Saltwater bag and size limits
Bag limit: The maximum number of fish or invertebrates per person per day. 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.
Possession limit: The maximum number of fish a person is allowed to have in their possession at any one time. This includes fish that are also stored elsewhere e.g. in fridge/freezer. For the following species or species groupings; Australian Bass and Estuary Perch, Bream and Tarwhine, Flathead species, Tailor, Luderick, Trevallies and Blue Swimmer Crab, the possession limit is twice the daily bag limit.
For all other saltwater species, the possession limit is the bag limit.
- About bag & size limits, possession limits & boat limits
- How to measure fish
- Standard Fish Names Database
Finfish bag and size limits
| Species | Size limits or legal length (cm) | Bag limit | |
|---|---|---|---|
Australian Bass & Estuary Perch | Closed season in rivers and estuaries May - August incl. | Only 1 over 35cm | 2 in total *, 4 in possession |
Closed season in rivers and estuaries May - August incl. | |||
Australian Salmon | Australian Salmon | - | 5 |
Blue Drummer | Blue Drummer | - | 0 - release only Lord Howe Marine Park 5 |
Bonito | Bonito | - | 10 |
Bream & Tarwhine | 25 cm | 10 in total *. 20 in possession. | |
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 Rock Cod (Bar Cod) | - | ||
Bass Groper | - | ||
Gemfish | - | ||
Blue-Eye Trevalla (Cod) | - | ||
Dogfish | Dogfish | ||
| Harrisson's | - | 0 | |
| Southern | - | 0 | |
| All other | - | 2 in total* | |
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 - 70cm | 5 in total. 10 in possession. |
| 33 cm | 10 in total *. 20 in possession. | ||
Flounder & Sole | Flounder and Sole | 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 |
Leatherjacket | Leatherjacket | - | 20 in total * |
Luderick | Luderick | 27 cm | 10. 20 in possession. |
Mackerel | Mackerel (Spanish) | (Spanish) 75cm | 5 in total * |
Mackerel (Spotted) | (Spotted) 60cm | ||
Mangrove Jack | Mangrove Jack | - | 5 |
Marlin | - | 1 of each species | |
Marlin (Black) | |||
Marlin (Blue) | |||
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 | 70 cm | 1 | |
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 | 10. 20 in possession. |
Teraglin | Teraglin | 38 cm | 5 |
Trevallies | Trevallies | (silver trevally only) 30 cm | 10 in total*. 20 in possession. |
Tuna | 90 cm or above Less than 90 cm | 2 in total * 5 in total* | |
Tuna (Bigeye) | |||
Tuna (Longtail) | |||
Tuna (Yellowfin) | |||
Tuna (Southern Bluefin) | - | 1 | |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 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* including a maximum of 20 cockles. |
Crab (Blue Swimmer) + | 6.5 cm | 10. 20 in possession. |
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 | 3 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 * Octopus cannot be taken from ocean rock platforms in NSW or from rock platforms in Sydney Harbour |
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 Sprat (or Blue bait) Sandy Sprat (or Whitebait) | A bag limit of 100 for each species. |
Blue (Slimy) Mackerel Jack Mackerel and Yellowtail Scad Garfish (other than Eastern Sea Garfish) Hardyhead and Silverfish | A bag limit of 50 for each species or species grouping. |
