Snorkelling and diving

South Australia offers some great diving. A number of regulations apply to the taking of fish by snorkelling or diving in South Australia. This guide has been produced to provide recreational divers with an overview of those regulations.

Size bag and boat limits

Many of our common fish and shellfish species are targeted by divers. The size, bag and boat limits that apply to recreational fishers also apply to recreational divers. A separate pamphlet that covers these size and bag limits is available from any PIRSA Fisheries office. In this brochure we have listed some of the size and bag limits that especially apply to divers.

Abalone (all species) (Haliotis spp)

Abalone are large marine snails which feed on algae and cling to rocks by a large muscular foot. The muscular foot provides the meat, which is eaten. The two main species of abalone taken in South Australia are the greenlip abalone (Haliotis laevigata) and the blacklip abalone (Haliotis rubra).

Regulations

Abalone may be taken by recreational fishers provided certain requirements are met. When fishing for abalone, the fisher must:

• carry a suitable measuring device
• measure the abalone as soon as it is removed from the site where it was attached
• if it is undersized, immediately replace it in the same spot
• bring abalone to a position above the high water mark (ie land the catch) before removing the meat from the shell (shucking).

Legal minimum lengths

Measure along the greatest dimension of the shell.

• 13.0cm for all species in all waters, except
• 14.5cm for greenlip abalone from the western zone. The legal minimum length applies to all abalone, no matter which species, or where or how they are taken.

Bag / Boat limits

There is a combined species bag limit of 5 abalone per person per day. For example 2 blacklip abalone and 3 greenlip abalone make up the bag limit of 5. If two or more persons are diving from a boat, a limit of 10 abalone per boat per day applies.

Closures

Abalone are protected in all aquatic reserves, Waterloo Bay and all rocky reefs to a water depth of 2 metres. Other seasonal and temporary closures are declared from time to time. You should contact local fisheries officers for further details.

Scallops (all species)

Legal minimum lengths

A size limit of 6.5 cm applies

Bag / Boat limits

There is a bag limit of 100 scallops per person per day. However, if three or more persons are diving from a boat, a limit of 300 scallops per boat per day applies.

Southern Rock Lobster (Jasus edwardsii)

Southern rock lobster are distributed widely across southern Australia from northern New South Wales, around Tasmania, across to Dongara in Western Australia and are also present throughout New Zealand waters. Other regulations apply to the use of pots to catch rock lobster. An information brochure about rock lobster fishing with pots is available from your nearest PIRSA Fisheries office.

Regulations

• It is an offence to spear rock lobster or to take berried female (carrying eggs).
• The middle tail fan must be cut to a recognisable straight line before landing.
• A snare is a permitted device.
• Other regulations apply to the taking of rock lobster with pots.

Legal minimum lengths

A size limit of 10.5cm carapace length applies in the northern zone. A size limit of 9.85cm carapace length applies in the southern zone.

Bag / Boat limits

A bag limit of 4 per person/per day applies. A boat limit of 8 per boat/per day applies (where 2 or more persons are diving for rock lobster).

Closed Seasons Southern Zone

The taking of rock lobster is prohibited between 6.00pm on the 30th April and 6.00am on the 1st October in the southern zone.

Northern Zone

The taking of rock lobster is prohibited between 6.00pm on the 31st May and 12.00 noon on the 1st November in the northern zone.

Black cowrie shell

A daily bag limit of 1 per person applies.

Protected species

The following are fully protected in South Australian marine waters:

• all marine mammals (including whales, seals and dolphins)
• all fish of the family syngnathid, which includes:
• • seadragons
  • seahorses
  • pipefish
  • pipehorses
• blue swimmer crabs with eggs attached
• giant crabs with eggs attached
• rock lobster with eggs attached
• white pointer (great white) sharks.

Use of spear guns

The use of spears and spear guns is regulated in South Australian waters. The following is a list explaining when the use of a spear or spear gun is NOT allowed

• whilst using SCUBA or a HOOKAH system
• in an aquatic reserve
• in the waters known as West Lakes and the foreshore areas (including reserves for public use) adjacent to those waters
• in the waters and adjacent foreshore areas within a distance of 100 metres from any jetty, landing or wharf; in the waters of Gulf St Vincent and within 600 metres of the high water mark between the southern Outer Harbour breakwater and the southern end of the Port Noarlunga aquatic reserve at Onkaparinga Head
• in the water of the River Hindmarsh and River Inman and the waters of the sea within a radius of 200 metres from the mouth of each of those rivers
• in the waters of the River Murray and all other fresh water streams of the state, and the land adjacent to those waters for a distance of 100 metres
• in the waters of the bay at Second Valley contained within the boundaries of the western extremity of the bay to the eastern extremity of the bay.

Power heads

The use of power heads is regulated in South Australian waters. The restrictions are as follows

• a diver shall not carry a handspear, spear gun or device that operates by means of an explosive cartridge
• a diver may carry a device that operates by means of an explosive cartridge if it is not attached to a hand fish spear or spear gun or if the device is carried only for protection. Any fish killed or injured is to be left in the water.

Historic Shipwrecks

Regulations apply to diving on historic shipwrecks. Contact your nearest Department of Environment and Heritage office for details or visit their web site at www.environment.sa.gov.au/heritage.

This pamphlet is intended as a guide to fishing regulations under the Fisheries Act 1982. It does not replace the Act and should not be relied upon as a legal document.