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Fishing limits explained

The permitted fish size and daily catch limits are different for each species. Use the fishing limits search to find these details for fish in SA.

All recreational fishing limits apply for a 24-hour period from midnight to midnight.

Fishing limits search

Terminology of fishing limits

See the below explanations about fishing rules that you need to understand and follow.

There are minimum and maximum legal size limits for some fish species. This lets fish:

  • reach maturity
  • complete their breeding cycle
  • contribute to sustainable fish stocks.

Fish taken for use as bait must still meet size limits.

You cannot fillet any fish at sea that is subject to size limits (including crabs and sharks).

There are daily limits to the number of a particular fish species that you can take, to make sure fishing resources are shared and sustainable.

Once you have caught your personal bag limit for a species, you are not allowed to catch any more in the 24-hour period.

There are daily limits for how many fish you can land onto a boat.

The boat limit is usually set at 3 times the personal bag limit – this applies when there are 3 or more people fishing in the boat. Different boat limits apply for charter boat fishing.

The personal bag limit applies to each person when there are 1 or 2 people fishing in a boat.

Abalone and Southern Rock Lobster have a boat limit set at twice the personal bag limit.

There are daily limits to the quantity or total weight of fish that you can catch and keep.

Possession limits are a useful regulatory tool that prevents recreational fishers taking and stockpiling large quantities of fish. These limits assist in:

  • controlling high levels of localised recreational fishing
  • securing stock sustainability
  • giving equitable access to fish stocks
  • reducing the risk of localised depletion.

Limits apply per person where long-term storage is occurring through freezing, pickling, or smoking.

Size limits

There are minimum and maximum legal size limits for some fish species. This lets fish:

  • reach maturity
  • complete their breeding cycle
  • contribute to sustainable fish stocks.

Fish taken for use as bait must still meet size limits.

You cannot fillet any fish at sea that is subject to size limits (including crabs and sharks).

Personal bag limits

There are daily limits to the number of a particular fish species that you can take, to make sure fishing resources are shared and sustainable.

Once you have caught your personal bag limit for a species, you are not allowed to catch any more in the 24-hour period.

Boat limits

There are daily limits for how many fish you can land onto a boat.

The boat limit is usually set at 3 times the personal bag limit – this applies when there are 3 or more people fishing in the boat. Different boat limits apply for charter boat fishing.

The personal bag limit applies to each person when there are 1 or 2 people fishing in a boat.

Abalone and Southern Rock Lobster have a boat limit set at twice the personal bag limit.

Possession limits

There are daily limits to the quantity or total weight of fish that you can catch and keep.

Possession limits are a useful regulatory tool that prevents recreational fishers taking and stockpiling large quantities of fish. These limits assist in:

  • controlling high levels of localised recreational fishing
  • securing stock sustainability
  • giving equitable access to fish stocks
  • reducing the risk of localised depletion.

Limits apply per person where long-term storage is occurring through freezing, pickling, or smoking.

Measuring devices

Free devices are available to the public for measuring:

  • pipi
  • blue swimmer crab
  • sand crab
  • abalone
  • rock lobster.

To request a measuring device, call Fishwatch: 1800 065 522.

Page last reviewed: 21 Jan 2025

 

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