Bait and berley

Before you go fishing, make sure you are familiar with the bait and berley rules for South Australia. Follow these rules to limit the spread of aquatic disease and pests.

Buying bait and berley

Buy bait and berley from your local tackle shop or fishing store. The fresher the bait, the more appealing it is to fish.

When buying bait, check its origin. Imported bait must be labelled and treated to remove any potential exotic disease.

Try using:

  • local sardines
  • squid
  • pipi
  • cockles
  • beach worms
  • artificial bait such as soft plastics and lures.

Prawns and worms from particular areas in Queensland must be irradiated. A temporary import ban from NSW and the NT has also been implemented for live or dead untreated crustaceans or polychaete worms intended for fishing bait or berley. This is to prevent white spot disease from entering South Australia.

What not to use

Do not use any of the below products for bait or berley:

  • Pacific oysters or abalone, even when dead
  • any uncooked seafood sold for human consumption.

You cannot use blood, bone, meat, offal or animal skin other than a fish, worm or insect within South Australian waters.

You must not take bivalves (oysters, mussels, razorfish, cockles) from the Port River and surrounding area for any use.

Do not store or dispose of live oysters or their shells in any marine waters in the state. Dispose of them in landfill instead.

It is an offence to release or deposit exotic and/or aquaculture farmed species into South Australian waters. For more information go to the Fisheries Management Act 2007.

Page last reviewed: 22 Feb 2024

 


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