Commercial net fishing gear

Commercial net fishers use mainly mesh nets, with seine nets also used in some areas.

East coast inshore fishery

The east coast inshore fishery is a multi-gear fishery. Two main types of nets are used:

• Mesh nets used in the northern areas of this fishery are set in rivers, nearshore or offshore for most of the species caught (barramundi, threadfins, tropical shark and mackerels). Mesh nets are used as set nets, or nets that are neither fixed nor hauled, in southern areas for most of the species caught in the larger estuaries and bays, such as mullet and lesser mackerels.
• Seine nets are used in the southern areas of the fishery and only occasionally in the northern area. The net is deployed in an arc from the shoreline, usually from a small boat, surrounding an area of water containing fish, and then hauled to the shore or back net. This technique is used mainly for mullet, tailor and whiting.

Fish can also be taken using fishing lines if a fisher has an L1, L2 or L3 fishery symbol on their licence.

Gulf of Carpentaria inshore fishery

Mesh nets are the main gear used in the Gulf of Carpentaria inshore fishery.

Commercial fishers use mesh nets to harvest key species. The nets are set in position where fish are likely to swim into them—in rivers, nearshore or offshore (depending on the location and target species).