Reef Finfish closures....who knew

[Bear001]

With all due respect KC, I don't think there is any reasonable excuse that any NQ reef fisher shouldn't know when these closures are on. Especially those who fish regularly. I'd say the same for SQ reef fishers too given the closures extend as far south as Bundy. As stated in an earlier reply, we have had CRFF closures for about five years now and they are always around the new moon phase of October and November (thankfully removed from December).

I make it my business to know the dates. It is as easy as jumping on the DPI website. I did this just the other day to double check the dates, which are now in my calendar for next year too. While I was there I downloaded a copy of the latest size/bag limits and laminated them for the boat.

I don't disagree that the authorities should communicate these closures. Perhaps a reminder flyer with your boat rego with website details, but at the end of the day it is our responsibility to know the rules.

Regards,
Dave.

Well said Dave....Spent the last 18months planning a trip to Gladstone and was a 5second job to download the saltwater guide which includes the reef fish closure dates (which as a NSW inland fisho I had no idea even existed) so our trip was planned around these dates.

The saltwater guide was duly studied and kept in the boat for the trip, along with green zones, protected species, limits etc etc etc etc....the onus is on the angler to make themselves aware, but I do agree that unfortunately our licencing money doesnt seem to include an email/mail out to anglers/boaters on new regs.

In NSW there are new regs regarding safety equipment such as fire extinguishers and soon life jackets, which affect a lot of average boaties - I dont understand why on earth they cannot include a flyer in either your boat rego papers or fishing licene renewal?!!!!???!!!!???

[kc]

I guess if I'd spent 18 months planning a few hours out, or was a regular reef fisho I might have known. It was however, spur of the moment and I more an inshore barra fisho than reef. The biggest issue to me is not so much that I personally ^*&#7 'ed up but the ramp had a least 10 other boats making the same error. I wonder how wide spread it is and I know the first few years the fishos were "on it" and checking....now they don't seem to care less

I have done a bit of a straw poll at the ramp yesterday and of 14 boats going out 3 knew the dates last week, 4 said, some time in November isn't it, 3 said, what closed season and the others 4 thought it ran from November 1st to Feb (the barra closures).

Everyone here that has p[osted seems to know the dates but I still wonder how many people did not.

KC

[TB91]

It was on WIN down here...once and Pilly mentioned it on his segment after the news as well.
Even guys who fish regularly dont realise that the old estuary cod is now classed as a coral reef fin fish and (1) you have to cut off a fin at all times and (2) they cannot be taken during the coral reef fin fish closure periods.
How many Dads fishing with the kids would get caught by that one. Fishing up a mangrove creek and catching a cod and thinking Oh thats the right size only to find they are hit with a fine for not cutting of a fin or taking during the coral reef fin fish closure.

Closed seasons for Coral Reef fin fish.

• 5 October to 9 October 2010; and 3 November to 7 November 2010
• 24 October to 28 October 2011; and 22 November to 26 November 2011
• 12 October to 16 October 2012; and 11 November to 15 November 2012
• 2 October to 6 October 2013; and 31 October to 4 November 2013.

I`m from NSW,so why do they cut a fin?
Thanks
Bassman385

[Apollo]

I`m from NSW,so why do they cut a fin?
Thanks
Bassman385

Main reason is to stop it being illegally sold through seafood outlets/markets. Only commercial guys can leave the fin on. This way, if you buy a fish through a shop, it shouldn't have any fin chopped. If it does, it is a black market fish.

Steve

[Lucky_Phill]

Main reason is to stop it being illegally sold through seafood outlets/markets. Only commercial guys can leave the fin on. This way, if you buy a fish through a shop, it shouldn't have any fin chopped. If it does, it is a black market fish.

Steve

That is the idea Steve, but we all know this has not made any difference to the black market here in Queensland.

It is now common practice that Spanish Mackerel, in particular , are being ' trunked ' and sold on the market that way.

There are far better ways to decrease ( you'll never stop the black market ), the unlawful sale of fish.


LP


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[murf]

I guess if I'd spent 18 months planning a few hours out, or was a regular reef fisho I might have known. It was however, spur of the moment and I more an inshore barra fisho than reef. The biggest issue to me is not so much that I personally ^*&#7 'ed up but the ramp had a least 10 other boats making the same error. I wonder how wide spread it is and I know the first few years the fishos were "on it" and checking....now they don't seem to care less

I have done a bit of a straw poll at the ramp yesterday and of 14 boats going out 3 knew the dates last week, 4 said, some time in November isn't it, 3 said, what closed season and the others 4 thought it ran from November 1st to Feb (the barra closures).

Everyone here that has p[osted seems to know the dates but I still wonder how many people did not.

KC

I would just like to say thanks for this post and thanks for putting your hand up and saying I am human

as I have said before it is nearly impossible to go fishing these days without breaking a rule I would like to see someone who fishes the briny deep blue sea that has never broken a rule that is in the fine print

the more we are made aware of rules the less likely we are to break them

cheers Murf

[Camhawk88]

I agree it is a bit of a worry that so many people you spoke to at the ramp had no idea of the closure. Where are you KC? I am guessing a bit further south than here? My reason for asking is that I am wondering if it is less advertised the further south you go as I think the coverage up here has been sufficient. Perhaps the best way to get the message out would be signs at the boat ramps like the green zone signs. Obviously the dates change each year but something along the lines of:

" Reef Fish Closure Periods during parts of Oct & Nov each year, please call 1300...... to check dates."
and then perhaps an explaination of why ie spawning run during new moon cycle etc.

Having rules just to catch people out is not going to help the fishery, compliance is required.

Also the question regarding fin clipping- as Apollo said is to prevent black marketing. Most ridiculous rule I have heard of- the a##eholes who do this will now sell fillets and steaks not whole fish. Even heard of a guy up here getting pinged for using coral Trout frames in his crab pots- fisheries checked pots and saw frames had both pec fins so he cops a fine.

[Scott nthQld]

With all due respect KC, I don't think there is any reasonable excuse that any NQ reef fisher shouldn't know when these closures are on. Especially those who fish regularly. I'd say the same for SQ reef fishers too given the closures extend as far south as Bundy. As stated in an earlier reply, we have had CRFF closures for about five years now and they are always around the new moon phase of October and November (thankfully removed from December).

I make it my business to know the dates. It is as easy as jumping on the DPI website. I did this just the other day to double check the dates, which are now in my calendar for next year too. While I was there I downloaded a copy of the latest size/bag limits and laminated them for the boat.

I don't disagree that the authorities should communicate these closures. Perhaps a reminder flyer with your boat rego with website details, but at the end of the day it is our responsibility to know the rules.

Regards,
Dave.

Agree with those sentiments Dave. The closures have been in place for several years now and have always been publicised, just not as much this year. It's takes all of 3 seconds to check the DPI site, and no doubt you would've been online checking tides and weather anyway for your last minute trip.

Hell I rarely get to the reef, mainly because I don't have a reef boat, but i can still manage to check out the closure dates this time every year. moreso now that all cod are included, which means any caught in the creeks during this period are off limits as well.

How long do you expect an underfunded, time poor Govt department to hold your hand? It's pretty clear in the rules, it is your responsibility to keep upto date, nobody else's. And they have een in place long enough now for any fisho to realise and go the littel extra distance and check for themselves.

All I can say is you are lucky you didn't get caught and there's not a lot of point in bitching about a rule that has been in place for so long because it wasn't publicised enough for it to sink in

[Moffy]

Even guys who fish regularly dont realise that the old estuary cod is now classed as a coral reef fin fish and (1) you have to cut off a fin at all times and (2) they cannot be taken during the coral reef fin fish closure periods.

moreso now that all cod are included, which means any caught in the creeks during this period are off limits as well.

guys you might be missing out here.

As far as I know Estuary Cod (i.e gold and black spot cod) are still not Coral Reef Fin Fish.

Check out the DPI site - on the ID pages for both these fish it states at the bottom - "these fish are not Coral Reef Fin Fish".
http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/28_14966.htm
http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/28_14968.htm

both of these are still listed in the regs as non coral reef fin fish.

These fish shouldn't be confused with the "Greasy Cod" - which the estuary cod is sometimes called - which is a coral reef fin fish.
http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/28_9019.htm

Thought i'd check this out - as we still go chasing Fingermark and Goldspot cod during the closed seasons!

Edit - Funnily enough - just found a size and bag limits chart i laminated from earlier this year - it clearly has Gold and Black spot cod as Coral Reef Fin Fish. Looks like they've back tracked - as they are now not on the list......
Moffy

[Leon Kruse]

if you get the NQ Fish & Boat paper every month they put it in there and they even have the dates of the closures for the next 2 years also, plus it's not a bad read either

[insideout]

Coral reef fin fish

Coral reef fin fish closure dates for 2009-2013:

• 15 October to 19 October 2009, and 14 November to 18 November 2009
• 5 October to 9 October 2010, and 3 November to 7 November 2010
• 24 October to 28 October 2011, and 22 November to 26 November 2011
• 12 October to 16 October 2012, and 11 November to 15 November 2012
• 2 October to 6 October 2013, and 31 October to 4 November 2013.

Tidal waters within the following boundary are closed waters for coral reef fin fish:

• from the northern tip of Cape York along latitude 10°41’ south
• to longitude 145° east
• to latitude 13° south, longitude 145° east
• to latitude 15° south, longitude 146° east
• to latitude 17°30’ south, longitude 147° east
• to latitude 21° south, longitude 152°55’ east
• to latitude 24°30’ south, longitude 154° east
• to latitude 24°50’ south, longitude 154° east along latitude 24°50’ south to the mainland shore along the shore to the northern tip of Cape York at latitude 10°41’ south.

A basic online guide has been developed to help identify fish listed as Coral Reef Fin Fish. This reef fish web guide groups fish into families. For full details of the legislation visit the Office of the Queensland Parliamentary Counsel website.

Phill, any chance we could have this and other relevant info on sizes, and general rules, stickied, or have its own section, here on this site?? Im not asking for a full review, but maybe a link to sites (such as above) so we can be kept informed of rules and regs and changes on everything.
It may help people who do not know how to fully obtain the right info.

[Lucky_Phill]

I'll look into it. insideout.

Thing is, there are so many regs for Salt and Fresh water fishing here in Qld, I am 100% certain, even the Fisheries Officers would not even come close to a pass mark on a ID, reg, Limit exam. Also, this site is visted by members and guests from every State and Territory in Australia, not to mention our overseas friends.

Also, as regulations change we have to change and there is the liability factor here. But, as you say, maybe a simple link to regs could be looked.

, thanks for the idea.

Cheers Phill
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[Lucky_Phill]

Regs ( links ) for all States of Oz posted.

http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/sho...d.php?t=169297


LP.
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[bermo82]

Reef finfish closures happen every year. just like the Barra season. if you're going to target them, look up the dates. The courier mail and sunday mail are not exactly reliable sources of accurate information. DPI website would be more accurate.

[Taylor2]

first year i've fished the reef and the only reason i found out was that someone off handedly mentioned it...but yeah made me realise i need to study the rules more...and i do agree a bit more advertising wouldn't go a stray...