Minor harvest fisheries

Smaller commercial harvest fisheries exist in Queensland for:

• bait fisheries, such as beachworms, bloodworms and yabbies
• marine specimen shells
• pearl shells
• wild-caught oysters.

For current management arrangements, refer to the fisheries legislation.

Commercial fishers must comply with a number of reporting requirements.

In summary, fishers must:

• report trip/catch notices through the Qld eFisher commercial fishing app or the Automated Integrated Voice Response system
• complete compulsory daily logbooks – catch and effort plus threatened, endangered and protected animals
• keep sale dockets for all wholesale sales for 5 years, including to businesses involved in the processing and storage of fisheries resources.

Beachworm fishery

The commercial beachworm fishery consists of all foreshores south of latitude 10°41'S, and east of longitude 142°31'49"E. It operates under the fishery symbol W1.

Beachworms may only be taken within the fishery area stated on the licence.

Beachworms of the family Onuphidae are the target species.

Bloodworm fishery

The commercial bloodworm fishery consists of all foreshores south of latitude 10°41'S, and east of longitude 142°31'49"E. It operates under the fishery symbol W2.

Bloodworms of the family Eunicidae are the target species.

Marine yabby fishery

The fishery area consists of all foreshores south of latitude 10°41'S, and east of longitude 142°31'49"E. It operates under the fishery symbol Y.

The fishery's target species is the marine yabby (Trypaea australiensis).

Pearl fishery

The commercial pearl fishery consists of tidal waters south of latitude 10°41'S and east of longitude 142°31'49"E. It operates under the fishery symbol P.

Live oysters of the following species may be taken under the licence:

• blacklip pearl oyster (Pinctada margaritifera)
• goldlip pearl oyster (Pinctada maxima).

Shell fishery

The shell fishery consists of all tidal waters and foreshores and is based on the collection of shelled molluscs (many species) for ornamental trade. It operates under the fishery symbol F.

Only molluscs may be taken under this licence. Green snails, oysters, pearl oysters, trochus and scallops cannot be taken.

Shell grit fishery

The shell grit fishery consists of all tidal waters and foreshores south of latitude 10°41'S, and east of longitude 142°31'49"E. It operates under the fishery symbol G.

This fishery is based on the collection of crushed shell.

Star sand fishery

The star sand fishery consists of all tidal waters and foreshores south of latitude 10°41'S, and east of longitude 142°31'49"E. It operates under the fishery symbol H.

This fishery is based on the collection of star sand composed of the calcareous skeletons of unicellular animals known as Foraminifera.

Wild-caught oyster fishery

The commercial wild-caught oyster fishery area consists of all foreshores between low water and high water. It operates under the fishery symbol O.

The following species may be taken under the licence:

• blacklip oysters (Striostrea mytiloides)
• milky oysters (Saccostrea cuccullata).

Also consider…

• Learn how fishers must also comply with state marine park and Great Barrier Reef Marine Park zoning rules.