Bag and size limits - saltwater
Bag limit is the maximum number of fish per person in possession. A maximum daily bag limit of 20 applies to any fish or invertebrate not included in the tables below. Protected and threatened species cannot be taken.
* Bag limit comprised of any single species or a combination of listed grouped species.
- About bag & size limits, possession limits & boat limits
- How to measure fish
- Standard Fish Names Database (www.fishnames.com.au)
Finfish Bag and Size limits
| Species | Size limits or legal length (cm) | Bag limit | |
|---|---|---|---|
Australian Bass & Estuary Perch |
Closed season in rivers and estuaries June - August incl. |
Only 1 over 35cm | 2 in total *, 4 in possesion |
|
Closed season in rivers and estuaries June - August incl. |
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Australian Salmon |
Australian Salmon |
- | 5 |
Blue Drummer |
Blue Drummer |
- |
0 - release only Lord Howe Marine Park 5 |
Bonito |
Bonito |
- | 10 |
Bream & Tarwhine |
25 cm |
20 in total * | |
Bream (Yellowfin) |
25 cm | ||
Tarwhine |
20 cm | ||
Cobia |
Cobia |
- | 5 |
Deep-sea fish |
- | 5 in total *, gemfish: only 2 and boat trip limit of 10 | |
Banded Rockcod (Bar Cod) |
- | ||
Bass Groper |
- | ||
Gemfish |
- | ||
Blue-Eye Trevalla (Cod) |
- | ||
Mahi Mahi (Dolphinfish) |
Mahi Mahi (Dolphinfish) |
60 cm, only 1 over 110 cm | 10 |
Eels |
Eels (Shortfin and longfin) |
(Southern Shortfin) 30cm (Longfin) 58cm |
(Southern Shortfin) 10 (Longfin) 10 |
Flathead |
Flathead (Dusky) common |
36cm, only 1 over 70cm |
10 |
| 33 cm | 20 in total * | ||
Flounder & Sole |
Flounders and Soles |
25cm (0 for Sole) | 20 in total * |
Garfish |
Garfish (eastern sea) |
- | 20 |
Groper |
Groper (Blue, Brown, Red)  |
30cm, only 1 over 60cm | 2 in total *, by line only |
Hairtail |
Hairtail |
- | 10 |
Leatherjackets |
Leatherjackets |
- | 20 in total * |
Luderick |
Luderick |
27 cm | 20 |
Mackerel |
Mackerel (Spanish) |
(Spanish) 75cm
|
5 in total * |
Mackerel (Spotted) |
(Spotted) 60cm | ||
Mangrove Jack |
Mangrove Jack |
- | 5 |
Marlin |
- | 1 of each species | |
Marlin (Black) |
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Marlin (Blue) |
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Morwong |
Morwong, Grey (Rubberlip) |
30cm | 10 |
Morwong (Jackass) |
30cm | 10 | |
Morwong (Red) |
30cm | 5 | |
|
- |
5 |
||
Moses Snapper |
Moses Snapper (Moses Perch) |
- | 5 |
Mullet |
Small (poddy) Under 15 cm |
20 in total * for live bait only |
|
| Sea (bully) only 30 cm | 20 in total * | ||
Mulloway |
Mulloway |
45 cm only 2 fish over 70 cm | 5 |
Pearl Perch |
Pearl Perch |
30 cm | 5 |
Eastern Red Scorpionfish (Red Rock Cod) |
Eastern red Scorpionfish (Red Rock Cod) |
- | 5 |
Rock Blackfish (Black Drummer) |
Rock Blackfish (Black Drummer) |
30 cm | 10 |
Sailfish |
Sailfish |
- | 1 |
Samson & Amberjack |
- | 5 in total * | |
Australian Sawtail |
Australian Sawtail |
- | 5 |
Sharks and rays |
- | 0 for wobbegong (release only). | |
Shark (Mako) |
- |
5 in total*. Only 1 tiger, mako, hammerhead # or whaler/ blue shark. # Only smooth hammerheads may be taken. Great and scalloped hammerheads are protected species in NSW and must be released immediately with minimal harm. |
|
Shark (School) |
91 cm | ||
Shark (Whaler) |
- | ||
Snapper |
Snapper |
30 cm | 10 |
Spearfish |
Spearfish, Shortbill |
- | 1 |
Swordfish |
Swordfish |
- | 1 |
Tailor |
Tailor |
30 cm | 20 |
Teraglin |
Teraglin |
38 cm | 5 |
Trevallies |
Trevallies |
(silver trevally only) 30 cm | 20 in total * |
Tuna |
90 cm or above Less than 90 cm |
2 in total * 5 in total * |
|
Tuna (Big-Eye) |
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Tuna (Longtail) |
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Tuna (Southern bluefin) |
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Tuna (Yellowfin) |
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Wahoo |
Wahoo |
- | 5 |
Whiting |
Whiting |
(sand only) 27 cm | 20 in total * |
Yellowtail Kingfish |
Yellowtail Kingfish |
65 cm | 5 |
* Bag limit comprised of any single species or a combination of listed grouped species.
Invertebrates Bag and Size limits
| Species | Size limits or legal length (cm) | Bag limit |
|---|---|---|
|
Note: Between Port Stephens and Wreck Bay Beach (Jervis Bay) Abalone can only be taken on weekends and adjacent NSW public holidays. See closure notice for GPS coordinates. |
11.7 cm | 2 |
Balmain Bug + |
10 cm | 20 |
Beach Worms |
- |
20 whole or part in total * |
All other worms |
- | 100 in total * |
Cockles, Mussels and Pipis Pipis for bait only - do not take beyond 50m of high-tide mark. |
- | 50 in total * |
Crab (Blue Swimmer) + |
6 cm | 20 |
Mud Crab + |
8.5 cm | 5 |
Crab (Spanner) + |
9.3 cm | 10 |
Crab (Soldier) + |
- | 100 in total * |
All other crabs + |
- | 10 in total * |
Cunjevoi |
- | 20 in total * |
|
Min. 10.4cm, none over 18cm |
2 in total in any combination |
|
|
Lobster (Southern Rock) (male) + Lobster (Southern Rock) (female) + |
11 cm 10.5 cm |
|
| Tropical Rock Lobster (Painted and Ornate) + |
- | 2 in total * |
| Slipper Lobster (Flat) + |
- | 2 |
Octopus |
- | 10 in total * |
Oysters (Sydney Rock, Pacific, Native) |
- | 50 in total * |
Prawns |
- | 10 litres in total * |
Saltwater Nippers |
- | 100 in total * |
Scallops |
- | 50 in total * |
Sea Urchins |
- | 10 in total * |
Squid & Cuttlefish |
- | 20 in total * |
Turban Snails |
(Sydney, Military) 7.5 cm (All other molluscs) - |
20 in total* 20 in total* including turban shells |
* Bag limit comprised of any single species or a combination of listed grouped species.
+ All lobsters, crabs, bugs and crayfish carrying eggs must be returned to the water.
Baitfish bag limits (excluding charter boat operators)
| Species | Bag limit |
|---|---|
|
Australian Anchovy Maray (or Round Herring) Southern Herring Australian Sardine (Pilchard) Blue (Slimy) Mackerel Blue Sprat (or Blue bait) Sandy Sprat (or Whitebait) |
A bag limit of 50 for each species. |
|
Garfish (other than Eastern Sea Garfish) Jack Mackerel and Yellowtail Scad Hardyhead and Silverfish |
A bag limit of 50 comprised of any single species or a combination of species. |