Rock Lobster Faqs RECREATIONAL FISHERIES - TASMANIA
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Rock Lobster FAQs RECREATIONAL FISHERIES - TASMANIA Answers to questions frequently asked by recreational fishers about the rules applying to taking rock lobster in Tasmania. Catch Limits and days from camps at islands Extended Trips or in ‘live aboard’ vessels and return across the water. What are the catch limits There are no transiting for the rock lobster provisions to allow different fishery? catch limits between regions. See bag and possession There is a possession limit limits for the Eastern and applying to the entire Tasmanian mainland. Rock Lobster Regions Western Regions on the map on the back page or on the Different possession limits apply in the Eastern Region, Where are the regions for DPIPWE website at: www.fishing.tas.gov.au which are currently lower. the recreational rock Daily bag limits still apply. lobster fishery? When does a bag limit and possession limit apply? What if I live on one of the State fishing waters, islands within the Eastern including all islands, have How do people prove they are on an extended trip? Region such as Bruny or been divided into two rock Flinders Island? lobster management regions, A bag limit is the number of the Eastern and Western You can not possess more Fishing Regions. See the fish that can be taken in any one calendar day (24 hour than the Eastern Region map on the back page. possession limit. The period commencing at midnight). The possession Eastern Region possession Does the line separating limit applies to all waters and the rock lobster regions limit is the amount of fish you can possess at any one time. all the islands within the separate mainland Eastern Region eastward of Tasmania? If you are on state waters with more than the daily bag Point Sorell (near Port Sorell) limit for that Region, you will and Whale Head on the No. The Regions apply to South Coast. the waters and islands need to establish that you have fished for more than contained within. The lines What possession limits separating the regions do not one day and not exceeded your daily bag limits. apply if I am in a shack extend through mainland such as at Bruny Island or Tasmania. The possession limit allows camping on one of the for fishing over a number of islands in the Eastern Wild Fisheries Management Branch Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment Region like. Clarke or Eastern Region? Do the relatively high on the South Schouten Island and I also Eastern limits apply? Coast, management have rock lobster at home measures are designed so on mainland Tasmania Yes. While you are in the catch is limited on the East such as Launceston or Western Region you can Coast including the South Hobart? have rock lobster numbers East and that these within the bag possession measures are less restrictive While you are in your shack and boat limit that apply to than if applied statewide. or camp, as you are in the the Western Region. Once Eastern Region you may you cross into the Eastern possess the amount for the Region, you must keep within rock lobster Eastern Region the Eastern Region limits. Possession Limit for possession limit. This can Non Fishers includes caufed fish. You Why aren’t arrangements in may possess rock lobster in place to allow Western See the back page and your home on mainland Region catch limits to be www.fishing.tas.gov.au for Tasmania providing that the taken across the Whale information on possession number you possess in the Head boundary into the limits for non-fishers. Eastern Region and Eastern Region? anywhere else in Tasmania does not exceed the Transiting arrangements mainland possession limit. between Regions were Special Rock Lobster considered during the rock Licence What if I live on mainland lobster review but were not Tasmania on the East introduced because any rules Coast such as at St Marys, would have been complicated and I tow my boat to the and increased policing costs West Coast to fish? and compliance risks. Regional management was a The Western Region daily less restrictive way of bag limit applies, as you are applying the limits needed to fishing the Western Region address East Coast stock as does the Western Region issues. possession limit. Eastern Special rock lobster licences Region limits do not apply as Some fishers have indicated are only issued for the you will not be in that region, that the different catch limits Western Region and allows a so if you fish longer than a and boundaries associated slightly higher possession day and have not exceeded with the South Coast may limit for a 14 day period. The the daily bag limits you encourage them to take licensee cannot fish for rock should abide by the Western compliance risks or have to lobster in the Eastern Region Region possession limit. This ‘throw fish back’. Fishers during the 14 day period of includes the number of rock should plan their fishing so the licence. lobster you possess they don’t find themselves in anywhere in Tasmania such a position where they need to How do I apply for a special as in your freezer at home release catch. You are rock lobster licence? and those that you possess allowed to dismember and driving back to your home. eat one rock lobster per A recreational fisher who licensed fisher, and that holds a rock lobster licence What if I fish in the Western these are included in the (either rock lobster dive, ring Region and want to return daily bag limits. or pot) may apply for only on water through to the one 14 day special rock Although catch rates may be lobster licence per season in 2 the Western Region. You Western Region – A person Irrespective of who uses the can buy this licence online or in charge of a vessel in the vessel not more than the total from Service Tasmania. The Western Region must ensure number of pots for that gear person applying nominates that not more than the limit can be used at any one the 14 day period. nominated boat limit for rock time. lobster are on the vessel. An What happens if I buy a extended fishing trip limit How do boat gear limits special licence and then I (more than 24 hours) also work if a boat is shared and can't fish during the applies. different people operate the nominated 14 day period? boat? Who is responsible for You may cancel or amend ensuring the boat limits are If a person in charge of a your special rock lobster adhered to? boat has set or allowed to be licence at Service Tasmania used the full boat gear limit or online prior to the The person in charge of the from the boat during a fishing commencement of the 14 day vessel. trip, they cannot use, set or licence period. Once the allow to be used any more licence period has started rock lobster pots until a you can't amend your licence number of pots have been and you can't fish for rock Boat Gear Limits retrieved and removed from lobster in the Eastern Region. State waters. If one of these Boat gear limits apply to the pots are taken back to land, Can I still go out in a boat number of rock lobster rings then the boat can take a in the Eastern Region and pots that can be ‘new’ fisher out to set their during the 14 day period of possessed or used from a pot. my special licence? boat. See the current boat gear limits at Why are there boat limits? Yes, you can fish for other www.fishing.tas.gov.au. species, however you cannot The introduction of boat limits use any rock lobster gear or Who is responsible for aims to confine non- fish for rock lobster. ensuring the boat gear commercial fishing activities limits are adhered to? within the spirit of recreational fishing. This The person in charge of the type of fishing should reflect Boat Limits vessel. a non-commercial fishing operation that does not There are limits on the Does the boat gear limit provide significant number of rock lobster that include the pots set in the opportunities for illegal can be on a boat. See the water? fishing. current boat limits for each region on the back page. Yes. Boat limits are intended to limit the overall recreational Eastern Region – A person What happens if another fishing catch and prevent the in charge of a vessel in the person uses the boat circumvention of personal Eastern Region must ensure including taking charge of daily bag limits or possession that not more than the the vessel and starting a limits by individual fishers nominated boat limit for rock new fishing trip? through the carrying of non- lobster are on the vessel. An fishing crew in a boat. The extended fishing trip limit The boat gear limit includes individual gear, bag and (more than 24 hours) also all rock lobster pots being possession limits still apply. applies. used from the vessel. Boat limits can also be a 3 useful management tool as No. they provide the capacity to limit the potential for localised Do I have to set or pull my Size Limits depletion. Localised depletion own pot? can occur as a consequence The minimum legal size that of the fishing impact of The licence holder or applies for rock lobster is the vessels with a large number aboriginal fisher must be length of the carapace or of fishers on-board, whether participating in the fishing shell – see current size from charter or private activity.