WATCH OUT: Fishing reforms you need to know about

They apply to target species, catch limits, out-of-bound areas and more. Plus, your weekly weather and tides

The new fishing rules include catch limits on barramundi.

A WAVE of new fishing laws have come into effect applying to target species, catch limits, out-of-bound areas and more.

The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries announced the reforms, aimed at ensuring future fish numbers, this week.

They include banning fishing at Dalrymple Bay and Hay Point, barring the use of net equipment to take crabs and placing catch limits on target species including barramundi and mud crab.

The Queensland Government has placed a limit on the number of mud crabs that can be caught.

Further, barramundi fishing will close from November 1 to January 31 and the taking of tropical rocklobster will be prohibited from October 1 to December 31.

WWF Australia Sustainable Fisheries Project Manager Simon Miller said the "long awaited reform" would reduce threats from "unsustainable" fishing on the "delicate" reef.

But Mr Miller said gill net bycatch of threatened species in the northern GBR remained an issue.

 

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Shark finning was also banned in the Great Barrier Reef as well as other waters across Queensland.

Now, fishers working in the East Coast Inshore Fin Fish Fishery will need to bring caught sharks back whole with their fins attached.

Australian Marine Conservation Society scientist Dr Leonardo Guida said finning of sharks was still happening in the Great Barrier Reef including to endangered species.

Australian Marine Conservation Society scientist Dr Leonardo Guida said the change stops fishers exploiting a loophole that allowed the cruel and illegal industry.

"When fins leave Australia at an average price of $73 per kg versus meat at 22c per kg, the temptation to dump a finned shark is there," Mr Guida said.

"If a fisher wanted to, they could cut off and keep the highly prized fins of critically endangered scalloped hammerheads and dump the bodies overboard.

"Without their fins, sharks are very difficult to identify.

"So long as the piles of fins and flesh on the boat look like they're in the right proportions, fisheries officers would be none the wiser."

Fisheries Queensland are now working on further reforms that will impact harvests and commercial catch limits.

To see the full list of reforms, head to the Fisheries website.

 

Bureau of Meteorology's weekend weather forecasts for Mackay:

Friday: Sunny. Light winds becoming easterly 20 to 30 km/h in the morning. Overnight temperatures falling to between 14 and 18 with daytime temperatures reaching 27C to 33C.

Saturday: Partly cloudy. Slight 20 per cent chance of a shower along the coastal fringe in the evening. Near zero chance of rain elsewhere. Winds easterly 25 to 35 km/h. Overnight temperatures falling to between 14C and 19C with daytime temperatures reaching 25C to 30C.

Sunday: Partly cloudy. Slight 30 per cent chance of a shower. Winds easterly 20 to 30 km/h. Overnight temperatures falling to between 14C and 19C with daytime temperatures reaching the mid to high 20Cs.

 

And your BOM coastal waters forecasts for Mackay from Bowen to St Lawrence:

 

Friday:

Winds: East to south-easterly 10 to 15 knots, increasing to 15 to 20 knots during the morning and afternoon. South-easterly winds reaching up to 25 knots offshore during the evening.

Seas: Around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 2 metres offshore during the afternoon.

Swell: East to north-easterly below 1 metre.

Saturday:

Winds: East to south-easterly 15 to 20 knots, increasing to 20 to 25 knots offshore.

Seas: 1 to 2 metres.

Swell: East to north-easterly around 1 metre offshore.

Sunday:

Winds: East to south-easterly 15 to 20 knots.

Seas: 1 to 2 metres.

Swell: East to south-easterly below 1 metre.

 

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Finally, the all-important tide times:

Friday: Low tide of 0.74m at 5.08am, high tide of 5.02m at 11.03am, low tide of 0.94m at 5.12pm and high tide of 5.11m at 11.09pm

Saturday: Low tide of 0.83m at 5.30am, high tide of 4.99m at 11.29am, low tide of 1.1m at 5.39pm, high tide of 4.86m at 11.32pm

Sunday: Low tide of 0.96m at 5.51am, high tide of 4.9m of 11.55am, low tide of 1.31m at 6.05pm and high of 4.55am at 11.55pm

 

Happy fishing! And if you manage to reel in an awesome catch, we'd love to see some pictures. Email photos to [e-mail]

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