You could be forgiven for thinking summer is already here but it really doesn’t start for another few weeks. With the hot weather and Christmas holidays lots of people will be out fishing. It is great to see everyone enjoying our beautiful waterways and reefsand I thought it would be good to revisit some rules and regulations regarding size and bag limits before people get into the swing of things. If you feel you may not be up-to-date or the words “bag limit” and “size limit” are completely foreign, please read on.

 

Size limits

Size limits apply in all Australian states. This means that in many fish species there is a minimum and a maximum size a fish can be for you to keep it and the size limits vary from species to species. Maximum size limits apply because often the larger fish in a species are breeding females and it is important to leave them to reproduce and ensure ongoing breeding. Examples include cod, barramundi and snapper.

And while many fishermen get frustrated with the size limits imposed it is important to remember they are based on extensive research into the reproductive cycles of each fish species, they’re not just random numbers applied to reduce your chances of reeling in a keeper. Minimum size limits usually allow fish to spawn at least once before being taken.

It’s really important you have a tape, ruler or brag mat in your tackle box at all times you so you can measure your catch. You measure the longest point of the fish – from the end of its snout or mouth to the tip of its tail.

Bag limits

Bag limits are a little bit different. This refers to the maximum number of fish that one person can legally keep. Bag limits also vary from species to species and their aim is to protect those species that are easy to catch or heavily targeted. It also reduces illegal marketing of fish and is basically an ethical and responsible use of a natural resource. To measure your bag limit is simple – just count the number of a particular species you wish to take home. Anyone who exceeds the bag limit is simply greedy.

 

It is disappointing to hear that people ignore legal size and bag limits and when caught their excuse “they change so often I can’t keep up” is very poor. It is the responsibility of every fisherman to keep up to date with size and bag limits to ensure the ongoing survival of all our fish species so we can all enjoy fishing for them in the future.

Below are the most recent limits (May 2013) of common species caught on the reefs off the Sunshine Coast. Hopefully everyone is following the rules and we will be catching fish for generations to come.  

species	Size limit	Bag limit
snapper	35cm	4 and only 1 over 70cm
Pearl perch	35cm	5
All tusk fish*	30cm	Combined total of 6 for all tusk fish
Estuary cod*	38cm	Combined total of 5 for all cod
Maori cod	45cm	Combined total of 5 for all cod
Coral tout*	38cm	Combined total of 7 for all species
All sweetlips*	25cm	5 per species
Red throat emperor*	38cm	8
All parrot fish*	25cm	5 per species
Hussar*	25cm	10
mulloway	75cm	2
Mahi mahi	50cm	5
Spanish mackerel	75cm	3
Spotted mackerel	60cm	5
amberjack	50cm	2
kingfish	60cm	2
cobia	75cm	2
wahoo	75cm	2

• In addition to individual possession limits for each coral reef fin fish species listed, they all have a combined possession limit of 20.

Happy hunting!