Fishing limits
Size limit: Maximum size limit of 100 cm disc
| Fishing zone | Daily bag limit | Daily boat limit |
|---|---|---|
| Spencer Gulf | 1 | 3 |
| Gulf St Vincent and Kangaroo Island | 1 | 2 |
| All other waters | 1 | 3 |
Species with combined daily fishing limits
- Bigeye Thresher
- Black Stingray
- Broadnose Sevengill Shark
- Bronze Whaler Shark
- Common Thresher
- Dusky Whaler Shark
- Melbourne Skate
- School Shark
- Shortfin Mako
- Smooth Hammerhead Shark
- Smooth Stingray.
Learn about the rules and handling guidelines for fishing for sharks and rays.
Identification
Smooth Stingrays have:
- black to brown colouring on top with small white spots tending to a white underside (some rays have a blotchy ‘cow-hide’ pattern)
- pointed wings
- blue to grey spots
- a long thin tail with 1 or 2 large serrated poisonous barbs located just behind the small dorsal fin.
- slimy skin
- large spiracles (holes that take in water to the gills whilst the animal is stationary).
They reach at least 2.5 m from wing tip to tip.
Smooth Stingrays feed on crabs, molluscs, fish, and squid. They regularly bury themselves in the sand.
If you must handle Smooth Stingrays, proceed with extreme caution. Whilst not considered aggressive, they can strike out in front of themselves in self-defence.
Habitat
They are found from shallow intertidal areas to 150 m in:
- both South Australian gulfs
- saline rivers
- mangrove habitats
- continental shelf waters.
Like Southern Eagle Rays, they live in mud-flats, patchy seas-grass and sand habitats.