Closed seasons and closed waters
Fishing rules at your fingertips – download the free Qld Fishing 2.0 app via the App Store or Google Play to receive reminders about closed seasons and use the ‘Can I fish here?’ function.
Closed seasons prevent people fishing for certain species at certain times of the year to protect those species at vulnerable times in their life cycle, such as during spawning seasons. You should not target those fish during a closed season.
Closed waters prevent people from fishing or using particular fishing gear in certain areas:
- where a population of endangered or threatened species lives
- where fish gather during or before spawning
- near artificial barriers where large numbers of fish may collect or get trapped and be susceptible to overfishing
- to separate incompatible uses (e.g. spearfishing in a swimming area)
- to enable successful migration of fish through fishways.
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Closed seasons - fresh waters
Read information on Queensland closed season in fresh waters to protect species at vulnerable times in their life cycle, such as during spawning seasons.
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Closed seasons - tidal waters
Read about Queensland fishing regulation on closed season in tidal waters.
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Closed waters – fresh waters
Read about Queensland's closed fresh waters regulations
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Closed waters – tidal waters
Read why closed waters are important in tidal waters including regulations on spearfishing and closed waters from collecting fish and gastropods or bivalve molluscs.