White spot disease fishing restrictions
- Why we are restricting fishing
- How long you will be restricted from fishing
- About white spot disease
- Reporting illegal fishing
Fishing restrictions are in place around all prawn farms in the Logan River region.
If you fish near these farms you could introduce serious diseases. You are prohibited from:
- line fishing within 100 metres of prawn farm water intake and outlet channels
- all fishing in drainage channels surrounding these prawn farms.
You can use crab pots, cast nets and yabby pumps in waterways adjacent to prawn farms, unless signage states otherwise. You must not move raw prawns, yabbies and marine worms out of the white spot disease movement restriction area.
The fishing restrictions apply to waterways surrounding prawn farms in:
- Alberton
- Coomera
- Gilberton
- Helensvale
- Hope Island
- Jacobs Well
- Norwell
- Ormeau
- Pimpama
- Southern Moreton Bay Islands
- Stapylton
- Steiglitz
- Woongoolba.
Why we are restricting fishing
Prawn farms are high-risk areas for aquatic diseases. Fishing near prawn farm intake and outlet channels and in any on-farm water channels may increase the likelihood of you introducing a disease to the farm if your bait is contaminated.
How long you will be restricted from fishing
The fishing restrictions are in place indefinitely.
About white spot disease
White spot disease is a highly contagious viral infection that affects crustaceans such as prawns and yabbies as well as marine worms.
When found in high intensity production areas, such as prawn farms, white spot disease results in the rapid mortality of prawns.
The virus that causes white spot disease does not affect humans at all, so prawns are safe to eat.
Reporting illegal fishing
If you see illegal fishing please report it via the 24-hour Fishwatch hotline on 1800 017 116 or phone the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries on 13 25 23.