatherfish or weatherloach (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus)
- climbing perch (Anabas testudineus)
- gambusia (Gambusia holbrooki)
- tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus and Tilapia mariae).
You must not keep these fish, feed them, give them away, sell them or release them into the environment. By law, you have a general biosecurity obligation to take reasonable and practical measures that are under your control to minimise the risks associated with restricted invasive fish.
Banned as bait
You can’t use noxious fish as bait. Don’t return these fish to the water, dead or alive. To achieve your general biosecurity obligation, don’t use any invasive fish as bait.
Prohibited high-risk aquarium animals
To achieve your general biosecurity obligation relating to non-native, high-risk ornamental fish, you must not possess or bring into Queensland any listed prohibited species. If you believe you have any of these species, you should immediately contact Biosecurity Queensland.
See the Biosecurity Regulation 2016 for all listed species.
In Queensland, any species not listed on the Australian Government's Live Import List are also considered biosecurity matter. It is an offence under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) to import or trade these species.
In Queensland you are not permitted to keep offspring of fish or other invertebrates that were bred in Australia before import restrictions on that species.
A factsheet is available with further information on importing, trade and keeping aquarium fish in Queensland.
Read more about identifying invasive freshwater animals.
Report illegal invasive fish activities
Contact Biosecurity Queensland to report illegal invasive fish activities in Queensland.
Phone the Fishwatch Hotline on 1800 017 116 to report illegal fishing activities in Queensland.
Further information
- Read the Noxious fish of Queensland factsheet.
- Contact us online, by phone or in person.