Promoting profitable & sustainable seafood
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Commercial Fishing Licences |
All professional fishing operations must be licensed under the Fisheries Act 1994. Fisheries Queensland has a comprehensive licensing program for professional fishing which regulates the harvesting of wild fish stocks through fisheries regulations and management plans. A wide range of restrictions apply to professional fishing operations to ensure that fishers harvest only what nature can replace. These include:
- Strict caps on the number of licences in each fishery
- restrictions on the type and size of fishing vessels
- seasonal and permanent closures,
- minimum and maximum size limits
- spawning closures,
- comprehensive gear restrictions
- limits on taking certain genders of some species
- time restrictions
- quotas
Compliance with these regulations is monitored by the Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol (QBFB). Professional fishers are also required to report all catches to Fisheries Queensland. This information is analysed to gain insights into catch rates and fishing effort. Professional fishers are required to undertake rigorous training prior to entering the industry. Training includes courses in seafood safety and quality, maritime safety and environmental management.
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