Jew Fish size limits

[Cheech]

Was out fishing yesterday and caught a couple of Jew fish. Where I fish I normally get snapper and bream and had never caught these guys before. So not familiar with size limits. I had thought it was about 75mm and after checking, I assumed I was right.

My 2 went 55mm and 72mm so both were let go. But,,,, what is the difference between a black jew and a scaly jew? And what is the difference between a Jew and a Mullaway? I thought they were the same fish but just another name.

Both fish were silver and caught at one of the bay islands. Another friend has said that the limit is 45mm but I had assumed he was wrong. Did I let keepers go?

Jewfish Black (East Coast) 75 min 2 Black (Gulf of Carpentaria) 60 min 120 max 5 with no more than 2 over 100 cm Scaly jewfish (jewel fish) 45 min No limit



Mulloway 75 min 2

[oldrustyhook]

as far as i know 45cm is legal in nsw but in qld it is 75cm for mulloway or jewfish whatever you want to call it.

[BLOOEY]

Your'e catching mulloway cheech. QLD, 75min and bag of 2. NSW,45min no more than 2 over 70cm and a bag of 5. Black jew are the northern cousins of the mulloway and i dont know what a scaly jew looks like! Ben

[Triple]

Keep this in your favourites...

QLD -
http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/28_3042.htm

NSW -
http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fisheries/...w-bag-and-size

and 75mm is a bit on the small side


(I know you meant cm)

[loophole]

75mm ?????

[Cheech]

ok, CM, not MM.

Thanks for the feedback. Mostly wanted to make sure they weren't the Scaley Jewfish, and I was the only idiot throwing them back. Will assume they are all Mulloway.

[Blythy]

the size limit used to be 45 cm until 2009 when it was changed to 75cm, it's amazing how many people still don't know that it has been changed

[PADDLES]

yep, it was a big jump hey. 45cm didn't ever seem like a very big fish but 75cm is certainly quite a big jewie.

[nigelr]

Yes it's interesting that the size limits for mulloway should be so different between the 2 states, given that apparently the females don't reach breeding age until around 70cm or so.
Interesting to know the rationale behind the NSW size limit; to accommodate average commercial catch size? or perhaps high mortality rates amongst 'returned' juvenile fish?
Also interesting to ponder the results of NSW upping the legal limit to 75cm.....
I admit I'm happy to take a fish over about 60cm for the table and personally I reckon they don't 'return' well unless care and diligence is shown.....especially in the surf, but I'm open-minded re reform for the greater good of the mulloway fishery!
Paddles I'm thinking a 75cm jew would weigh about 3.5-4kg.....IMO a nice fish indeed if you're after a table fish.
Cheers.

[Jono_SS]

there's some reasonable species ID pages on the Fisheries Qld website these days.

Info on jewies on the following page:

http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/28_14897.htm

cheers.

Jono

[PADDLES]

absolutely nigel, a 75cm jewie would be a good feast for sure. i've actually not caught one for a few years, but before the new size limits came in most of the ones i'd caught were only 60-75cm anyway.

[Chamelion]

ok, CM, not MM.

Thanks for the feedback. Mostly wanted to make sure they weren't the Scaley Jewfish, and I was the only idiot throwing them back. Will assume they are all Mulloway.

I'd consider you less of an idiot for releasing them than keeping them. Fishing doesn't have to be all about the meat.

[Pistol_P]

I think the QLD size limit on Jew was possibly put a little high.
Maybe 65cm or 70cm would have been better bearing in mind they are a slow growing fish.

However in saying this Jewie numbers seem to have really increased in recent years so maybe its a good thing..??

Pete