Sweetlip Vs Emperor

[Commodore]

Just thought I would put this post up as the other day when I was out at Green Is. and one of my work colleges was also out he had some confusion on the size and limit of sweetlip (no rules where broken). On his departure I asked how he went and he said I’m going because I’ve bagged out on sweetlip? (no bag limit)
So below is the info for clarification since its summer and the Grassies are in at the moment.
Note that the 25cm rule and 5 per person is actually the MILF (sweetlip) and the spangled has a considerable larger min size, although they are mainly caught outside we do get them in the bay as Cheech can vouch for, plus I got a couple of undersize Tue morning at Green Is. So they are around.
The Grassies have a minimum size of 30cm and no bag limit.
Happy fishing,
Chong

Below
Grass emperor (Grass sweetlip) 30 min no limit

[Commodore]

Spangled emperor or sweetlip 45 min limit 5
Lethrinus nebulosus

[Commodore]

All sweetlips

(not red throat sweetlip) 25 min 5 per species

Painted sweetlips (slatey bream) or M.I.L.F
Diagramma pictum

[Leo_N.]

My idea of a MILF isn't a mother-in-law....that's just wrong. ;D

[Leo_N.]

But seriously, that is the problem with common names - everyone has a different interpretation because just about every fish in the sea is called some variation of a bream or a bass or a perch, many of which are very much unrelated.

[Mick]

Tell me about it. The other day I caught a spikey, long tailed, sea breeamed, blue lined, southern, yellow back whiting. Confused the crap out of myself... ;D

[Commodore]

;D ;D ;D ;D
Can be like that Mick ;) what’s the legal size for one of those? taste any good? ;D ;D, but for the less experienced with the slang names vs. the real names and sizes, can be an easy to get caught out.

[Mick]

Yeah mate, the best example is the term "reddie". Snapper, nannygai, red emporer, mangrove Jack, red throats, etc, etc the list goes on......

Oh, the legal size limit on the spikey, long tailed, sea breamed, blue lined, southern, yellow back whiting (there is also the snub nosed or long nosed) is a minimum size of 24.64cm and a maximum size of 48.03cm, but they can't be kept on a new moon in waters less then 23 degrees south of the equator unless someone in the boat is wearing a green t shirt. Also, there is a bag limit of 4 per angler over the age of 26 years and 2 per angler under this age unless accompanied by someone between the age of 51 and 55 years (i suggest take grandpa fishing). Although, the bag limit changes if its an overcast day or if the wind swings around to the west, not once, not twice but three times before 11am on a Wednesday. There is also a closes season on this specie of fish which starts at midnight on the second Friday of every second month which lasts for 3 days. Hope this clears everything up.

;D

Mick

[Leo_N.]

But what is a real name? The only thing that comes close to consistency is the largely latin generic and specific names that most cannot pronounce let alone remember.

It is a real problem when you are trying to understand the size and bag limit legislation. I came across an example recently when spearing on the reef and trying to sort out minimum sizes for crayfish (BTW you can legally spear crays in Qld). The DPI legislation states that there is a minimum size of 90mm along the carapace for painted crayfish, Panulirus ornatus, and no limits on other Panulirus species. The problem is that Panulirus ornatus, is more commonly referred to as the ornate crayfish, and Panulirus versilcolor is more commonly called the painted crayfish. My interpretation is that it is the ornate cray that has the bag and size limit because it is the scientific name that cannot be misinterpreted, but that relies upon the fisheries officers coming up with the same interpretation.

We had four internationally published marine biologists on board and we couldn't come up with a conclusive interpretation of this law.

[Commodore]

Another good example Leo, you got me with that one.

Mick, when are we going to chase one of those spikey, long tailed, sea breamed, blue lined, southern, yellow back whiting (snub nose)?
I'm over 26, got a green shirt, can change wind direction after a big night, and have callipers. ;D ;D