| Main Species | Barramundi (Lates calcarifer), grey mackerels (Scomberus ), threadfins (Polyenmid species), sharks (Family Carcharinidae) grunter bream (Pomadasys species) | The Gulf of Carpentaria is a highly productive fishing ground hosting a number of important commercial fisheries including the inshore fin fish fishery, the offshore fin fish fishery, the mud crab fishery and line fisheries.
Commercial fisheries play an vital role in contributing jobs and economic activity to the Gulf regional economy. The Gulf Inshore Fin Fish Fishery The inshore fin fish fishery primarily targets barramundi, threadfin salmon and grey mackerel.
About 75% of Queensland’s barramundi production comes from the Gulf inshore fishery.
The fishery is managed under the Gulf of Carpentaria Fin Fish Fishery Management Plan, which was one of the first formal management plans adopted by the Queensland government in 1999.
Fishing in the inshore fin fish fishery is limited to eight months of the year. The fishery is closed between the new moon in October and the new moon in January to protect barramundi during their annual spawning period.
The size of nets that can be used is regulated to ensure that fish smaller than the minimum legal size and larger than the maximum size are not captured.
Professional fishers in the gulf work closely with fisheries scientists and economists to ensure that gulf fisheries remain healthy and profitable. Commercial fishers in this fishery have submitted logbooks to management agencies since 1978.
All 90 licence holders in the Gulf fishery have completed an Endangered and Threatened Species Awareness Course.
On top of their commercial licence fees, all licence holders contribute $1000 each year towards a licence buyback scheme which aims to secure the long term sustainability and profitability of the fleet. The Gulf Offshore Fin Fish Fishery Established under the Gulf of Carpentaria Fin Fish Management Plan in 1999, the Gulf offshore fishery operates in waters between 7 and 25 nautical miles from the coast. The fishery targets shark and grey mackerel.
Operators in the offshore fishery work closely with fisheries scientists to ensure catches are sustainable. Through their licence fees, fund government observers on board their vessels to record information to help manage the fishery.
The amount of catch in the offshore fishery is now monitored by leading-edge technology: a satellite based Vessel Monitoring System that not only tracks vessels’ positions and provides on-board communication and management information but can also allow the amount of catch to be monitored in real time. All vessels in the Gulf Offshore fin fish fishery are fitted with this latest technology. Gulf of Carpentaria Line Fisheries Line fisheries in the Gulf target a range of reef species as well as Spanish mackerel. About 50 operators are licenced to fish in Gulf waters, between the coast and the 25nm line. Spanish mackerel in the Gulf are thought to be a different genetic stock from those of the east coast. Most Spanish mackerel harvested in the Gulf is sold to markets within Australia. The Gulf of Carpentaria Environmental Management System The Gulf of Carpentaria fishery operates under a industry driven environmental management system (EMS) (summary or full document available) put together by local fishermen working together with fisheries scientists and experts in environmental management.
Gulf fishermen have been leaders, both nationally and internationally, in the development and implementation of commercial fishing environmental management systems.
The EMS outlines the industry’s vision for the Gulf fishery “A viable, sustainable commercial Gulf fishery, respected by all people” as well as the steps the industry is taking to get there.
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