Can I still go out fishing under COVID-19 restrictions?

However, it’s up to Australia’s individual states and territories to determine how those guidelines are interpreted.

The result is a hot mess as the rules around whether you can fish – from land or from a boat – are interpreted differently depending on where you live.

Related content:

Not even government departments can get it right, with states including Queensland and NSW flip-flopping on whether fishing and boating were permitted as various government departments made their own interpretation of the new legislation.

To help clear the waters, we’ve attempted to find out what is, and is not, permitted. Where no official information is provided, we’re marking the decision to go boating or fishing as a grey area where individuals will need to decide whether they have a reasonable excuse to break the restrictions.

If you do head out on the water and get into trouble, marine rescue services may take longer to help you as they implement plans to manage the coronavirus risk. They all strongly recommend that you reconsider heading out on the water for that reason alone.

Note that this advice could change day by day, so it's important to make sure you have the latest information before picking up a rod and heading out the door.

The easiest advice is this: If you’re unsure or don't need to be out, stay at home.

In a tumultuous 24 hours for the state, fishing is still allowed in NSW under its strict coronavirus control measures after the NSW Police Minister, David Elliott, yesterday overruled a Transport NSW directive that it was not classed as an essential activity under coronavirus control measures.

Transport NSW has updated its advisory to say so long as people follow social distancing rules, they can use a boat  so long as they have a “reasonable excuse”. Key among those is the word “fish”.

“Packing up your boat for a road trip and a half-day fishing expedition is also not in the spirit of the restrictions,” it adds.

Boaters may still turn up to their local boat ramps to find the authorities that manage them have already made the decision, temporarily restricting access to the water.

On April 28, the NSW Government said restrictions on jet skis and recreational boating would be eased to allow both activities.

The NT is the only Australian jurisdiction where boat licences, a registered boat and alcohol limits are all not needed for a day out on the water.

Under the territory’s interpretation of the rules, land- and boat-based fishing is allowed as long as you follow the social distancing rules.

Anyone heading out on the water is urged to only get in a boat with people who are from the same household.

Boating is still permitted in Queensland so long as people on the boat follow the strict distancing rules introduced to slow the spread of coronavirus.

Under the northern state’s interpretation of the four reasons why people can leave their home – to get food, to seek medical advice, to go to work or to exercise – boating is still allowed under the idea that people fishing are providing for their family, considered an essential activity.

"There's no reason for anyone to be taking the boat out — unless it's for essential travel to get to work, to and from your home, to local shops for provisions, or catching fish for your family,” Queensland Water Minister Mark Bailey said yesterday, overruling no-boating directives from other government departments.

"Even then, there should be no more than two people, or immediate family members, onboard, and the social distancing rules everyone is being asked to follow still apply.”

However, he warned that if the state needed to introduce Stage 4 restrictions, boating and fishing could be moved to the banned list.

Queenslanders normally flock to their boats over the Easter break. According to Bailey, the state wants its citizens to live as normal a life as possible, but “this isn't a special rule to let people out on the water for non-essential reasons this weekend”.

According to the South Australian government, there are no restrictions on fishing as an activity if you are well and are not in quarantine or self-isolation.

“We encourage you to fish locally, near where you live and avoid non-essential travel,” it says.

No information is provided on whether boating remains an allowed activity under the state’s COVID-19 restrictions, although the state’s borders are closed to interstate travellers, including by boat.

No information is available via Tasmanian government websites to say if fishing or boating are allowed under the state’s strict coronavirus control measures.

However, anyone travelling to Flinders Island should note that travel to the island is restricted under strict coronavirus control measures.

Tasmania also requires boaties heading across Bass Strait to self-isolate on their vessel for 14 days before stepping ashore.

Victoria is the only state or territory government in Australia to have its own dedicated Fishing and Boating Minister, Jaala Pulford. Yesterday she weighed into the fishing debate by announcing it was not okay for people to wet a line.

“The advice is clear, you need to stay home,” she said. “There are a lot of sacrifices we need to make – and going out to fish is one of them.

“For some people, fishing is their job – and at this stage that’s okay – however, if you don’t need to go fishing, you shouldn’t be.”

However, even as we publish this a public campaign has launched to try and have recreational fishing reclassified in the state as an approved activity.

Boatsales.com.au is receiving reports that police have stopped issuing warnings to boaters caught launching or retrieving boats, and instead have started issuing heavy fines.

Boaters may turn up to their local boat ramps to find the authorities that manage them have elected to temporarily restrict access.

Fishing appears to be on the level in WA. Since the coronavirus outbreak, Fisheries Minister Peter Tinley has talked up the state as a fishing hotspot.

Rottnest Island, just west of Perth, is one of the state’s most popular boating destinations. It is now under strict quarantine and closed to both day and overnight visitors. The WA Government ordered all boats to be removed from the island’s moorings before March 26.

However, the government has cracked down on recreational boating, including boat-based fishing.

It’s also worth noting that WA has introduced some of Australia’s strictest regional travel restrictions, confining movement to zones within the state. These apply to all forms of travel, including boats.

Tinley said fishers should cancel plans to travel to the state’s northern or southern beaches given the travel restrictions.

Western Australia has since relaxed the rules to allow groups of up to 10 people to gather together, including for  “non-contact recreational activities” such as fishing and boating.