New East Coast Spanish mackerel rules come into effect
News release | 30-Jun-2023
New rules designed to ensure recovery of Spanish mackerel stocks off Queensland’s East Coast will come into effect on July 1 2023.
The changes were announced last year after a peer-reviewed stock assessment found stocks of Spanish mackerel had fallen to 17 per cent of the estimated original biomass.
For recreational fishers, the changes mean from tomorrow, the recreational possession limit will reduce to 1 fish per person or 2 fish per boat carrying two or more recreational fishers.
The recreational boat limit will not apply to recreational fishers on licenced charter fishing trips.
For charter operators, the previous extended charter trip limit (allowing fishers to take twice the in-possession limit on trips over 48 hours) will no longer be available, with fishers limited to one per person, and the seasonal closures will now also apply to charter operators and their customers.
The total allowable commercial catch will be lowered to 165 tonnes for the 2023 fishing season.
Fishers will no longer be permitted to possess Spanish mackerel taken outside of closed waters if they enter closed waters during seasonal closures.
Appropriate exemptions will be provided for commercial fishers to return to relevant ports with fish on board after the beginning of seasonal closures, in line with current practice for the reef line fishery.
Northern and Southern region closure dates for the next three years are available on the DAF website and through the recreational fishing app.
More information on the Spanish mackerel rule changes and the Sustainable Fisheries Strategy can be found on the Department’s website.
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Media contact: DAF Media, media@daf.qld.gov.au