Seasonal Closures

Some species are protected for certain times of the year, usually during the breeding season.

Other species might be protected all year but only in certain areas, usually because the area is a spawning ground or a nursery area where juvenile fish can develop and grow.
 
If you incidentally catch a particular species of fish during the closed season for that species, you must return it to the water immediately. Make sure you know how to handle your catch and return fish safely to the water.  

Heavy fines can apply if you do not return protected fish to the water.

Species Area Closure
Abalone All aquatic reserves; waters of Waterloo Bay [See Map]; intertidal reef areas All year
Benthic (bottom dwelling organisms) Intertidal rocky reefs to a depth of two metres All year
Blue groper Spencer Gulf, Gulf St Vincent, Investigator Strait, Backstairs Passage (includes all waters north of a line from Newland Head to Cape Willoughby and north from a line from West Bay to Cape Carnot on southern Eyre Peninsula) All year
Bream (all species) Upstream of the Main South Road Bridge at Noarlunga 1 September to 30 November (inclusive)
Cuttlefish, squid and octopus (all cephalopods)

 False Bay, near Whyalla: all waters of Spencer Gulf enclosed by a line from the lighthouse at Point Lowly to the southern end of the Point Bonython jetty, then in a south-westerly direction to the eastern most point of the BHP jetty (latitude 33o02’12.63” s, longitude 137o36’1.98”e) near Whyalla, then to high water mark at the base of the jetty, then following the high water mark along the shoreline in an easterly direction back to the lighthouse at Point Lowly

See Map

 All year
Goolwa cockles Goolwa 1 June to 31 October (inclusive)
Molluscs West Lakes, all waters All year
Murray Cod River Murray 1 August to 31 December inclusive
Octopus See under Cuttlefish See under Cuttlefish
Prawns All South Australian waters less than 10 metres deep All year
Razorfish Upper area within a line commencing on the shore of Spencer Gulf adjacent to beacon number 8, due east to that beacon then generally northerly to beacons 9, 13, 20, 19, 21, 23 and 28, then due west to Curlew Point During the months of January, February, October, November and December

Rock lobster

All aquatic reserves; and in:

  • Rivoli Bay, including Penguin Island (from Glen Point to Cape Martin)
 All year

Northern zone
(west from longitude 139o0’4.80” including Kangaroo Island to the Western Australia border)

See Map

 Closed season from 6.00 pm 31 May to 12 noon 1 November

Southern zone
(east from longitude 139o0’4.80” to the Victorian border)

See Map

 Closed season from 6.00 pm 31 May to 6.00 am 1 October
 All areas: berried rock lobsters (females carrying eggs) Protected at all times and must be returned to the water immediately
Port MacDonnell Breakwater and restricted fishing zone Fishers are not permitted to use drop nets, crab nets, hoop nets or rock lobster pots from the breakwater or within the restricted area
Snapper (Pagrus auratus) All South Australian waters
 From 12 midday 1 November to 12 midday 30 November. 

Any snapper accidentally caught during the closed season must be returned to the water immediately.
Squid See under Cuttlefish
 See under Cuttlefish


All coordinates given for locations are based on the Australian Geocentric Datum GDA94 which coincides almost exactly with WGS84. Some adjustments might be needed depending on the GPS navigational system used.

Note: Seasonal closures for any species might be put in place at any time. For the latest information on seasonal closures, call FISHWATCH on 1800 065 522 (free call 24 hours).

Some aquatic reserves might also have prohibitions and restrictions on where you can fish and what species can be taken.