POSSESSION limits on King George Whiting, pipis and razorfish will apply to recreational fishers, the South Australian Government has announced.
In a bid to protect these species, Fisheries Minister Gail Gago said new regulations will come into effect later this year.
Adelaide’s Advertiser reports the move follows feedback from concerned fishers who took part in a consultation process last year aimed at protecting South Australia’s fish from exploitation, mainly from interstate fishers.
“What we are trying do is stop fishers, often in groups, visiting local South Australian fishing spots, over fishing and stock piling these popular species and depleting stocks in some fishing locations,” Ms Gago said.
“Fisheries officers have seen this first hand and the message was clear from our consultation that local recreational fishers who were doing the right thing had concerns.
“We have taken on board this feedback and developed a solution to address the main areas of concern.
“The new possession limits will be simple for the community and fishers visiting the State to understand and will ensure that we protect our valuable fish resources for future generations.”
The penalty for breaching the regulation carries an on the spot fine of $315 and up to $20,000 if prosecuted.
The initial recreational fisher possession limits will affect the following species:
King George Whiting – restricted to six times the bag limit or 7kg fillets (72 fish).
Pipi (Goolwa cockle) – restricted to four times the recreational bag limit (400 for pipi located west of longitude 136E, 1200 pipi in other areas).
Razorfish – restricted to four times the bag limit (100 fish).
Ms Gago said the introduction of possession limits would bring South Australia into line with other states where possession limits already exist.
