Pumicestone Channel declared Fish Habitat Area

Location and plan number

  • Pumicestone Passage between the mainland and Bribie Island (and most of Bribie Island's eastern foreshore)
  • Plan number: FHA-011 (Revision 1)
  • City of Moreton Bay Council and Sunshine Coast Regional Council

Size and management level

Total size: 9,520 ha:

  • 4,611 ha – Management A
  • 4,909 ha – Management B.

Declaration history

  • 23 January 1969: Original declaration of Pumicestone Passage Fisheries Habitat Reserve.
  • 19 November 1983: Original declaration of Bribie Island Fish Habitat Reserve.
  • 24 July 1998: Redeclaration:
    • to cadastral boundaries
    • combine the Pumicestone Passage and Bribie Island Fish Habitat Areas.
  • 11 November 2011: Redeclaration:
    • clarify boundaries and address management issues.

Management features

  • Long-term protection and maintenance of mud crab habitat.
  • Important area for juvenile and adult fish, which forms the basis of Moreton Bay’s commercial and recreational catches.
  • Limited habitat modification (runnels) for mosquito control.

Habitat values

  • Contains all 7 of Moreton Bay’s mangroves
  • Shoreline dominated by closed forests (Avicennia, Ceriops, Aegiceras and Rhizophora)
  • Extensive tracts of mangroves (Avicennia) surrounding Goat Island
  • Patchy saltmarsh areas associated with the estuary
  • Patchy, sparse and dense seagrass beds (Zostera and Halophila)
  • Shoals
  • Mangrove over-wash islands
  • Estuarine islands, including Little Goat Island
  • Semi-submerged wrecks.

Fisheries values

  • Important recreational fishing area, particularly for whiting.
  • Commercial ocean beach mullet fishery.
  • Indigenous fishing.
  • Species:
    • Australian bass
    • Bream
    • Blue salmon
    • Estuary cod
    • Flathead
    • Garfish
    • Jewfish
    • Luderick
    • Mangrove jack
    • Sea mullet
    • Tailor
    • Whiting
    • Mud crabs
    • Sand crabs
    • Banana prawns
    • Eastern king prawns
    • Bay prawns
    • School prawns
    • Greasyback prawns.

Unique features

  • One of the most significant recreational fisheries habitats in Queensland.
  • One of only 2 areas in south Queensland with substantial Orange or Oriental mangrove (Bruguiera gymnorrhiza).
  • Lies within the Moreton Bay Ramsar Wetland.

Other values

  • Popular area for boating and recreation.