Legal size for half a fish (and does it count towards bag limit)

[duncan333]

Whilst everyone else was off after the bigger mackerel, I had a day with my brother and daughter, picking up a few schoolies and visiting Tangalooma for a swim.

I had a new first for me, half a fish. I'm assuming it was OK to keep it even though it was possibly borderline undersize if it was entire.

Anyone got any ideas about bag limits, size limits etc if half your fish is missing?



Apologies for wrong category (should be saltwater chat, but I can't figure out how to move it now that its posted)

[rayken1938]

Illegal.
Cheers
Ray

[duncan333]

I guess it makes sense, otherwise people could just cut the tail of their illegal fish and say it was sharks.

[Triple]

In relation to fin fish (other than coral reef fin fish) a recreational fisher must not:

• remove the skin from a fish on a boat until the fish is brought to shore
• bring a fish ashore and remove its skin and return the fish to the boat
• divide a fish into portions other than in a way that allows an inspector to easily count the number of fish possessed by the fisher

http://www.daff.qld.gov.au/fisheries...fillet-removal

[duncan333]

Ok, so next time, the shark gets the rest of the fish. If the fish is obviously legal size (i.e. head section is obviously larger than another legal fish in the esky), I'll keep it (and count it towards bag limit). I realize I may have to argue the point with an inspector, but I would be keeping to the intention of the rules (no undersized fish, and keeping inside bag limit)

[bowds13]

Why take the risk of a fine for half a fish?? Some fisheries officeres can be very bloody black and white when it comes to sizes and regs

throw it back and catch another!!

[Millsydude]

If you pull in half a 1200mm mackeral I am sure you will be fine to keep it mate. In fact I would argue it would be wasteful you were 100% sure that the fish was legal ie? half of it measuring 450mm+.Did he put on an aerial display before the shark got him?

[duncan333]

I think that one was border line (somewhere in 45-55cm). Next time it would go back. I was estimating its size by comparing it to others I already had in the esky (it was about the same size as the smallest (52cm)).

[jaybee]

In relation to fin fish (other than coral reef fin fish) a recreational fisher must not:

• remove the skin from a fish on a boat until the fish is brought to shore
• bring a fish ashore and remove its skin and return the fish to the boat
• divide a fish into portions other than in a way that allows an inspector to easily count the number of fish possessed by the fisher

http://www.daff.qld.gov.au/fisheries...fillet-removal

It does say a recreational fisher must not: nothing about being eaten by shark, over the years I have seen quite a few half fish at the ramps, I would leave it in the condition it come out of the water just in case.
cheers
Joe

[Triple]

My point was you can fillet legal sized fin fish on the boat and throw away the frames and fisheries have no way of determining the actual length, I suppose they can make educated guesstimate that it was or wasn't but no way of proving it. You can fillet the "half" fish on the boat, throw the frame away and explain the situation and I'm sure they have seen it before. Just like if you butcher a fillet or two and they are nowhere near the size of the other "legal" fillets on board.

You determine the legal length when caught and fisheries have to accept that the fish was legal size before filleting but bucket full of 2in bream fillets may be a different story.

I'm not advocating filleting undersize fish so fisheries cannot measure them but when a half eaten fish comes on board that is similar dimensions to a legal length fish and you are going to keep it then there is not much they can do about it.

[Watto79]

My point was you can fillet legal sized fin fish on the boat and throw away the frames and fisheries have no way of determining the actual length, I suppose they can make educated guesstimate that it was or wasn't but no way of proving it. You can fillet the "half" fish on the boat, throw the frame away and explain the situation and I'm sure they have seen it before. Just like if you butcher a fillet or two and they are nowhere near the size of the other "legal" fillets on board.

You determine the legal length when caught and fisheries have to accept that the fish was legal size before filleting but bucket full of 2in bream fillets may be a different story.

I'm not advocating filleting undersize fish so fisheries cannot measure them but when a half eaten fish comes on board that is similar dimensions to a legal length fish and you are going to keep it then there is not much they can do about it.

You cannot fillet fish at sea unless the fillets are a minimum of 40cm I believe?

Unless it is for immediate consumption?

[Triple]

See my post above with link.

Coral reef fin fish other than a blue spotted coral trout - min 40cm fillet length
Barred javelin taken in the Gulf of Carpentaria - min 26cm fillet length
Fin fish - no size on fillet.

All macs are fin fish.

In relation to coral reef fin fish, a recreational fisher:

• must not possess, on board a boat, a fish other than in any of the following forms - whole, gilled, gutted or filleted
• may possess, on board a boat, a fillet of a fish other than a blue spotted coral trout (Chinese footballer) as long as the length of the fillet is at least 40 cm, and the skin and scales of the fillet are attached to the fillet
• must not return fish to a boat that have been taken ashore from a boat and filleted, unless the length of the fillet is at least 40 cm and skin and scales of the fillet is attached to the fillet

or

• must not possess a live coral reef fin fish unless the person or fisher intends to immediately return the fish to the sea or to display the fish in an aquarium.

In relation to fin fish (other than coral reef fin fish) a recreational fisher must not:

• remove the skin from a fish on a boat until the fish is brought to shore
• bring a fish ashore and remove its skin and return the fish to the boat
• divide a fish into portions other than in a way that allows an inspector to easily count the number of fish possessed by the fisher

In relation to barred javelin (spotted grunter) taken in the Gulf of Carpentaria, in addition to the above, a recreational fisher must:

• ensure that the whole fish is at least 40 cm in length
• ensure that the fillet is at least 26 cm in length.

For information that may apply to recreational fishers on a commercial fishing tour, please consult theFisheries Regulation 2008 and/or relevant management plan.

[gruntahunta]

Yep Triple....totally correct...definitely allowed to fillet Fin Fish other than Coral Reef fin fish on the boat, and no need to keep the frames.....

i have an an email from the fisheries to support this..