Recreational fishing rules
Size and possession limits - tidal waters
General possession limit
There is a general possession limit of 20 for all tidal species not listed on this page.
Coral reef fin fish closures apply. In addition to individual possession limits for each coral reef fin fish species listed, a combined possession limit of 20 in total of all coral reef fin fish applies.
Cods and groupers
Species | Size and possession limits |
|---|---|
All (exceptions follow) | 38cm min Combined limit of 5 in total of all cod and grouper species |
Barramundi cod | No take |
Camouflage grouper | 50cm min 70cm max Combined limit of 5 in total of all cod and grouper species |
Flowery rockcod | 50cm min 70cm max Combined limit of 5 in total of all cod and grouper species |
Greasy rockcod | 38cm min 100cm max Combined limit of 5 in total of all cod and grouper species |
Maori rockcod | 45cm min Combined limit of 5 in total of all cod and grouper species |
Potato rockcod | No take |
Queensland groper | No take |
Coral trout
Species | Size and possession limits |
|---|---|
All (exceptions follow) | 38cm min Combined limit of 7 in total of all trout species |
Blue spotted coral trout (Chinese footballer) | 50cm min 80cm max Combined limit of 7 in total of all trout species |
Emperors
Species | Size and possession limits |
|---|---|
All (exceptions follow) | 25cm min 5 per species |
Redthroat emperor (sweetlip emperor) | 38cm min Possession limit of 8 |
Long nose emperor | 38cm min Possession limit of 5 |
Spangled emperor | 45cm min Possession limit of 5 |
Fusiliers
Species | Size and possession limits |
|---|---|
All | Possession limit of 20 |
Parrotfishes
Species | Size and possession limits |
|---|---|
All | 25cm min 5 per species |
Surgeonfishes
Species | Size and possession limits |
|---|---|
All | 25cm min 5 per species |
Sweetlips
Species | Size and possession limits |
|---|---|
All | 25cm min 5 per species |
Tropical snappers and sea perches
Species | Size and possession limits |
|---|---|
All tropical snappers and sea perches (including Moses perch (snapper) (exceptions follow) | 25cm min 5 per species |
Chinaman fish | No take |
Crimson snapper (small mouth nannygai) and | 40cm min Combined limit of 9 in total of both species |
Flame snapper | 38cm min Possession limit of 5 |
Goldband snapper and Sharptooth snapper | 38cm min Combined limit of 5 in total of both species |
Green jobfish | 38cm min Possession limit of 5 |
Hussar | 25cm min Possession limit of 10 |
Rosy snapper (jobfish) and | 38cm min Combined limit of 8 in total of both species |
Paddletail | No take |
Red bass | No take |
Red emperor | 55cm min Possession limit of 5 |
Ruby snapper | 38cm min Possession limit of 5 |
Smalltooth jobfish | 38cm min Possession limit of 5 |
Miscellaneous jobfish | 38cm min 5 per species |
Wrasse
Species | Size and possession limits |
|---|---|
All (exceptions follow) | 30cm min 5 per species |
Humphead Maori | No take |
Tuskfish (all species) | 30cm min Combined limit of 6 in total of all tuskfish species |
Australian bass †
Species | Size and possession limits |
|---|---|
All | 30cm min Possession limit of 2 Read note 1 |
Barramundi †
Species | Size and possession limits |
|---|---|
All | 58cm min 120cm max Possession limit of 5 per person / 10 per boat (with 2 or more people on board) Read note 1 |
Bream
Species | Size and possession limits |
|---|---|
Pikey, Tarwhine and Yellowfin | 25cm min Combined limit of 30 in total of these species |
Bugs ^
Species | Size and possession limits |
|---|---|
Moreton Bay (bay lobster) | 7.5cm min (across widest part of carapace) Possession limit of 20 Read note 2 |
Smooth (Balmain) | 10.5cm min (across widest part of carapace) Possession limit of 20 Read note 2 |
Cobia (black kingfish)
Species | Size and possession limits |
|---|---|
All | 75cm min Possession limit of 2 |
Cod (estuary)
Species | Size and possession limits |
|---|---|
Blackspotted rockcod and Goldspotted rockcod | 38cm min 120cm max Combined limit of 5 in total of all cod and grouper species |
Crab ^†
Species | Size and possession limits |
|---|---|
Blue swimmer | 11.5cm min Possession limit of 20 Read note 2 |
Mud | 15cm min Possession limit of 7 per person / 14 per boat (with 2 or more people on board) Read note 2 |
Spanner † | 10cm min Possession limit of 20 |
Three-spot | 10cm min Possession limit of 20 Read note 2 |
Eels
Species | Size and possession limits |
|---|---|
Longfin, Pacific shortfin (south Pacific) and Southern shortfin | 30cm min Combined limit of 10 in total of all species |
Flathead
Species | Size and possession limits |
|---|---|
All (exceptions follow) | 30cm min Combined limit of 5 in total of all species (except dusky flathead) |
Dusky (mud flathead) | 40cm min 75cm max Possession limit of 5 |
Garfish
Species | Size and possession limits |
|---|---|
All | No size limit Possession limit of 50 |
Green snail
| Species | Size and possession limits |
|---|---|
| All | 280g min Possession limit of 20 |
Golden snapper (fingermark)
Species | Size and possession limits |
|---|---|
All | 35cm min Possession limit of 5 |
Grass emperor (sweetlip)
Species | Size and possession limits |
|---|---|
All | 30cm min Possession limit of 10 |
Javelin
Species | Size and possession limits |
|---|---|
Barred (spotted grunter)(East coast) | 40cm min Possession limit of 10 |
Barred (spotted grunter)(Gulf of Carpentaria) | 40cm min (whole or with head or tail removed) or 26cm min (fillet length) 10 whole fish or 20 fillets |
Silver (small spotted grunter) | 30cm min Possession limit of 10 |
Jewfish
Species | Size and possession limits |
|---|---|
Black (East coast) | 75cm min Possession limit of 1 per person / 2 per boat (with 2 or more people on board) Fish must be kept whole while on a boat. Note: Will become a no-take species if the annual total allowable commercial catch is reached – fishery currently closed. |
Black (Gulf of Carpentaria) | 60cm min Possession limit of 1 per person / 2 per boat (with 2 or more people on board ) Fish must be kept whole while on a boat. Note: Will become a no-take species if the annual total allowable commercial catch is reached – fishery currently open. |
Scaly (jewel fish) | 45cm min Possession limit of 20 (fish must be kept whole while on a boat) |
Luderick
Species | Size and possession limits |
|---|---|
All | 30cm min Possession limit of 10 |
Mackerel
Species | Size and possession limits |
|---|---|
Grey | 60cm min Possession limit of 5 |
Spanish | 75cm min Possession limit of 3 per person / 6 per boat (with 2 or more people on board) |
School | 50cm min Possession limit of 10 |
Shark | 50cm min Possession limit of 10 |
Spotted | 60cm min Possession limit of 5 |
Mahi mahi (dolphin fish)
Species | Size and possession limits |
|---|---|
All | 50cm min Possession limit of 5 |
Mangrove jack
Species | Size and possession limits |
|---|---|
All | 35cm min Possession limit of 5 |
Mullet
Species | Size and possession limits |
|---|---|
Diamondscale | 30cm min Possession limit of 20 |
Sea | 30cm min Possession limit of 20 |
| Mullet exceptions (all other mullet except diamondscale, sea and freshwater) | No size limit Possession limit of 50 |
Bivalve molluscs and gastropods
Includes pipis, mud whelks and cockles, and excluding oysters.
Species | Size and possession limits |
|---|---|
All (exceptions follow) | No size limit Combined possession limit of 30 except in Moreton Bay where bivalve molluscs and gastropods (excluding pipi) are no take |
Clams (family Tridacnidae), Helmet shells and Trumpet shells | No take |
Oysters ≈
Species | Size and possession limits |
|---|---|
All (exceptions follow) | No size limit Possession limit of 20 Read note 3 |
Blacklip pearl oyster | 9cm min Possession limit of 20 Read note 3 |
Goldlip pearl oyster | 13cm min 23cm max Possession limit of 20 Read note 3 |
Mulloway
Species | Size and possession limits |
|---|---|
All | 75cm min Possession limit of 2 (fish must be kept whole while on a boat) |
Pearl perch
Species | Size and possession limits |
|---|---|
All | 38cm min Possession limit of 4 |
Prawns ‡
Species | Size and possession limits |
|---|---|
All | No size limit Possession limit of 10 litres per person / 20 litres per boat (with 2 or more people on board) Read note 4 |
Rays
Species | Size and possession limits |
|---|---|
All (exception follows) | 1.5m max or interdorsal length 60cm max Possession limit of 1 |
| Guitarfish | 1.5m max or interdorsal length 60cm max Possession limit of 1 |
Manta ray | No take |
| Shovelnose ray | 1.5m max or interdorsal length 60cm max Possession limit of 1 |
Sawfish
| Species | Size and possession limits |
|---|---|
| Sawfish | No take |
Sea cucumber
Species | Size and possession limits |
|---|---|
All (exceptions follow) | No size limit Possession limit of 5 per person / 10 per boat (with 2 or more people on board) for waters north of latitude 20° south (near Bowen) and waters east of longitude 142°31’49’’ East |
| All | No take in waters south of latitude 20º south (near Bowen) and waters west of longitude 142º31’49’’ East (Gulf waters) |
Black teatfish | No take |
| White teatfish | No take |
Sharks
Species | Size and possession limits |
|---|---|
All (exceptions follow) | 1.5m max or interdorsal length 60cm max Possession limit of 1 per person / 2 per boat (with 2 or more people on board) |
| Grey reef shark | 1.5m max or interdorsal length 60cm max Possession limit of 1 |
| Whitetip reef shark | 1.5m max or interdorsal length 60cm max Possession limit of 1 |
White shark | No take |
| Sand tiger shark | No take |
Speartooth shark | No take |
| Hammerhead sharks | No take |
Snapper
Species | Size and possession limits |
|---|---|
All | 35cm min 4 per person with no more than 1 over 70cm / 8 per boat with no more than 2 over 70cm (with 2 or more people on board) |
Tailor
Species | Size and possession limits |
|---|---|
All | 35cm min Possession limit of 20 |
Teraglin
Species | Size and possession limits |
|---|---|
All | 38cm min Possession limit of 5 |
Threadfin (salmon)
Species | Size and possession limits |
|---|---|
King (East coast) | 65cm min Possession limit of 5 |
King (Gulf of Carpentaria) | 60cm min Possession limit of 5 |
Blue (East coast) | 40cm min Possession limit of 10 |
Blue (Gulf of Carpentaria) | 40cm min Possession limit of 20 |
Trevally (family Carangidae)
Includes but is not limited to trevally and scad/yakka.
Species | Size and possession limits |
|---|---|
All (exceptions follow) | No size limit Combined limit of 20 in total for all members of the Carangidae family |
Amberjack and Samsonfish | 50cm min Combined limit of 2 in total of both species |
Swallowtail dart | 30cm min Possession limit of 30 |
Giant queenfish | 50cm min Possession limit of 5 |
Yellowtail kingfish | 60cm min Possession limit of 2 |
Trochus
Species | Size and possession limits |
|---|---|
All | 8cm min 12.5cm max Possession limit of 30 |
Tropical rock lobster †^#
Species | Size and possession limits |
|---|---|
All (exceptions follow) | No size limit Combined possession limit of 5 per person / 10 per boat in total of all species (with 2 or more people on board) |
Painted crayfish †#^ (Panulirus ornatus) | 11.5cm tail min 9cm carapace min Combined possession limit of 5 per person / 10 per boat in total of all species (with 2 or more people on board) |
Red Champagne Lobster | 7.5 min Combined possession limit of 5 per person / 10 per boat in total of all species (with 2 or more people on board) |
Wahoo
Species | Size and possession limits |
|---|---|
All | 75cm min Possession limit of 2 |
Whiting
Species | Size and possession limits |
|---|---|
Sand (summer), Goldenline and Northern | 23cm min Combined limit of 30 in total of these whiting species |
Trumpeter (winter) | No size limit Possession limit of 50 |
Dorab Wolf herring
Species | Size and possession limits |
|---|---|
All | No size limit Possession limit of 10 |
Worms (including part thereof)
Species | Size and possession limits |
|---|---|
Beach worm | No size limit Possession limit of 30 |
Cribb Island worms – formerly known as bloodworms | No size limit Possession limit of 50 |
Tidal bait species
Species | Size and possession limits |
Southern herring | No size or possession limit |
Common hardyhead | No size or possession limit |
Australian sardine | No size or possession limit |
Australian anchovy | No size or possession limit |
Silver biddy | No size or possession limit |
Saltwater yabby | No size or possession limit |
Soldier crab | No size or possession limit |
Non-regulated worms (e.g. mangrove worm) | No size or possession limit |
Mullet (excluding diamondscale, sea and freshwater) | No size limit Possession limit of 50 |
Cuttlefish or squid (excluding tiger squid) | No size limit Possession limit of 50 |
Smooth-clawed rock crab | No size limit Possession limit of 50 |
Yellowtail pike | No size limit Possession limit of 50 |
Notes:
- † A closed season applies to these species.
- ^ Female mud crabs and blue swimmer crabs are no take. Egg-bearing spanner crabs, three-spot crabs, slipper lobsters, tropical rock lobsters and bugs are no take. Tropical rock lobsters with tar spots attached (tar spots and sperm packets) are no take.
- ≈ It is illegal to take oysters (excluding pearl oysters) from any oyster ground; however, you may consume oysters on the spot where taken in any public oyster reserve or unlicensed oyster grounds.
- ‡ A person must not possess prawns with the heads or any other part removed, unless the removal is to process the prawns for immediate consumption.
- # Recreational fishers must not possess live tropical rock lobsters.
- Grey nurse sharks, whales, porpoises, dugongs, turtles and dolphins are protected under the Nature Conservation Act 1992.
In this guide:
- Fishing equipment
- Catch limits and closures
- Size and possession limits - tidal waters
- Size and possession limits - fresh waters