Recreational fishing rules and regulations
Size and possession limits - tidal waters
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. For a complete list of coral reef species, download the Fisheries (Coral Reef Fin Fish) Management Plan 2003 at www.fisheries.qld.gov.au.
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 |
No limit |
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 |
38cm min Possession limit of 5 |
|
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 Read note 1 |
Bêche de mer (sea cucumber)
|
Species |
Size and possession limits |
|---|---|
|
All (exceptions follow) |
No size limit Possession limit of 5 |
|
Black teatfish |
No take |
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) No possession limit Read note 2 |
|
Smooth (Balmain) |
10.5cm min (across widest part of carapace) No possession limit 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 No possession limit Read note 2 |
|
Mud |
15cm min Possession limit of 10 Read note 2 |
|
Spanner † |
10cm min Possession limit of 20 |
|
Three-spot |
10cm min No possession limit 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 No possession limit |
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 2 |
|
Black (Gulf of Carpentaria) |
60cm min Possession limit of 2 |
|
Scaly (jewel fish) |
45cm min No possession limit |
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 |
|
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 |
Bivalve molluscs and gastropods
Includes pipis, mud whelks and cockles, and excluding oysters.
|
Species |
Size and possession limits |
|---|---|
|
All (exceptions follow) |
No size limit Possession limit of 50 |
|
Clams (family Tridacnidae), Helmet shells and Trumpet shells |
No take |
Oysters ≈
|
Species |
Size and possession limits |
|---|---|
|
All (exceptions follow) |
No limit Read note 3 |
|
Blacklip pearl oyster |
9cm min No possession limit Read note 3 |
|
Goldlip pearl oyster |
13cm min 23cm max No possession limit Read note 3 |
Mulloway
|
Species |
Size and possession limits |
|---|---|
|
All |
75cm min Possession limit of 2 |
Pearl perch
|
Species |
Size and possession limits |
|---|---|
|
All |
35cm min Possession limit of 5 |
Prawns ‡
|
Species |
Size and possession limits |
|---|---|
|
All |
No size limit Possession limit of 10 litres Read note 4 |
Sharks and rays
|
Species |
Size and possession limits |
|---|---|
|
All (exceptions follow) |
1.5m max Possession limit of 1 |
|
Grey nurse sharks |
No take |
|
Sawfish |
No take |
|
Speartooth sharks |
No take |
|
Manta ray |
No take |
Snapper
|
Species |
Size and possession limits |
|---|---|
|
All |
35cm min 4 with no more than 1 over 70cm |
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 |
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 50 |
Tropical rock lobster †^#
|
Species |
Size and possession limits |
|---|---|
|
All (exceptions follow) |
No size limit Above 14° south latitude and in Gulf waters: combined limit of 3 per person/6 per boat in total of all species. Below 14° south latitude: combined limit of 5 per person/10 per boat in total of all species |
|
Painted crayfish †#^ (Panulirus ornatus) |
11.5cm tail min 9cm carapace min Above 14° south latitude and in Gulf waters: combined limit of 3 per person/6 per boat in total of all species. Below 14° south latitude: combined limit of 5 per person/10 per boat in total of all species |
|
Red Champagne Lobster |
7.5 min Above 14° south latitude: combined limit of 3 per person/6 per boat in total of all species Below 14° south latitude: combined limit of 5 per person/10 per boat in total of all species |
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 |
No limit Possession limit of 30 |
|
Blood (all worms of the Eunicidae family) |
No 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 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 and must remove the central flap of the tail or puncture the flap with a hole of at least 10 mm in diameter.
- Great white sharks, whales, porpoises, dugongs, turtles and dolphins are protected under the Nature Conservation Act 1992.
