Fishing, boating allowed under Queensland's snap COVID-19 lockdown
Fishing still classed as an essential activity, but boaters have to stay close to where they launchQueensland residents trapped in the latest COVID-19 lockdown in the state will still be able to head out fishing, the government has announced.
The state today went into staged lockdown, with residents in the Greater Brisbane area confined to their homes and only permitted to leave them for “essential reasons”, and while wearing a face mask.
Queenslanders in the rest of the state will need to carry masks and wear them indoors when visiting places such as supermarkets and workplaces.
However, keen anglers will still be able to hit the water throughout the stare, with heading out fishing considered an essential activity under the COVID-19 control measures – even in the Greater Brisbane area that is the source of the latest coronavirus outbreak.
“Boat owners are permitted to use their boats for essential reasons only,” a notice posted to the Queensland Health Department website says.
“This includes for fishing, shopping, travel to and from work, or to attend permitted appointments.”
However, fishers can only access the water if they’re closer to it, with the advisory stipulating that boaters had to confine themselves to their local waters.
As well, social distancing rules – maintaining at least 1.5 metres between people – will apply on both the boat ramp and the boat.
Boating under the three-day lockdown isn’t even really a social thing; anyone heading out on the water can only have one other person aboard if they’re not a member of the family from the same household.
There are no social distancing requirements for families taking to the water.
The statewide lockdown officially ends at 5pm on Thursday, April 1.
Queensland has recorded 10 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours via two separate clusters that have both been traced back to the same Brisbane-based hospital.
The state now has 78 active coronavirus cases.
Queensland’s lockdown is nowhere near as severe as those rolled out in Victoria almost 12 months ago that were so strict that they even prevented anglers from wetting a line in the local lake, even if they were the only one there.
Boating was also classed as a banned activity in the state.
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