When can one fillet fish?

[gruntahunta]

The reminder post fron Fisheries Qld about newish bag/possession/size limits for snapper has put a question in my head which I do not have an official answer to. If bag/possession limits apply to what you have at home in the freezer as well, as stated (and I believe this is the legislation) by Fisheries....then when are we legally allowed ti fillet?

I know one can't fillet in the boat before returning to the ramp, ( inncorrect... you can ) is it 'Legal" to fillet after being off the water. ( YES ) Where in any legislation does it mention where and when? http://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/LE.../FisherA94.pdf

Once filleted it woould be impossible to tell size and say for instance you get a really big fish like a Mackerel that you can cut into steaks...well no way of knowing how many "is in the freezer".... ( The only reason a fihseries officer is looking in your freezer, is if he has a court order / search warrant as he suspects you of excess to bag limigts for reason of black market sale )

And I know someone will be thinking it is up to the individual to do the right thing, well there is another post on here about oversized motors and the general conception there is that we should regulate and not leave it up to the individual to do the right thing.

So, does anyone know when it is alright to fillet your fish and how many fillets off each fish? I remember LP saying fisheries were after the bream frames from this weekends M&G, so it must be ok to do that.

If this is the case why can't we fillet when out in the water? ( we can.... see above and in the NEWS thread on the reminder )

[fishfeeder]

Grunta, This is a question that pops up regularly and never gets a straight forward answer....
It would be great if there was a list of fish you could Fillet at sea (on the water) and a list that you couldn't...

Cheers
Brett

Here ya go.... cheers LP

Skin and fillet removal

In relation to coral reef fin fish, a recreational fisher:

• must not possess, on board a boat, a fish other than in any of the following forms - whole, gilled, gutted or filleted
• may possess, on board a boat, a fillet of a fish other than a blue spotted coral trout (Chinese footballer) as long as the length of the fillet is at least 40 cm, and the skin and scales of the fillet are attached to the fillet
• must not return fish to a boat that have been taken ashore from a boat and filleted, unless the length of the fillet is at least 40 cm and skin of the fillet is attached to the fillet

or

• must not possess a live coral reef fin fish unless the person or fisher intends to immediately return the fish to the sea or to display the fish in an aquarium.

In relation to fin fish (other than coral reef fin fish) a recreational fisher must not:

• remove the skin from a fish on a boat until the fish is brought to shore
• bring a fish ashore and remove its skin and return the fish to the boat
• divide a fish into portions other than in a way that allows an inspector to easily count the number of fish possessed by the fisher

In relation to barred javelin (spotted grunter) taken in the Gulf of Carpentaria, in addition to the above, a recreational fisher must:

• ensure that the whole fish is at least 40cm in length; and
• ensure that the fillet is at least 26cm in length.

For information that may apply to recreational fishers on a commercial fishing tour, please consult the Fisheries Regulation 2008 and/or relevant management plan.

[ovakil]

What happens if you catch a fish & want to cook straight away?
I doubt you will get an answer from gov.
My fateher-inlaw asked me what happens if I spear a fish that is under size by 1 cm.I rang fisheries explained when wearing a mask everything looks 30% bigger,
they replied,if I could take a piece of string to measure before shooting it,as you can't have an under size fish.
I laughed & hung up.

[gruntahunta]

What happens if you catch a fish & want to cook straight away?
I doubt you will get an answer from gov.
My fateher-inlaw asked me what happens if I spear a fish that is under size by 1 cm.I rang fisheries explained when wearing a mask everything looks 30% bigger,
they replied,if I could take a piece of string to measure before shooting it,as you can't have an under size fish.
I laughed & hung up.

How many pieces of string can you carry? OLOLOLOL.... I am thinking there is no legislation so until someone shows me, I will clean and fillet my fish when and where I want! (they will always be leagl size and I always abide by the bag limits. The eating immediately scenario also raise another question.. catch the bag limit of fish, fillet a few of them and eat them (on the boat), just hope you dont get pulled over at the actually time u have filleted and before cooking..,. Seems like all these Legisaltions are crap... no substance to them with many loop holes I can see....

The Act is quite specific. Immediate consumption is covered in the Act..

http://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/LE.../FisherA94.pdf

[marto78]

I am pretty sure that you are allowed to fillet your fish at sea as long as you leave the skin on so that they can be easily identified and that the fillets are longer then the minmal legal length of the fish they are off.

As far as eating a couple of fillets while your at sea while you already have your bag full in the esky well good on you for having such a top day of fishing and if you see fisheries coming your way well you had better hurry up and eat it before they finish counting all your fish

[choppa]

so is it fair to ask,,, if for stupidity reasons you are caught with an undersized fish,, meaning there was no intention on keeping it if your knowledge/circumstances around keeping it was valid,,, and "if" fisheries decided to check your freezer and found numerous "bite size fillets" that came from legal fish,,, your guilty as charged???

just asking

[Lucky_Phill]

so is it fair to ask,,, if for stupidity reasons you are caught with an undersized fish,, meaning there was no intention on keeping it if your knowledge/circumstances around keeping it was valid,,, and "if" fisheries decided to check your freezer and found numerous "bite size fillets" that came from legal fish,,, your guilty as charged???

just asking

NO.......... as stated, the only reason a Fisheries Officer is looking in your freezer is if they have a court order / search warrant because they suspect you of having exceeded your possession limit... ie:- black marketing or blatant disregard for the rules and you have been dobbed in.

You will not be charged for having 1 undersize fish in your possession as this comes under the discreationary powers of the officers. get caught doing this 3 times a week for 3 weeks straight is another issue

[Aussie123]

You can fillet some fish at sea but there is a min size that the fillets must be which I cannot remember offhand.
You can also process seafood at sea for immediate consumption as long as the whole fish or crab,ect meets standard size limits.
As for your freezer at home,you will never see fisheries knocking on your door unless you are known to them or are dobbed in for doing illegal activities so really it's not worth worrying about.
If you have a freezer full of cut up fillets though you will have some explaining to do.

[Lucky_Phill]

It's all here guys;-

http://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/LE.../FisherA94.pdf this is the 207 page Act.

and this is the regulations for Qld rec fishing.

http://www.daff.qld.gov.au/28_2981.htm


cheers LP

[marto78]

so is it fair to ask,,, if for stupidity reasons you are caught with an undersized fish,, meaning there was no intention on keeping it if your knowledge/circumstances around keeping it was valid,,, and "if" fisheries decided to check your freezer and found numerous "bite size fillets" that came from legal fish,,, your guilty as charged???

just asking

If you have got fisheries coming around to your house and rummaging through your deep freeze then you have more than likely done something a bit worse then cutting up a mackeral into steaks at the boat ramp and if they wanted to they could probably fine you for all the little bite size fillets and the 20kg bag of mullet you bought that you have no receipt for also.

If you are not out breaking the law what do you have to worry about from fisheries?

[marto78]

Yeah what they said lol

[gruntahunta]

[QUOTE=marto78;1403192]If you have got fisheries coming around to your house and rummaging through your deep freeze then you have more than likely done something a bit worse then cutting up a mackeral into steaks at the boat ramp and if they wanted to they could probably fine you for all the little bite size fillets and the 20kg bag of mullet you bought that you have no receipt for also.

If you are not out breaking the law what do you have to worry about from fisheries?[/QUOTE]



Hey Marto...not worrying one little bit mate...would just like to know the RULES....Do YOU know the rules about filleting a bream or say a flathead at sea....does not seem any one does yet.. PHILL keeps posting the ACT...but I as yet have not seen any mention of filletting fish other than reef Fin Fish.......So I would like to know if I am breaking the law Marto?

[Lucky_Phill]

In relation to fin fish (other than coral reef fin fish) a recreational fisher must not:

• remove the skin from a fish on a boat until the fish is brought to shore
• bring a fish ashore and remove its skin and return the fish to the boat
• divide a fish into portions other than in a way that allows an inspector to easily count the number of fish possessed by the fisher

the above covers all species other than CRFF. Hence you can fillet fish on your boat or at sea, but not remove skin until to reach shore. You are not breaking the law by filleting Flathead on your boat etc.




cheers LP

[gruntahunta]

Hi Phill....Yeah I think I get that now but what size do the fillets have to be...it does not state anywhere about the size for NON Coral Fin reef Fish...Not that I can find anyway.... it certainly says CFRF fillets have to be 40cm but nothing about the ol Flatty and breambo.

( It seems I have 2 threads going here about the same thing LOL)

[choppa]

and what happens if your a lousy fillet'er,,, and half the "bream" is wasted,,,, (who fillets bream???)