New commercial and recreational fishing rules have been introduced for the East Coast Inshore Fin Fish Fishery.

The fishery

Stretching from Cape York to the Queensland-New South Wales border, the Queensland East Coast Inshore Fin Fish Fishery is the state's largest and most diverse fishery. Its coastal and estuarine waters are home to the widest range of fished species in Queensland.

The Queensland East Coast Inshore Fin Fish Fishery has a large number of users including more than 750,000 recreational fishers, who target a wide range of fin fish species in coastal and estuarine waters, and approximately 500 commercial operators.

The major species taken include barramundi, mullet, bream, whiting, flathead and some lesser mackerels such as spotted and grey mackerel.

Fishery review

The East Coast Inshore Fin Fish Fishery review was undertaken throughout 2007 and 2008 and has now been completed. Fisheries Queensland worked closely with recreational and commercial fishers, conservation groups, the community and other government agencies to develop the proposal for the future management of the fishery. Input for the review was obtained over three stages:

• public meetings in late 2006
• a questionnaire in early 2007
• formal consultations in late 2007 and early 2008.

New legislation for size and in-possesion rules commenced 1 March 2009. New management arrangements for the inshore net fishery commence 1 July 2009.