The Keen Angler Program collects fish skeletons (fish frames) from recreational fishers to help monitor Queensland’s key fish stocks.
You do not need to be an experienced fisher or fish regularly.
Get involved
- Email us to register your interest.
- We will send you the sampling kits and instructions for storing your fish.
- Put your frames in the labelled sampling kit.
- Store them in your freezer.
- Contact us to organise collection.
Target species
These are the locations of the program's target species.
North of Rockhampton
Inshore and estuarine
Coral reef
Mackerel
Deep water
South of Rockhampton
Inshore and estuarine
Rocky reef
Coral reef
Mackerel
Deep water
Locations
This map shows the locations of the target species.
How we use the data
Fisheries Queensland uses the biological information from these fish frames to:
- assess the status of fish stocks
- evaluate the effectiveness of fisheries management arrangements.
The fish frames are processed in our laboratory, where we:
- measure the frames
- determine the sex
- remove the otoliths (ear bones) to estimate age.
For some species, we keep a small sample of muscle tissue, which can be used for research projects that involve studying the genetic makeup of fish populations.
Contact us
Email FisheriesMonitoring@dpi.qld.gov.au
Last updated: 17 Oct 2025