Kingfish Size Limits

[fishmaniac]

Hey all,

I was reading through some older posts a few weeks ago and came across one which outlines the new size and bag limits (this was back when they increased the kingfish size limit from 60cm to 65cm).

At the time, many people were up in arms about this changing, ridiculing fisheries and whinging about not being able to catch legal fish and take them home to eat.

A couple of seasons down the track and I personally think this was a great decision. Although i have caught a stack of rats this summer, i have caught more legal fish than ever before and it seems many others have experienced the same thing. In fact, I have not been keeping anything under about 70cm.

I was wondering what fellow fishers thought and whether or not they would object to further size increases if it will mean the average run of fish increases significantly in size?

[dogtooth]

The current 65 cm rule is a good size . I recently caught a kingfish that was tagged and going off the data that was sent back the fish grew 20 cm in 9 months . The fish was originaly tagged at shellharbour estimated weight at 2 kg length 55 cm , it was then caught by me 9 months later at the peak and weighed 3.5 kg , lenghth 75cm so this years rats will be sizeable kings in 2011 .

PS all fish caught with tags should be weighed and measured and reported to fisheries , the best way is online and you get a recapture certificate.

here is a link ...

http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fisheries/recreational/saltwater/gamefish-tagging/gamefish-recapture

cheers Dogtooth.......... John....

[Pommy Matt]

The current 65 cm rule is a good size . I recently caught a kingfish that was tagged and going off the data that was sent back the fish grew 20 cm in 9 months . The fish was originaly tagged at shellharbour estimated weight at 2 kg length 55 cm , it was then caught by me 9 months later at the peak and weighed 3.5 kg , lenghth 75cm so this years rats will be sizeable kings in 2011 .

PS all fish caught with tags should be weighed and measured and reported to fisheries , the best way is online and you get a recapture certificate.

here is a link ...

http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fisheries/recreational/saltwater/gamefish-tagging/gamefish-recapture

cheers Dogtooth.......... John....

That is an interesting story - and a decent growth rate! The way things are going, we are going to get some outstanding kingy fishing over the next few years, so long as the commercial pressure doesn't step up to take advantage of the increased population.

The size limit question is also interesting - there is a lot of evidence that taking a small amount of bigger fish can be far more harmful to populations than taking larger numbers of smaller fish. The Americans are on to this with slot limits for some species such as redfish - this protects the big breeders. From memory kingies aren't breeding until about 85cm (the NZ limit approx as its to the fork?). I would be happy to see a slot limit for kings, and I'd be even happier to see the the bag limit reduced from 5 - a legal king feeds 4-6 comfortably - I think a limit of 3 is more than enough.

Edited April 5, 2010 by Pommy Matt

[gar]

Hi Raiders,

I wonder if we are becoming too focussed upon "magic number" legal limits.

Once upon a time, Kingfish had a legal limit of 30cm. There were heaps of kings to be caught, from surface rats to pike swallowing hoodlums. Lots of kingies well under the sexual maturity length were caught however the population remained healthy.

This all changed when a commercial technology changed, the floating kingie trap. The total catch exploded and the population crashed. The traps were eventually banned. The length limits we see reflected an urgent need to create a breeding stock by reducing juvenille mortality.

This has clearly worked as the number and size of kingfish encountered today shows.

The point is that the total catch was more important than the size at which fish are caught.

[DGF]

in new zealand their legal size for kings is over 75cm

personally i think ours is fine i wouldnt want to see it at over 70cm to be honest but yeh this summer we had hundreds of rats caught but no hoodlums

[finin]

Fishmaniac, I think it all boils down to sustainable fishing. The kingfish traps were a killer there is no arguement about that, now most pros handline for them. Yes, i was one that was up in arms about the size increase.. BUT eventually came to the conclusion that things would only improve. It has with sizeable increases in kingfish catch, size and weight. I also attribute this to the amount of bait that has increased over the number of years providing ample food sources. Healthy system healthy fish etc etc.

I personally have no problem with a bigger size limit with these or other fish, to me some others need a bigger increase than they already have. Maybe the whole size limit should be on a national basis, as each state differs in certain areas.

Peoples opinnions will differ but its still the same old story, The more you take the less youll have. Yes, fish will get bigger if allowed to but cant if taken before maturity.

[fishmaniac]

Yea, i am aware that the banning of traps has certainly facilitated a rise in kingfish stocks.

To me i see fishing as a great sport to get the adrenaline pumping when you hookup to that big one. I wouldn't care if the size limit increased because that means a better average size of fish! I was out at 12 mile last yr and there was a pro longlining HEAPS of kings in the early 70s. If the limit was increased those larger schools would not be decimated and more raiders would see them in summer. I do take a few for the table but (although have easily caught my bag) have only kept this limit once all season.

I have had my first and only 2 kings over 1m this year and have been done a couple of other times by very large fish. I recognise some see fishing as a means of catching food so naturally they would be angry if size limits were to be increased.

I will say that growth rate mentioned by dogtooth is awesome. I hope they grow like that all the time!!!