*This page has been updated to reflect interim management arrangements for sand flathead, valid until 31 October 2023. Visit Flathead for the future page for more details.*
Recreational catch limits appear in the table below as a
combined total for all species in a fish group.
All scalefish are measured from the nose to the end of the tail, except the following which are measured:
- Shark - nose to tail (or back gill slit to base of tail if headed and tailed)
- Banded morwong - nose to fork of the tail
- Garfish - upper jaw to the end of the tail
Size and bag limits
Fish Group
| Bag Limit
 | Possession Limit | Boat Limit | Minimum Size
|
| Anglerfish | 2 | 4 | - | -
|
| Bait species (combined, including
anchovy,
sardine,
sprats,
hardyheads) | 50 | 100 | - | -
|
Bait invertebrates (combined, including soldier crabs, marine worms and burrowing shrimp)
| 50 | 100 | - | -
|
| Barracouta | 15
| 30 | - | -
|
Boarfish (combined)
| 2 | 4 | - | 45 cm
|
| Bream (in marine waters) | 5 | 10 | - | 25 cm
|
Cod
| 15 | 30 | - | -
|
Flathead, Sand
| 10 | 30 (sand and tiger flathead combined)
| - | 35 cm
|
Flathead, Tiger
| 20 (sand and tiger flathead combined, max. 10 sand flathead)
| 30 (sand and tiger flathead combined)
| | 32 cm
|
Flathead, Bluespotted and
Rock (combined)
| 5 (only 1 over 60cm) | 10 | - | 40 cm
|
Flounder (combined)
| 15 | 30 | - | 25 cm
|
Garfish
| 15 | 30 | - | 25 cm
|
Groper, Blue
| 0 | 0 | - | -
|
Gurnard and
Ocean Perch (combined)
| 15 | 30 | - | -
|
Kingfish, Yellowtail
| 5 | 10 | - | 45 cm
|
| Leatherjacket (combined) | 10 | 20 | - | 20 cm
|
Mackerel and Redbait (combined)
| 30 | 60 | - | -
|
| Marlin | 1 | 1 | 2 | -
|
Morwong, Banded (season applies)
| 2 | 4 | - | Between 36-46 cm
|
Morwong, Other (combined)
| 10 | 20 | - | 25 cm
|
Mullet (combined)
| 15 | 30 | - | 25 cm
|
Octopus (combined)
| 5 | 10 | - | - |
Pike, Longfin
| 15 | 30 | - | - |
Prawns
| 50 | 100 | - | - |
| Prowfish | 2 | 4 | - | - |
| Salmon, Atlantic (in marine waters) | 12 | 24 | - | - |
| Sea Urchins | No limit | No limit | No limit | No limit |
Shark - Elephantfish
| 2 | 4 | - | - |
| Shark - School and
Gummy shark combined
| 2 | 2 | *see shark boat limit | 75 cm whole or 45 cm headed & tailed |
| Shark, Mako and Blue | 1 | 2 | 2 | - |
Sharks, Skates and
Rays - other, combined excluding elephantfish.
(No taking of skates and rays in Macquarie Harbour).
| 2 | 4 | *see shark boat limit | - |
| *Shark Boat Limit (all shark species combined). All shark species - dorsal and pectoral fins must remain attached until landed. See the
shark finning diagram. | - | - | 5 | - |
| Snapper | 5 | 10 | - | 30 cm
|
Snook
| 5 | 10 | - | - |
| Squid - Goulds | 15 | 30 | - | - |
| Squid - Southern Calamari | 10 | 20 | - | - |
| Swordfish, Broadbill | 1 | 1 | 2 | - |
| Tailor | 5 | 10 | - | - |
Trevalla, Blue-eye
| 5 | 10 | 25 | - |
| Trevally, Silver | 10 | 20 | - | 20 cm
|
| Trout (in marine waters) | 12 | 24 | - | - |
| Trumpeter, Bastard | 5 | 10 | - | 38 cm
|
Trumpeter, Striped (season applies)
Must be landed whole with head and tail attached or as fillets with frames. | 4 | 8 | 20 | 55 cm
|
| Tuna (Bluefin,
Yellowfin, Bigeye) | 2 | 2 | 4 (only 2 over 1.5m) | - |
Tuna, Albacore
| 5 | 10 | - | - |
Tuna, Skipjack
| 10 | 20 | - | - |
| Velvet Fish, Red | 2 | 4 | - | - |
| Warehou | 10 | 20 | - | 25 cm
|
| Whiting, King George | 5 | 10 | - | 35 cm
|
| Whiting, Other | 15 | 30 | - | - |
| Wrasse | 5 | 10 | - | 30 cm
|
| Scalefish not listed above, other than protected species | 5 | 10 | - | - |
Catch limits definitions
The purpose of bag and possession limits is to leave enough mature fish so that species can continue to breed.
| Daily Bag Limit | The maximum number or weight of a particular type of fish you as an individual fisher can take in any one day. |
| Possession Limit | The maximum number or weight of a particular type of fish you as an individual fisher can possess in a specified area in Tasmania. If no area is specified, it applies anywhere in Tasmania including in your home. |
| On Water Possession Limit | The maximum number of a particular type of fish you can possess whilst on the water. |
| Boat Limit | The maximum number or weight of a particular type of fish that can be possessed in one boat at any one time. Daily bag and possession limits apply. |
Cleaning and filleting fish at sea
You can clean and fillet fish at sea although special rules apply for striped trumpeter and shark - see above. For fish that have been filleted, two fillets are deemed to be the equivalent of one fish.