Fishing & Marine Safety Regulations in Queensland – Recent Changes

The Easter long weekend, along with reasonably favourable weather conditions, saw packed car parks, busy boat ramps and crowded waterways right up the Queensland coast; especially so in our back yard of the Mackay Region and the Whitsundays.

The Queensland Boating and Fisheries Enforcement Officers were kept busy over the Easter holidays inspecting catches for compliance with the Recreational Fishing Regulations and, also, that the boaters were observing the Maritime safety requirements – both of which have seen slight changes this year.

Pectoral Fin Removal Perhaps the most significant change to the Fishing Regulations is that recreational fishers are no longer required to remove the pectoral fin from Coral Reef Fin Fish and certain Mackerel species that they intend to keep. The rationale for this previous requirement for the removal of the pectoral fin was an attempt to combat illegal or black-market fish sales by recreational fishermen.

The Queensland Government deemed that this was no longer an effective means of prevention of illegal fish sales and, as such, were keen to relieve the regulatory burden on recreational fishers statewide.
Some of the fish which were previously included in Coral Reef Fin Fish and Mackerel category were Coral Trout, Red Emperor, Red-Throat Emperor, Nannygai and Spanish Mackerel. A full list of the coral reef species can be found on the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries website.

For those of you who are keen fishermen and enjoy chasing Coral Reef Fin Fish on the Great Barrier Reef perhaps it is a prudent time to put the Coral Reef Fin Fish Closures dates for this year in your calendar. The Coral Reef Fin Fish Closures are intended to protect Coral reef Fin fish in their vulnerable spawning cycles in the latter parts of the year.

For 2012 there are two Coral Reef Fin fish closures being – 12 October to 16 October (inclusive) and 11 November to 15 November (inclusive).
Jenny Mud Crabs Earlier this year we saw the possibility for further change to the Recreational fishing regulations with the proposal for limited take of large female Mud Crabs (or Jennys) by recreational fishers.

Queensland Fishers were surveyed on whether they were in favour of a relaxation of the current fishing regulations for Jenny crabs from completely no take protected species to a limited take to 1 large Jenny of more than 16 cm per boat, per trip.

The majority of the survey recipients voted against this proposed change in the informal consultation and Jenny Mud Crabs remain a no take species throughout Queensland.

Maritime Safety Queensland Maritime Safety Queensland has recently introduced new boating safety improvements which are aimed to reduce the frequency of marine incidents and increase the likelihood of survival for boaters involved in marine accidents. Some of these changes include the requirement for a higher standard of operator skill for new license holders for large recreational vessels, improved training systems for recreational licenses, new requirements for all persons on board a vessel under 4.8 metres which is crossing a bar to wear a personal floatation device, new operational requirements for personal water craft or jet skis to minimise the possibility of collisions and new stowage requirements for safety equipment to allow immediate access in emergencies.

In relation to the personal floatation device or life jacket stowage, it is now the position that where life jackets are not clearly visible to passengers of a vessel, the vessel owner or master must tell each person on board where such safety equipment is located and, in addition to this, the vessel must have a sign clearly indicating where the life jackets and safety equipment is stowed. The penalty for no life jacket signage is a fine of up to $200.00.
If you have any questions in relation to the new Fishing regulations or the new Maritime Safety Regulations please contact none of our experienced staff members for an appointment.