SCALLOPS. Measuring and Handling Scallops. Licence. Size Limits. Bag and Possession Limits

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1 SCALLOPS Licence: scallop licence required Size limit: commercial and queen scallops 100mm, doughboy scallops 80mm Daily bag limit: 50 scallops Possession limit: 100 scallops (on land only), 50 scallops (on water) Season: The scallop season is open from the Saturday before Easter to the end of July. D Entrecasteaux Channel: Closed for 2017 season All other State waters: 8 April - 31 July 2017 Licence You need a recreational scallop licence to take scallops. Scallops may only be taken by hand and only the licence holder can dive for scallops. You cannot take scallops on behalf of another scallop licence holder. Size Limits The minimum legal size limits are: Commercial and Queen scallops mm Doughboy scallops - 80 mm Get your scallop measuring gauge at any Service Tasmania outlet. Commercial Queen Doughboy Measuring and Handling Scallops The size of the scallop is measured across the widest part of the scallop shell. This is generally parallel to the hinge. Scallops must be measured before they are taken. Scallops can be shucked for immediate consumption at sea as long as the shells are retained and brought ashore. Scallops consumed count towards the daily bag limit and landing of shucked meats is prohibited. Take your catch home and dispose of waste with your household rubbish. Throwing waste and shells back in the water can spread fish diseases and pests. widest point Bag and Possession Limits Fishers with a recreational scallop licence have: A personal daily bag limit of 50 scallops (all species combined). This is your total catch for the day regardless of how many trips you make. This is also your possession limit while out on the water and only licensed fishers can possess scallops on the water. A possession limit of 100 scallops (all species combined) or 3kgs of scallop meat. This possession limit applies everywhere on land. This limit also applies to persons who do not have a licence unless they have receipts for purchases. 43

2 SCALLOPS Measure and count your scallops as you go to keep within the limits. Marine Safety 44 Area Restrictions The D Entrecasteaux Channel has been closed to recreational scallop fishing, including possession of scallops while swimming, to protect scallop stocks and reduce the likelihood of long term closures. See map on page 69. Scallop fishing is restricted in Marine Nature Reserves and Research Areas. No fishing in marine farming lease areas. See page 50 for a full list of area restrictions. Public Health Alerts Check for any current public health alerts relating to eating wild shellfish at Measure scallops across the widest part of the shell Many marine incidents that are reported to Marine and Safety Tasmania involve recreational boats. Boat capsizes occur because boaters can get into trouble when setting or retrieving their fishing gear. Some general boating safety tips are: Obtain the latest long-range weather forecast before heading out; Don t overload the boat with gear and people; Don t reverse quickly after setting or retrieving the gear; If gear is snagged, don t tie the buoy line to your boat to tow it out; Make sure the buoy line is the right length prior to setting the gear; If you have VHF leave it on channel 16; Use a long boat hook to avoid leaning too far over the side; and Make sure your boat has sufficient buoyancy. Weather contact numbers: South: , North: , North-West: and East: Recreational Sea Fishing Guide

3 SQUID, CALAMARI AND OCTOPUS SQUID AND CALAMARI There is no minimum size for squid or calamari. Goulds squid Southern calamari Area Restrictions See page 50 for a full list of area restrictions. Squid and Calamari Closed Area From 15 October to 14 November each year all waters south from Lemon Rock (south of Wineglass Bay) to the northern end of Marion Beach (south of Maria Island) and includes Coles Bay, Great Oyster Bay and the Mercury Passage are closed to protect spawning calamari. During the closure period the taking and possession of calamari and any other squid is prohibited in this area. *A northern spawning closure is being considered for Check for updates. OCTOPUS There is no minimum size for octopus. Octopus are usually taken by hand, gaff, line, net, bait trap or in rock lobster pots and rings, but cannot be taken by a specialised octopus pot or trap 5 10 Octopus SEA URCHINS There is no recreational size or catch limit for sea urchins cm GUIDE TO SYMBOLS Minimum size Bag limit Possession limit Boat limit

4 CRABS, PRAWNS AND SEAWEED CRABS Giant Crabs You need a recreational rock lobster pot licence to fish for giant crabs. They are a deep water species occasionally caught by recreational fishers. The following rules apply: Seasons: as for rock lobster see page 16. Only crabs with a carapace length (from the front of the carapace to the back) between 150 mm and 215 mm can be kept. Female giant crabs in berry (with eggs) cannot be kept. There is a possession limit of 1 giant crab. Giant crab one bait trap can be used but it must meet specified dimensions (see page 29). If using soldier crabs as bait, see page 24. PRAWNS Prawns are mainly caught using a dip net or landing net. Gear and area restrictions apply - see page King prawn SEAWEED COLLECTION No licence is required when seaweed is collected for private use. There is a daily limit of 100 kg per person for cast seaweed and collection is only from beaches with public access. Seaweed attached to the sea floor must not be harvested. Seaweed cannot be taken in Marine Nature Reserves. See page Inshore Crabs Inshore crabs includes all crabs other than giant crabs and soldier crabs. No minimum size Red velvet crab Red bait crab female crabs in berry (with eggs) cannot be kept; specialised crab traps cannot be used; and Recreational Sea Fishing Guide

5 SHELLFISH AND SHELL COLLECTION The taking of limpets and elephant snails is prohibited. Licences are required for the collection of abalone and scallops and are covered elsewhere in this guide. There is no limitation on shell collecting from beaches provided that the shell does not contain the living organism. Shells cannot be collected from reserved land contact Parks and Wildlife for more information. The following species have no seasons, size or possession limits and a licence is not required but bag limits and area restrictions apply. Species Daily bag limit Clams, cockles and pipis (species 100 combined) Wedge shells 200 Mussels 100 Periwinkles 100 Pacific oysters unlimited Native oysters 50 Other shellfish 20 (other shellfish species combined) Native oyster Shellfish Quality Eating bivalve shellfish from the wild may be a high risk activity. Consider the water quality of the area before taking and consuming shellfish. Do not take shellfish from areas near stormwater drains, marinas, slipways or wastewater outfalls or after heavy rainfall. Do not consume shellfish from the Tamar or Derwent Estuaries including Ralphs Bay as they contain high levels of heavy metals see seafood-safety. Tasmania is periodically affected by toxic algal blooms - follow any Public Health Warnings. If in doubt phone the Department of Health and Human Services hotline on More information on shellfish quality is available at Mussel Clam Cockle 47 Periwinkle Pacific oyster

6 MARINE PESTS AND DISEASES 48 Introduced species and marine diseases have the capacity to cause significant damage to Tasmania s fisheries and marine environment. There are several recognised marine pests in Tasmania including the Northern Pacific Seastar (1), European Clam (2), Asian Bag Mussel (3), European Fan Worm (4), European Green Crab (5), Japanese Kelp (6) and New Zealand Screwshell (7). In addition to these existing pests there are a number of recognised marine pests found in Australian and overseas waters which, if introduced here, would have the potential to cause significant damage. Help Stop the Spread of Marine Pests and Diseases Marine pests and diseases can be spread by boat owners, fishers, marine farmers, and divers. Some pests and diseases can live for days in bilge water, fishing gear, diving gear, ropes, boat hulls and even in bait. Help prevent the spread of pests and diseases: Do not move water, fish or fish products between locations including bait, shells and offal. Keep your fishing gear, dive gear and boat clean and disinfected between trips. Thoroughly clean surfaces and remove organic matter that may harbour pests and diseases and dispose of waste in land based facilities; Wash all gear, the boat and trailer with fresh water and detergent, away from the coast and any drains, and let it dry; Regularly clean and check seawater systems on your boat; and Do not release aquarium fish, pond fish, or plants into our waterways. This will help prevent the introduction of new pests and diseases. For more information about Biosecurity and Marine Pests call Report Suspected Diseases Early detection is essential to controlling marine diseases. If you see the effects of suspected marine diseases contact the Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment disease watch hotline (24-hours freecall). For information on AVG see page 36. (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) Recreational Sea Fishing Guide

7 PROTECTED AND THREATENED SPECIES Protected Species The following species are protected and must not be taken for any reason: Elephant snail, limpet, handfish, threefin blenny, pipehorse, pipefish, seahorse, seadragon, Maugean skate and the great white, basking, grey nurse, megamouth and whale shark. If you encounter, or even accidentally catch, a protected species you must return the animal to where you found it regardless of whether it is alive or dead. Aborigines engaged in Aboriginal fishing may take and possess limpets. Elephant snail Handfish Limpet Threefin blenny Threatened Species There are a number of marine species that are also threatened species and are protected under the Threatened Species Protection Act Many of these are also protected nationally under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act A full list can be found at conservation/threatened-species. Threatened species cannot be taken without a permit for any reason, however, you may encounter, or accidentally catch, some of these species whilst fishing. If you think that you may have caught a threatened species, please return it to the water with as little damage as possible. If it is injured or entangled in fishing gear please contact the DPIPWE Threatened Species Section and they will advise you what to do. Also contact them to report dead threatened species. Where seals, birds, whales or dolphins are involved, contact the Marine Conservation Program on Maugean skate Pipehorse Pipefish Seadragon Seahorse Maugean Skate Alert The Maugean skate is only found in Macquarie and Bathurst Harbours and its numbers are relatively low. This species is vulnerable to capture in gillnets and must be returned to the water as soon as possible without harm. It is clearly identifiable by the elongated shape of the snout. 49 Great white DPIPWE Threatened Species Section Phone: (03)