On-boat fish cleaning in Sydney Harbour

[Sealegs]

Can someone please point me in the right direction?

I fish offshore and return to the calm of Sydney Harbour to clean the few fish I keep. I am aware of the gut and gill limitations when cleaning fish on board, however I was recently told there is a regulation against throwing the guts and gills overboard anywhere into the harbour.

I cannot see these rules anywhere on the DPI or Maritime sites. Can someone give me a reference for such rules?

[Guest no one]

Personally I clean on my boat between bites but keep the frames until i'm onshore purely due to the fisheries boarding and checking sizes. I'm not sure on any regulations about throwing the frames in the harbour!

[Scratchie]

If your fish is of legal size then there are no rules pertaining the disposal of guts and gills to the best if my knowledge. It is purely just berley. Compared with what some people dispose of at sea, I don't foresee any issues there.

Cheers scratchie!!!

[NaClH2OK9]

Ed it sounds like you are taking the fillets off the frames whilst on the water? This is not allowed mate. Sorry if I've misunderstood

http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fisheries/recreational/regulations/sw/prohibited-methods-and-activities

[reese]

interesting topic - good to know..

[oz_brett]

The waste from fish cleaning bench's at boat ramps only run back into the water so I dont see there being a rule against throwing gut & gills back in.

[Sealegs]

Thank you all for the replies.

I do understand and abide by the DPI fish cleaning rules and do not alter the length of fish. The question is purely about dumping the gut and gills in the harbour. There may be a misunderstanding or ambiguity between the fishing rules and rules that prohibit boats from dumping any rubbish or waste in the Harbour (as you would expect). These are managed by different government organisations.

I have now sent my question to the DPI and the EPA to see what sort of response I get from them.

I will post the replies I get.

Cheers

[Guest no one]

Ed it sounds like you are taking the fillets off the frames whilst on the water? This is not allowed mate. Sorry if I've misunderstood

http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fisheries/recreational/regulations/sw/prohibited-methods-and-activities

Bit of a grey zone on that, as I'm keeping the frames that's enough proof the fish is legal. I don't see how it alters the length in a way that would increase the length.

But noted.

[fisho.sid]

I dont see the logic, fish guts and gills are obviously food for other creatures of the ocean. There is nothing polluting here, the only concern as previously indicated is the ability for fisheries to determine compliance with fish size.

[stevefish]

Firstly, who said you can't?

And secondly I wouldn't be asking that bureaucrats can come with some strange answers, it could get a bit weird.

I believe you can't let the barnacles that grow on your boat go in the water!

[Sealegs]

This supposed restriction has been propogated amongst some well meaning boat owners without a specific reference. Perhaps related to rules about not dumping waste into the harbour. I doubt the veracity of their information and that is why I am asking if anyone knows something. I cannot find any reference on the DPI Fisheries website.

I have now also got a response from the Department of Environment and Heritage inidcating they do not know of such restrictions and they have also referred it on to the DPI. If/when I get a response from the DPI I will pass this on.

A good weekend coming up .....