Crab pot age limit?

[Khunaus]

Hi

Just wondering if there is an age limit on who can have a crab pot "out". I go fishing with my 10 year old son and am wondering if he is also allowed 4 crab pots as well as myself?

I cannot find anything on the daff web site with regard to age limits (or any others) but I do recall hearing something some time ago about this to prevent people taking a whole bunch of kids on their boat and having loads of pots out, though it may have been a "Chinese whispers" type thing I heard.

Cheers

[topcatch]

According to this page: https://www.daf.qld.gov.au/fisheries/recreational/rules-regulations/crabs-and-lobsters


Note: The age limit for the recreational use of crab apparatus has been removed.

That page was: Last updated 10 July 2015

[Moonlighter]

If you want to be 100% sure, ring fisheries in your state and ask the question.

i went thru this a while ago re fish bag limits, and they told me that there's no age limit here in Qld, but that in practice, the fisheries officers who did an inspection would have to be satisfied that the child was capable of using the aparatus/catching the fish concerned.

In other words, a 2 year old would struggle to be able to deal with a crab pot so most likely wouldn't qualify. I would think that a 10yo would however be capable of operating a crab pot and dealing with the contents, under supervision, of course.

But, dont take my word for it - call Fisheries and find out first hand!!

[lethal098]

No Age limit,
been pulled up with a 2 year old onboard and yep, he could have 4 crab pots,
they dont have to able to use them, lift them or anythying, They are a person on board therefore they are fine,

[topcatch]

You can also download the Boating and Fishing Regulations from : https://publications.qld.gov.au/dataset/recreational-boating-and-fishing/resource/a769f2d2-b7dc-41ad-829f-a586ed389d8b

which contains the same information (on page 76).

[Khunaus]

Perfect..thanks guys, page 76 seems pretty clear to me.

Cheers

[Moonlighter]

No Age limit,
been pulled up with a 2 year old onboard and yep, he could have 4 crab pots,
they dont have to able to use them, lift them or anythying, They are a person on board therefore they are fine,

That is interesting.

The conversation i had was focussed on fish and crab bag limits. The clear advice was that the per person bag limit would only include people who were capable of catching the fish/crabs. It was admitted ti be a somewhat grey area, open to the discretion of the officers out in the field.

It was some time ago when i raised this with Fisheries HQ in Brisbane, but perhaps the interpretation or the law has changed?p sine then.

It would be interesting to see how you would go trying to count the 2 yo as a "person" for the purposes of having a bag limit of big fish on board. Say 8kg mackerel......

Diver whiting .... Yeah I could believe that, but the big mackerel?? i think you might be pushing your luck. But if the law has changed, then you would be OK.

[goona]

When the law changed from being 15 years or older to open (any age) went to the Brisbane boat show and spoke to the fisheries officers. I had my 2 year old, my 4 year old and the misses and asked them if I had interpreted the new laws right in that my two boys could also run 4 pots each so technically I could run 16 pots. There answer was a definite yes however you will be a busy boy but yep knock yourself out as long as they are in the boat with you. It was also the same as bag limit. As long as the possession limit doesn't exceed the amount of people (Kids count) then all good so if you had a good run I could take 40 crabs. Seems silly but that's the law

Goona