Fishing Seasons

​​​​​Fisheries may be closed at spawning times to protect breeding stock, to limit the catch for a fishery or for public health reasons. If not listed, no season applies

​Species ​Recreational Seasons
​Commercial Seasons
​​Rock Lobster​
(crayfish)
2023

Waters outsideEast Coast​​ Stock Rebuilding Zone - OPEN from Saturday, 4 November 2023.

East Coast Stock Rebuilding Zone - OPEN from Saturday, 2 December 2023.

**Recreational fishers must report their rock lobster catch. Learn more about catch reporting.**

Learn about transiting seasonally closed waters​.

2023

Waters outside East Coast Stock Rebuilding Zone
- OPEN from Wednesday, 15 November 2023.

Male - CLOSED from Friday, 1 September 2023 all waters south of Point Sorell around to Sandy Cape (41° 29').

Male - CLOSED from Sunday, 1 October 2023 all other State waters.

2024

Eastern Region (including East Coast Stock Rebuilding Zone)
- CLOSED from Wednesday, 1 May 2024.
Western Region (Females)
- CLOSED from Wednesday 1 May 2024.
Western Region (Males)
- CLOSED from Sunday 1 September 2024.


2024

East Coast Stock Rebuilding Zone
- OPEN from Friday, 1 March 2024.​

Female - CLOSED from Wednesday, 1​ May 2024 for all State waters.

Male - CLOSED from Sunday, 1 September 2024 all waters south of St Helens Pt around to Sandy Cape (41° 29').

Male - CLOSED from Tuesday, 1 October 2024 all other State waters.

Squid and Calamari
Spawning Closures

​East Coast

Upper south east coast waters including Great Oyster Bay and Mercury Passage - CLOSED from 15 October to 14 November inclusive each year.​

 

North Coast

2023: North of Cape Grim and Cape Naturaliste - CLOSED from 21 August - 31 October 2023 inclusive​.

​​East Coast

Upper south east coast waters including Great Oyster Bay and Mercury Passage - CLOSED from 15 October to 14 November inclusive each year.

 

North Coast

2023: North of Cape Grim and Cape Naturaliste - CLOSED from 21 August - 31 October 2023 inclusive​.

​​Scallops

​2024: OPEN from 23 March to 31 July 2024.
The D'Entrecasteaux Channel is closed.

OPEN 7 July 2023

CLOSED 31 December 2023

​​Striped Trumpeter

​CLOSED from 1 September to 31 October inclusive each year.

CLOSED from 1 September to 31 October inclusive each year.

​​Garfish

​​​Northern Waters

North of Cape Grim and Cape Naturaliste - CLOSED from 15 January to 14 February inclusive in 2023, 2024 and 2025.

Southern Waters

All other waters - CLOSED from 15 November to 14 December inclusive​ in 2022, 2023 and 2024.

*The line between Northern and Southern Waters is the same as the North Coast Squid closure line.

​Northern Waters

North of Cape Grim and Cape Naturaliste - CLOSED from 15 January to 14 February inclusive in 2023, 2024 and 2025. 

​Southern Waters

All other waters - CLOSED from 15 November to 14 December inclusive​ in 2022, 2023 and 2024.

Giant Crab​​Same as Rock lobster season.

​Males - OPEN all year round.

Females - OPEN from 15 November in a year to 31 May the following year inclusive.

Banded Morwong​​​CLOSED from 1 March to 30 April inclusive each year.

​​CLOSED from 1 March to 30 April inclusive each year.

Abalon​e

​​​OPEN all year round​.

​OPEN all year round however catch caps exist in many zones. See Abalone Closures.


See Inland Fisheries for inland fishing seasons.



    Contact

    Wild Fisheries Management Branch
    Level 3, 134 Macquarie Street
    GPO Box 44
    Hobart TAS 7001
    Phone: 03 6165 3000, 1300 368 550
    Email: fishing.enquiries@nre.tas.gov.au

    Hotline

    Fishwatch Report illegal fishing

    0427 655 557

    What to report? arrow button

    Contact us

    Recreational Fishing

    Level 3, 134 Macquarie St

    Hobart TAS 7000

    Phone: (03) 6165 3233, 1300 720 647

    Email: fishing.enquiries@nre.tas.gov.au

    Commercial Fisheries

    Level 3, 134 Macquarie St

    GPO Box 44

    Phone: (03) 6165 3000, 1300 368 550

    Email: commercial.fisheries@nre.tas.gov.au

    Commercial Fisheries Licensing

    Level 3, 134 Macquarie St

    GPO Box 44

    Phone: (03) 6165 3000, 1300 368 550

    Email: fishing.licensing@nre.tas.gov.au