New Size And Take And Possession Limits For Coral Reef Fish
11 November 2003

New size and take and possession limits will apply to coral reef fish for recreational anglers and commercial operators from December 13.

The new rules follow extensive consultation between the Department of Primary Industries Queensland Fisheries Service (QFS), industry groups, stakeholders and the community.

QFS reef line manager Mark Elmer said the new size and take and possession limits were aimed at sustaining coral reef stocks which had come under increasing fishing pressure in recent years.

Mr Elmer said the new size limits applied to all while the new take and possession limits applied to recreational anglers and those commercial operators who had not been allocated an RQ fishery symbol which allowed them to commercially fish for coral reef species.

"The new regulations will protect and conserve these iconic fish species," he said.

Below is a summary of the new size and take and possession limits for coral reef fish.

From December 13, 2003

• All coral reef fish will have a minimum size limit of 25cm unless otherwise specified.
• A combined take and possession limit of 20 will also apply to coral reef fish however, within this combined limit, anglers must comply with individual take and possession limits for various fish species.
  

  No take species
  The following species are not to be taken:
  

  • Maori wrasse
    
  • Barramundi cod
    
  • Potato cod
    
  • Queensland groper
    
  • Red bass
    
  • Chinaman fish
    
  • Paddletail
    

  Size limits
  All coral reef fish species have a minimum size limit of 25cm unless otherwise specified below:

  • Tuskfish 30cm
    
  • Jobfishes, red throat emperor, long nose emperor 38cm
    
  • Nannygai (small and large mouth) 40cm
    
  • Spangled emperor 45cm
    
  • Red emperor 55cm
    
  • Fusilier No limit
    
  • All cods, gropers and coral trout 38cm

  Exceptions to cods, gropers and coral trout
  

  • Greasy rockcod 38cm to 100cm
    
  • Flowery cod 50cm to 100cm
    
  • Camouflage rockcod 50cm to 100cm
    
  • Maori cod 45cm
    
  • Blue spot trout 50cm to 80cm

  Note: Jobfish include crimson jobfish (rosy jobfish), flame snapper, goldband snapper, green jobfish, lavender jobfish, ruby snapper and small- toothed jobfish.
  

  Take and possession limits
  All coral reef fish species have possession limits of 5 unless otherwise specified below:

  Combined limits:
  

  • Cods and gropers 5 in total of all species
    
  • Tuskfish 6 in total of all species
    
  • Coral trout 7 in total of all species
    
  • Nannygai 9 in total of all species

  Species specific limits:
  

  • Crimson jobfish (Rosy jobfish), red throat emperor 8 per species
    
  • Hussar 10 per species
    
  • Fusilier No limit
    

  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: Mark Elmer (07) 3225 1844
  Communications Officer: Liz Smith (07) 3224 7757
  

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