Does anybody know at what age a child can be to have their own bag limit ?

[Lucky 1]

Hi All

I am taking my 10 year old son offshore snapper fishing on Sunday and it will be just him and me. I was wanting to know whether we are only allowed to catch 4 snapper(which is a long way for 4 fish), or we will be allowed our maximum of 8. I couldn't find anything substantial on the Primary Industries website and after calling them, they could only take a message and somebody will call me Monday.

Cheers in advance

Lucky

[choppa]

as far as i understand it,,, if the "person" is fishing,, they have their own limit,,,, it would be hard to verify if you caught 7 and a "deckie" caught 1,,,, so therefore the total tally for the crew on board cannot exceed the individual tally

[Lucky Loz]

If they are old enough to fish they are old enough to have a bag limit.

[Feral]

Well you wife might object to giving birth on the boat so can you can being a few extra fish home, so probably at least a week or two ;) seriously there is no age limit at all.

You can bring home 8.

[Lucky 1]

Hi All

I just thought I would give everyone an update on the conversation I held with DPI today. There is no age limit, that was abolished a few years ago. The new rule is is once the child is capable of fishing on their own, ie casting,baiting etc, then the bag limit applies. The fishing inspector apparently needs to be satisfied of this. The good news is that this rule also applies to crabbing, so it looks like I will be taking 8 pots with us next time we go looking for muddies;D;D. Now all I need to do is teach him how to use a cast net....

[Heath]

I asked the same question about 7 years ago, when my young bloke started fishing at 3.5yo & got told the same thing, so I videoed him a couple of times in case I needed evidence.

He just out fishes us now he is 10yo.
http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/showthread.php?182148-Mitch-catches-his-first-Spaniard

A six foot net will be perfect for him. A couple of afternoons throwing it off the bank & he'll be a pro in no time.

[Triple]

From the DPI QLD webpage (http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/28_2981.htm) -
Fishing rules apply to all ages but children should be of an age where they can be responsible for the use of their own fishing gear.
It also states on the dpi webpage for fishing gear -
"Fishers should be in attendance at all times when using this equipment."
It does not say "must" but neither comments are in the 1994 act or in the 2008 legislation.

I can't find anything about having to catch your own fish for the bag limit to apply. ie Five able bodied adults on a boat and only one person actually fishing, can they only have 2 cobia aboard or can they have 10 to share at the end of the trip so they have 2 each as their bag limit?

As I posted in crab pot limit thread -

Originally Posted by fisher28
the rule says no age limit but when i ring the fisheries to ask questions about this,and fish bags limits and children.you often get differing answers from different people.

That is the problem, it should be black n white not an fisheries officer individual interpretation of the current legislation.
So if they say you have to be able to handle it, how does that apply to some of you old blokes that couldn't lift a pot up if your life depended on it and your deckie does all the work? (discrimination against handicapped, elderly and just the plain weak people )
If they say it must be able to be handled by the "person" then does that then apply to all fishing apparatus aswell?

From the dpi site -
Fishing lines

In tidal waters, up to three fishing lines with up to six hooks in total (in any configuration) are permitted. An artificial fly or lure is deemed to be equal to one hook.
A fishing line does not include the following:
a cross line
a drum line
a free-floating line
a set line.
Fishers should be in attendance at all times when using this equipment.

From the legislation -
fishing apparatus means anything used, or capable of being
used, to take fish, or assist in the taking of fish, and includes,
for example—
(a) a hook, line or rod used, or capable of being used, to
take fish; and
(b) a crab pot, crayfish pot, net, pitch fork, spear gun or trap
used, or capable of being used, to take fish.

So if they must handle it is that discrimination against handicapped people, elderly etc?

What about people on the boat that don't like fishing (ie won't touch bait or get a line wet) but want to keep some to eat?

A 3mth old could push the buttons on a deep sea electric winch so does that count?

Current wording does not say anything about being able to handle it or use it or age limits only says "should be responsible" and "in attendance" but that is not written in the act or legislation anywhere.

[Triple]

Someone with a week spare read all this and let us know ;)
Fisheries Act 1994- http://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/LEGISLTN/CURRENT/F/FisherA94.pdf
Fisheries Regulation 2008 - http://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/LEGISLTN/CURRENT/F/FisherR08.pdf