Tips for Coral Fishing in the Whitsundays

If you are interested in fishing charters, it is always desirable to fish as 'light' as possible using minimum weight and hardware.

Fish over the edge of the reef one hour before or after high tide for best results. Early morning and evening are also better than when the sun is high. Nighttime on a rising tide can be excellent.
Trolling along the edge of a reef may also produce dividends.
Fishing bait in the Whitsundays that is readily available are prawns, squid, a small fish known locally as a herring and garfish. If you have a throw net, small fresh fish from the shallows make excellent bait.

Gear
Hand lines are easier to manage on the fishing charters whereas rods have the advantages when fishing from rocks on the mainland.

Fish Feeding
Fish feeding can help visitors learn about the fish of the Great Barrier Reef and get them closer to large schools of fish, but it is important that fish feeding is done carefully. Some fish become aggressive when fed and can be dangerous to the person feeding the fish or other close by in the water. Most food that people eat, particularly bread and meat, is generally bad for fish and may damage their health.

Best Practices for Fishing in the Whitsundays
Use only raw marine products or fish pellets
Use no more than a kilogram of food
Throw the fish food onto the water. Do not feed directly by hand.
Avoid fish feeding areas where fishing also takes place
Swimmers and snorkellers should not be in the water at the time of fish feeding

Fishing in the Whitsundays

Why do we have size limits?
In Queensland for many fish species there are limits on the size of fish that can be legally taken. There are minimum size limits and also some maximum size limits.
Size limits are typically based on biological cycles. Minimum size limits generally allow fish to spawn at least once and contribute to the population before they are taken.

However, some species spawn as they become larger which means a maximum size limit applies. For example, most barramundi begin their lives as males and later, as they grow larger, become females. A maximum size limit is applied to protect large females and to allow them to spawn.

How are fish measured?
Fish are measured from the tip of their mouth to the end of their tail. If you unintentionally take a fish that is not the legal size, return it to the water immediately, taking as much care as possible to avoid causing it any injury.

Why do we have take and possession limits?
A take and possession limit is the number of fish that one person can legally take and keep. These limits serve several purposes.
They:
Conserve heavily exploited species;
Conserve species that are susceptible to capture;
Share the catch more equally among anglers;
Reduce the illegal marketing of fish; and
Convey the message of ethical and responsible behaviour

Why do we have closed seasons?
Closed seasons prevent fishing charters and people from fishing in the Whitsundays at certain times of the year and protect species at particularly vulnerable times of their lifecycle such as spawning seasons.

Why do we have closed waters?
Closed waters prevent fishing charters and people from fishing in certain areas. Closed waters can be areas:
Where a population of endangered or threatened species lives;
Where fish congregate during or before spawning; and
Where fish may mass or be stranded near artificial barriers and be susceptible to overfishing.

Why are there restrictions on fishing gear?
A number of restrictions apply to fishing gear in Queensland to protect fish stocks from overfishing.

Recreational fishing licence
No licence is required for recreational fishing in the Whitsundays and Queensland tidal waters.

Barramundi
Throughout the Queensland east coast, a closed season applies to barramundi from midday 1 November to midday 1st February.
Contact the Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol (QBFP) for more details of the timing of the closed season and future closed seasons.

Coral Reef fin fish
Three, nine-day periods have been implemented as closed seasons to the taking of all coral reef fish in October, November and December each year around the 'new moon" period. The closures are designed to protect the spawning aggregations of most coral reef fish species.
For 2004 the closures will be:
(a) 8 October to 16 October
(b) 6 November to 14 November; and
(c) 6 December to 14 December

Spanner crabs
Throughout Queensland a closed season applies to spanner crabs from 20 November to 20 December

Spear Fishing in the Whitsundays:
Spear guns and spears must not be used to take fish while using or wearing underwater breathing apparatus other that a snorkel. Spear fishing in the Whitsundays is prohibited in all fresh waters and also in the following tidal areas:
The western and southern sides of Lindeman Island
The western side of Long Island
The northern side of south Molle Island
Daydream Island
The eastern southeastern and southern sides of Hook Island
The southern and western sides of Hayman Island

Waters under or within 100m of:
The main wharf at port Dennison Bowen and
A structure attached to the wharf.
The foreshores and waters seaward 50m from low water mark from the boat ramp in greys bay around cape Edgecombe to the eastern headland of horseshoe bay.

Miscellaneous prohibitions
The following activities are illegal throughout Queensland
Jagging or foul hooking fish
Using explosives poisons or electrical devices to take fish (divers may use a powered on a spear gun for protection against sharks)
Interfering with authorised aquaculture activities.
Removing oysters from any oyster ground. However a person may consume oysters on the spot in any public oyster reserve or on unlicensed oyster grounds.
Obstructing lawful netting operations damaging or interfering with fishing apparatus or removing fish from apparatus without lawful authority.
Possession or carriage of prohibited apparatus in closed waters unless the apparatus is dismantled stowed and secured.
Collection of coral without lawful authority.
Interfering with marine life in a fish habitat area. (Note: line fishing is allowed in certain areas of marine parks, and there is no specific prohibition on fishing in a fish habitat area. Digging of yabbies with a hand pump or worms taken by hand capture is also allowed in fish habitat areas)
Removing damaging or interfering with markers or signs erected under the authority of fisheries legislation.

A number of research programs are conducted throughout Queensland to give scientists a better understanding of fish movement growth and surninal rates. Unregulated, tagged fish can be taken. However if you take a tagged fish, phone 1800 077 001 toll free or return the tag to the tagging coordinator, Mr Bill Sawynok, PO Box 9793, Frenchville, Qld, 4707 with the following information: the tag number. If the fish has two tags, record both tag details:
The date and place of capture:
The fork and or total length: and
Whether the fish was kept or released.

If the tag has a keep frame on it, Fisheries officers may wish to examine the fish. Freeze the fish and contact the coordinator on 1800 077 001 or your local QBFP office.