New Rules for Tropical Crays (Rocklobsters)

[Richard]

Hi Everyone,

Just making sure you (QLD) guys have heard of the new rules that have come in for recreational fishers who catch tropical crays. From now on you have to remove the central flap of the tail or punch it with a hole of at least 10mm diameter.

It's much like the removing the pectoral fin of coral reef fin fish to help reduce black market problems. I only heard about it through work so I thought you guys might not be aware,


Richard

[bugman]

Thanks Richard,

Same rule applies for rec caught rock lobsters in Tassie.

Brett

[ozbee]

are they that tasty people eat the shell , must be like fish every body eats them whole thats why we clip those wings. oh we sure are the clever country

[FNQCairns]

I heard on the grape vine that for Abs the new tax protection rule for rec anglers is to cut out the soft bit but size and in possession still count....

For mudcrabs it's going be the biggest claw

Once it all was but not so fanciful a thought theses days.

cheers fnq

[sagair]

Thanks Richard, I was not aware of this. cheers.

[kokomo]

can some one please post a link to the rules..

thanks

[boney-leg]

can some one please post a link to the rules..

It aint up on their site or in their little booklets yet as it was only passed in late May. Someone in Fisheries has assured me though that there is usually "... an informal "phase in period" for these types of changes so I wouldn't expect officers to be strictly enforcing this just yet ". I'll be interested to see if this is true

[A_DIFF_PERSPECTIVE]

OZBEE,
I hear you loud and clear. You are so right, clipping pectoral fins doesn't stop the black market fish sale. It is the most pathetic 'have to do' job they have ever invented. And now crayfish,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,oh god almighty,,,,,,,,,,,,,since when does a hole punched in the tail stop it from being sold? I shake my head at the unpractical, prove nothing crap that these departments create.
Anyone for some spanish mackerel fillets, or trunks,,,,or what about cray tails, or cray meat? next we will have to dip the fillets in pink ink prior to taking them home. They lay down foundations to regulate anglers, spearos, yet they fail to police it effectively. It's like having a flash car with no wheels. Go figure.
JM

[bondy99]

More like regs and rules made by office jockeys from economics or other background as opposed to real people with life experience from within the fishing industry itself whether its pro or rec is irrespective, but not some young hotshot or upstart cadet that has no real clue.

Peter

[Noelm]

I think you guys are on the wrong track as to why we have these methods of "marking" our fish/crays, it only makes them easy to identify in a shop, an inspector can tell at a glance if a person has rec caught/blackmarket fish for sale, and can question the operator, before as long as you got to sell your fish to the owner, then he was responsible to prove where he got his fish and you were long gone, now they have proof that they are blackmarket, so the retailer is reluctant to buy them in the first place.

[FNQCairns]

Nah that doesn't stand up but it is of coarse the moderates in government reasoning/argument kept forth, poached fish will be filleted, abs will be shelled, cray's will be shelled. If there was only ever one convention at point of final sale then yes you are right.

The true reason is tax/royalties, forget fluffy thoughts of saving the fish stocks or that the black market because of Anglers is in reality rife, simply think no deeper than 'chop chop'.

Seriously nothing deeper or well meaning or better feeling than that, simply using the disaffected angler yet again, as the pawn in another means to an end.

cheers fnq