Fishing

The main commercial fisheries in the GBR are the Trawl fishery, the Reef Line fishery, Aquaculture, the inshore fisheries (crab and nets) and harvest fisheries (collecting of corals and tropical fish, cucumber (Beche-de-mer).

Australia has some of the best managed fisheries in the world, many of our fish stocks are still being overfished. There is still a need for better information regarding the status of stocks and the impacts of fishing on their long-term survival & hence The Queensland Fisheries Service has recently undertaken to introduce new management plans in most fisheries to ensure harvests are brought closer to sustainable levels.

The main species harvested in the inshore fishery are barramundi, king and blue threadfin, tropical shark, grey, spotted and school mackerel, mullet and mud crabs. There has been no fishing effort reduction program for the inshore fishery. The inshore net fishery is a low value fishery that is more a lifestyle activity than an industry.

The fishing industry impacts the marine environment like most other boat users by adding fuel and noise pollution to the water, sewerage and litter, discarded and lost fishing lines, nets, hooks and sinkers, and impacts on non-target species.