New Freshwater Fishing Rules

20 January, 2003

The Department of Primary Industries is urging western Queensland anglers to keep up-to-date with the range of new freshwater fishing regulations now in place throughout the State.

The regulations, which were introduced just before Christmas, include changes to size and take and possession limits, closed seasons and closed waters.

Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol (QBFP) field officer Gary Muhling, Longreach, said freshwater fishing was a popular recreational activity and attracted people to rural and regional centres.

Mr Muhling said despite the drought, there were still opportunities for people to fish in western Queensland and he urged anglers to be familiar with the new regulations to avoid fines.

“Freshwater fishing is a popular tourist activity in western Queensland and to make sure people enjoy their holidays, they should be aware of the new regulations,” he said.

Mr Muhling said the new rules would also help to preserve valuable fish stocks for current generations of Queenslanders.

“The critical issue is sustainability of resources and these regulations will ensure there are fish for people to catch now and well into the future,” he said.

The new regulations include:

Barramundi

• Minimum size limit for barramundi within non-tidal waters flowing into Gulf of Carpentaria is 60cm (see below for exemption to closed season).
• The exemption to the closed season for barramundi on the east coast of Queensland (from midday 1 November to midday 1 February the next year) extended to 18 stocked dams including Awoonga Dam, Tinaroo Dam, Burdekin Falls Dam, Fred Haigh Dam, Kinchant Dam, Eungella Dam, Teemburra Dam, Callide Dam, Wuruma Dam, Lake Julius, Lake Moondarra, Lake Corella, Lenthalls Dam, Fairbairn Dam, Koombooloomba Dam, Lake Belmore, Peter Faust Dam and East Leichhardt Dam;
• Maximum size limit of 120cm for barramundi caught in the 18 stocked dams has been removed. Outside the closed season, a take and possession limit of five barramundi will apply in these dams and only one of these fish may also be greater than 120cm.
• Take and possession limit of one barramundi caught in the above stocked dams during the closed season (this barramundi can be greater than 120cm);
• Recreational anglers may continue to fish in the above dams while possessing their limit of one barramundi, but must not fish anywhere else; and
• Remove the tagging requirement for barramundi taken during the closed season

Blueclaw crayfish

• Take and possession limit of 100 blueclaw crayfish throughout Queensland; and
• All berried females to be returned to the water in its natural range.

Eel-tailed catfish

• Combined take and possession limit of five eel-tailed catfish applies throughout Queensland.

Golden Perch

• Take and possession limit of ten.

Silver perch (also refers to Barcoo grunter and Welch’s grunter)

• Combined take and possession limit of five for silver perch, Barcoo grunter and Welch’s grunter. (Catch and release fishery for silver perch in the Warrego and Paroo river systems).

Sooty grunter

• Combined take and possession limit of 10 for sooty grunter and khaki bream.

Fairmount Weir (on Thomson River near Longreach)

• Closed waters for 50m upstream and 200m downstream of the weir.

For more information about the new recreational fishing rules contact the local QBFP office, visit the DPI Fishweb site at www.dpi.qld.gov.a/fishweb or contact the DPI Call Centre on 13 25 23.

Department of Primary Industries Media Unit
GPO Box 46 Brisbane Qld 4001 Ph 07 3239 6380
DPI Call Centre 13 25 23 (weekdays 8 am to 6 pm)

Further information: Gary Muhling (07) 4658 4427
Communications Officer: Liz Smith (07) 3224 7757

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