Stop fishing on the Great Barrier Reef from today
The new moon sparks spawning activity and signals a five-day seasonal halt to fishing for coral finfishCoral reef finfish will be off limits for five days from this Friday (October 28, 2016), as the first of two annual closures kicks in to protect a range of key species during their spawning season.
Coral reef finfish include cods and groupers, emperors, parrot fishes, sweetlips, wrasses, coral trout, fusiliers, surgeon fishes, tropical snappers and sea perches.
The spawning coincides with the new moon when a lot of piscatorial hanky-panky goes down on the Great Barrier Reef and surrounds.
The closures are in place from the northern tip of Cape York to Bundaberg in the south (the southern boundary is at latitude 24º50'S).
The eastern boundary of the closure is similar to the eastern boundary of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.
The coral reef fin fish closures apply to both commercial and recreational fishers. Charter operators who meeting qualifying criteria can apply for an exemption.
TWO NEW MOON CLOSURES
Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol district officer Tony Loader said the two five-day closures coincided with the new moon when key coral reef fish species aggregate to spawn.
October and November have been found to be the most effective months for closures to protect coral reef fin fish.
"This year, the first closure starts immediately after midnight at the beginning of 28 October and ends immediately before midnight at the end of 1 November," Mr Loader said.
"The second closure starts immediately after midnight at the beginning of 26 November and ends immediately before midnight at the end of 30 November.
"The closure dates change slightly each year depending on the new moon phases, however ,closure dates through to 2018 have been set to provide certainty and long-term planning for fishers.'
BIG FINES FOR FISHING
Fishers caught doing the wrong thing during the coral reef fin fish closure risk on-the-spot fines of $487 for recreational fishers and $975 for commercial fishers and a maximum penalty in excess of $121,000.
For more information on Queensland’s closed fishing seasons you can download the free ‘Qld Fishing’ app from Apple and Google app stores.
These coral finfish closure dates and a reef fish web guide are also available at www.daf.qld.gov.au/fisheries or in the Queensland Recreational Boating and Fishing Guide which is a free publication for fishers
available at QBFP branches statewide or by calling 13 25 23.
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