Fishos in NSW need to check the rules as there’s just been some minor changes made.
NSW Recreational Fisheries Manager Bryan van der Walt said the new fishing rules that came into force yesterday (September 1) have been implemented under the new Fisheries Management (General) Regulation 2010, which replaces the2002 Regulation.
“The new Fisheries Management (General) Regulation 2010 has introduced some minor changes to the recreational fishing rules to make them less complicated for fishers and provide additional protection for fish stocks where required,” Van der Walt said.
The changes involve amendments to gear marking requirements and the rules around setting of recreational traps and nets to make them more consistent.
The bag limit for cobia has also been reduced from 20 to 5 as part of the new regulations to provide additional protection for the species.
“Cobia is a popular catch for recreational fishers in waters off the far north coast of NSW,” Bryan van Der Walt said.
“Queensland reduced its bag limit for the species in 2009 and it was considered some additional protection in NSW was also required in the interim, noting that a broader and more comprehensive review of bag and size limits will commence in 2011.
“There has also been a rule change to the size of landing nets used as an aid by fishers to retrieve fish from the water. Recognising the common use and the importance of large, fine mesh landing nets for catch and release fishing, the maximum size of the frame of a landing net has been removed from the regulations.
“An extensive public advisory campaign will take place over the coming months to promote the changes, including new fishing brochures.”
A summary of these new fishing rules is available at www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fisheries or from your local Fisheries office.
