Commercial line fisheries

There are 6 line fisheries operating in tidal waters from the Queensland border with the Northern Territory to the border with New South Wales. These include:

• reef line fishery
• rocky reef fishery
• east coast Spanish mackerel fishery
• east coast multiple-hook fishery
• east coast inshore fishery (line and net fishery)
• Gulf of Carpentaria line fishery.

All 6 fisheries use fishing lines, with a restriction on the number of lines and hooks that commercial fishers can use.

Some of the catch is sold locally as frozen or fresh fillets, steaks or whole fish, while some are marketed as live fish for export.

This guide gives an overview of Queensland's commercial line fisheries, including management areas, target species, gear used, licensing and regulations.