Replies on QLD V NSW limits

[jaybee]

I sent an email of to Terry Healy, Vern Vietch and here are some replies to date. Will keep you posted on the Governments Answer.
cheers.

Dear Terry
With the new size and in possession limits. Where do I stand legally if I go fishing in NSW waters off the tweed coast and catch the size and bag limits in NSW regulations. Which is 10 snapper with a minimum size of 30 cms. Then on the way home I am pulled up by the QLD Police and they decide to have a look in my ice box which now being in QLD I have 5 snapper over my limit and all are undersize. How is one to prove I actually caught the fish in NSW and how is it proven I didn't. Wouldn't it have better to have uniform size and in possession limits the same as NSW. That way no one can get it wrong. Awaiting your reply.

Hello,
Thanks for your email. I have forwarded the message to Peter Tanner, Senior Project Officer, Queensland Bpoating and Fisheries Patrol for response. Peter is an authorised officer with the QBFP with over 30 years field experience. He works in the prosecutions section of the Patrol.
Peter will respond to you direct.
Regards
Terry Healy

Vern,
Simple replies,
Qld police/water police/rangers do not have fisheries powers-Yes, we found this out by accident the other day(only 8 of them are licensed to kill). This protects the jobs of existing QBFP.
OR
Under the current regs you would have to prove you got them there & this applies both ways re licenses etc. - even worse, boats working out of the Seaway can fish in NSW waters & will be booked back in the Broadwater!!!.
Pass this on if you wish.
David Bateman

[Lucky_Phill]

As with all regs, rules and legislation , there will be grey areas.

This will be one of them JB.

For me, I would say, where my point of entry is where my rules apply.

ie:- Put in at The Spit and Fish the Tweed 9 mile, I'll stick to Qld rules, put in at Tweed River and fish the 9 mile, NSW rules. I don't believe you'll be pulled up on the highway, only at the ramp, so that should take care of any anomally.

Phill

[krazyfisher]

I have too much bad luck I would fish the safe side of both rules better for the fish too :)

[Heath]

As with all regs, rules and legislation , there will be grey areas.

This will be one of them JB.

For me, I would say, where my point of entry is where my rules apply.

ie:- #Put in at The Spit and Fish the Tweed 9 mile, I'll stick to Qld rules, #put in at Tweed River and fish the 9 mile, NSW rules. #I don't believe you'll be pulled up on the highway, only at the ramp, so that should take care of any anomally.

Phill
Phill,

You still have to be carefull about doing that. For instance mackerel. NSW have an in possession limit of 5 in total where Qld have a an in possession limit for each species. If you put in at the Spit & fish 9 mile & you have 5 spots & 1 Spaniard on you & you get checked by NSW fisheries... you are gone, even though in Qld you are ok.
We have been checked several times by NSW fisheries while out on 9 mile & beyond.

[SteveCan]

Interesting - how is the border in the waters between QLD and NSW defined? Is it defined as some Longtitude? - and if you know, what is it?

Cheers
Steve. :)

[jaybee]

Phil, how many grey areas do we need, and I use the police in the scenerio due to the guys that got caught with the mudcrabs a while ago, plus I am lead to beleive some of the QLD police are being trialled as fisheries inspectors.

Thanks heath that clears up a few things, and it can be confusing, one would have to be careful on the line between QLD and NSW. Living in NSW for a few years, I have quite often had a big launch or Tweed police pull up alongside me and asked to open the ice box and under floor storage.

steve this is from heath.
The NSW border extends from Pt Danger lighthouse in a 63 deg True direction to the 154 Parallel line. What this means is that if you are fishing 10 Nm off Burleigh Heads you are in NSW waters, if you are fishing 28 Nm off Southport you are also in NSW waters.

I personally believe the new limits will have an impact on tourist dollars. Why come to QLD if the rules are better in NSW. I'm not against the new changes, just personally beleive it would have been better if it was the same as NSW keep a unified law so no one can get it wrong, no excuses then. Besides the government do admit the rec anglers put more money into the idustry then the commercial.
cheers.

[nhoj]

There should be some consistancies when we are located so close to the border. What happens if you get ready to go fishing at Nerang etc and then when you get there decide to continue onto the Tweed. Do you stop at the border and throw away your cast nets etc or live bait nets? Some considerations surely need to be taken in regards the diferences in regulations.

[banshee]

G'day Jaybee, There can be no doubt that here in N.S.W. we are far more
advanced with our fisheries than you Queenslanders......Lets face it we stuffed ours years ago.Seriously though I can see merit in uniform laws
,but have to say that I think your Govt
is on the right track,with the exception of the 5 Reds,I think they could have give you 10. I personaly
disagree with the tourist thing though
,for the past few years I have spent
January at Turkey Beach and while my
lad and I can experience the sort of
fishing this place can turn on I will
gladly spend my tourist dollar there.
It is more important for me to catch a
heap of fish than to kill a heap of fish.
Having said that I could see how some one who has no permanent acces to a salt water fishery would like to probably take a few more home.