Line Fishing

• No more than 4 rods or lines to be used or set by any one person at any one time.
• No more than 3 hooks or 3 gangs of hooks attached per line (a gang of hooks should have no more than 5 hooks).
• One line may have 6 single hooks with lure attached to be used by the method of hand jigging only.
• No more than 3 treble hooks attached to a lure.
• Jagging is illegal (hooking, or attempting to hook, fish other than through the mouth).
• Drift lines are banned.

Collecting invertebrates

There are a number of areas where collecting invertebrates is totally banned. These include Intertidal Protected Areas, Sydney Harbour and some zones within Aquatic Reserves (www.environment.nsw.gov.au). Some invertebrates are subject to minimum bag and size limits.

Collecting methods that may damage the environment are not permitted. Animals may be taken with bare or gloved hands. The only other gear allowed is:

Sand and Mud Areas

• Pipis - by hand.
• Beach worms - by hand or pliers.
• Yabbies (pink nippers), blood worms, squirt worms - by yabby pump, upturned tin can, spade, or fork.

You may not dig or use a yabby pump in seagrasses, mangroves or saltmarshes.

Rock Platforms

• A single bladed knife only. Mattocks, chisels, crowbars are banned.
• Intertidal animals may not be removed from their shells at the waterside unless they are to be used immediately as bait.
• Abalone, turban snail, sea urchin and rock lobster must not be removed from their shells in, on or adjacent to any waters.
• The collecting of invertebrates from Intertidal Protected Areas is prohibited.

Diving and Spearfishing

Permitted

• You may use a snorkel when taking fish
• SCUBA (for scallops and sea urchins only)
• Bare/gloved hand only to take lobsters

Banned

• Hookah apparatus
• A light with a spear/spear-gun
• Spear/speargun to take blue, brown or red groper or any protected fish
• Power heads and explosive devices
• Spearfishing on ocean beaches (except the last 20 m at each end of the beach)
• Many entrances, coastal lagoons and other tidal waters are closed to spearfishing. Inquire about restrictions at your local NSW DPI Fisheries office.