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Thread: New restrictions planned for spanish mackerel

  1. #1
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    New restrictions planned for spanish mackerel

    Commercial fishers face tough new restrictions on a popular table fish from next year.

    The Queensland commercial catch of spanish mackerel is to be capped at 620 tonnes from February, and the amateur bag limit is to be reduced from 10 to three as part of an effort to reduce pressure on stocks by 12 per cent.

    Primary Industries Minister Henry Palaszczuk says quotas may be needed to determine an equitable share of the commercial catch.

    "We're introducing a docketing system, we're also limiting the filleting of fish on board similar to what we plan to do with the coral fin fish plan, and I just believe by having a system of landing dockets, log book returns and also buyer returns, I don't believe we'll have problems," he said.

    Posted: Tue, 26 Aug 2003 14:17 ACST


  2. #2

    Re: New restrictions planned for spanish mackerel

    I don't know of many if any pro mack guys that fillet the fish on board.

    It is " best practice ' to provide them whole ( gut in ) to the co-op for sale. This is due to new Workplace Health & Safety issues.

    Cheers Phill
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  3. #3
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    Re: New restrictions planned for spanish mackerel

    Gut in would give the pro a lesser price per kilo phil, normal practice for mack is head off gutted and reefies head on gutted.. mmmmm.. what is the new whs issue ?? ciguartera (spelling)

  4. #4

    Re: New restrictions planned for spanish mackerel

    Been that way for some time. My pro mack mate in Mooloolaba has been going whole fish for over a year now. Still around 6 bucks a kg. Same for Reefies.

    Phill
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  5. #5
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    Re: New restrictions planned for spanish mackerel

    So why is the gut left in then? $6 a kilo doesnt sound all that good either.!!

  6. #6

    Re: New restrictions planned for spanish mackerel

    $6/kg, by say average 10 fish per day they weigh around 15kgs plus. They only fish limited number of days, but also chase spotties in the summer.

    OH< did I forget to mention the " black market", OH ! that's right, it doesn't exist.

    Phill
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  7. #7
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    Re: New restrictions planned for spanish mackerel

    Damn right it doesnt roflmao, phil they are getting less for spaniards now then when i worked at the markets 30 yrs ago..must be the posion scare eh, or more fish and money on the non existent black.
    cheers

  8. #8

    Re: New restrictions planned for spanish mackerel

    From 10 to 3 ......
    Bit rough to some, but "I'll take the restriction" on the chin ,in this case , and "wonder"
    IF it will ever be reviewed U-P-W-A-R-D-S

    Regards
    Gazza

  9. #9
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    Re: New restrictions planned for spanish mackerel

    Well gazza this is all supposed to be in the interest of the fish getting time to mate and make more babies so the stocks will increase # for future fishing, however when you look at the results of the vb classic if they keep weighing in babies it aint going to work too well. and then what is the size that are being sold where there is no market ? ? ?
    cheers
    joe.

  10. #10

    Re: New restrictions planned for spanish mackerel

    3 at 15kg plus would be fine with me

  11. #11
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    Re: New restrictions planned for spanish mackerel

    mmm if my memory serves me correct i don't think the macks in vb broke 3 kg i can remember weighing bods, head off gutted, 85 to 110 lb at the markets, they don't see that now
    cheers
    joe

  12. #12

    Re: New restrictions planned for spanish mackerel

    Quote Originally Posted by jaybee
    So why is the gut left in then?
    From what I understand it has to do with what the people want. People apparently want fish to look like a fish I suppose and being all cut open isn't apparently trendy at the moment.

    Same goes for bleeding as the "new way" is to simply cut a specific part of the gill with side cutters and supposedly the result is the same as completely cutting the throat. People apparently don't like buying fish with their throat cut?

    Cheers, Kerry.




  13. #13

    Re: New restrictions planned for spanish mackerel

    I spoke to a pro mack fisho from Nth. Qld this year who does extended offshore trips and they fillet all their spanish the same day and snap freeze them interleaved with plastic sheet in trays. We should remember not all pro fishers are fishing mackerel on day trips. Maybe the new regs are aimed at these guys.

    Dunno about you guys but I reckon the bag limit should be more like five ( same as spots ) . If I counted the number of times I bagged five blues and divided it by the number of trips when the finnicky damn things would not bite , weather blew up etc. my average bag size would be far less than one.

    Hagar

  14. #14

    Re: New restrictions planned for spanish mackerel

    I've got a mate who is a part owner in a Mack operation up in Torres Straight (Bramble Cay ???).
    He tells me they average about 12 tonnes of Spanish fillets per season (August to Nov). A good season might yield 18 tonnes. The whole catch is filleted and sent back to Cairns for consumption.
    The Mackerel are caught from Dories, trolling round and round this particular Coral Cay with Garfish attached to Hand Lines.

    Not sure what effect the new Regs will have on this operation ?? Maybe no more filletting at sea ???

    Craig.

  15. #15

    Re: New restrictions planned for spanish mackerel

    Used to be a pro mac fisher years ago working from a dory. Worked the season off Townsville from October to early December. It was not a great season but caught 2.5 tonne of fillet by myself. Everything was filleted. Its easier to store, freeze and unload.

    Without a doubt the numbers of macs have declined over the years. You only got to listen to the old stories to see that things have changed. You have to fish with longer lines and lighter gear and present the bait perfect to maintain decent catches. I dont know the state of Bramble Cay but the gathering ground off Townsville will take time to recover to the numbers of old.

    I still know a guy who works out of Lucinda and he does know some unfished shoals and has catched 90 macs in a morning session.

    My best for a day was 25 in the morning and 38 that afternoon. Mind you that is not all day fishing. We used to fish from 5am to 9am then break till 3pm and work till nightfall. At one stage the mother boat had around 120 fish on deck - took me and 2 other guys 6 hours to fillet. On a 40ft boat thats fish from bow to stern.

    Macs are great fish. 70% return on filleting and so easy to maintain and cook. You only need a couple of good fish to enjoy a great feed of mac for many meals. A bag limit of 5 is more than acceptable.

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