River fishery
The River fishery operates in the River Murray and its backwaters between the town of Wellington and the Victorian border. The fishery mostly takes non-native species such as European carp and Redfin perch to reduce their numbers. Bony bream and yabbies are the only native species that can be taken.
Licensing
There are no new licences available for the River Fishery. Licences are not transferrable.
Expiry
River Fishery licences expire on 30 June every year.
Fees
Commercial licence fees must be paid each financial year. Invoices are issued annually in June and payments can be made:
- up-front
- in a lump sum
- in quarterly instalments.
Boat registration and de-registration
Every boat that is used for commercial fishing must be registered. Licence holders can use 2 boats at the same time in 2 different locations.
To register or de-register a boat use the application to vary a boat registration endorsement ().
Boat master registration
All people who act as a commercial fishing boat master must be registered by the licence holder. Multiple boat masters can be registered using the form below.
Application to change registration of a master/s ()
A licence holder can have 2 people other than the boat master working on a registered boat. There can be up to 6 people working on a licence with 2 boats.
Closures
There are seasonal and permanent closures for the River Fishery listed below.
Licence holders may fish in a closed area if they have approval from the Director of Fisheries to eradicate carp. Use this form to apply for an exemption to undertake carp eradication work ().
Regulations
The River Fishery is regulated by the:
- Fisheries Management (River Fishery) Regulations 2017
- Fisheries Management (General) Regulations 2017.
Determinations
Permitted devices
Licence holders must report the location of all gear being used to Fishwatch before fishing.
The licence holder must report every time fishing gear is moved more than 3kms from the previously reported position.
Permitted devices in the River Fishery include:
- drum nets
- lift nets
- set lines
- pyramid nets.
Gill nets cannot be used in the River Fishery.
Limits
Licences have a limited number of devices that can be used at one time:
- 50 scalefish fishing units – a unit is 1 drum net or a 10-hook set line.
- No more than a combination of 100 crustacean fishing units – a unit is:
- 1 pyramid net
- 1 lift net.
Exemptions
River Fishery licence holders can get an exemption for carp nets to remove non-native species.
Contact
Sam Stone – Community Fisheries Manager
Phone: (08) 8429 2101
Email: sam.stone@sa.gov.au
