The NSW Government is taking steps to ensure the protection of NSW’s State Fish, the Blue Groper, with new changes to prohibit fishing a Blue Groper by any method.
These changes follow recent spearfishing incidents involving Blue Gropers at Jervis Bay and Cronulla.
While Blue Groper have been protected from spearfishing since 1969 and commercial fishing since 1980, these new changes will protect it from other forms of fishing including line fishing.
These changes will initially be implemented for a 12-month trial period during which time the Department of Primary Industries (DPI), will consult with stakeholders and the broader community on longer term changes to Blue Groper fishing rules.
Given the cultural significance of the species to many Aboriginal people the new changes will not apply to Aboriginal cultural fishing.
Under the new rules, a person found contravening the closure and taking Blue Groper in NSW by any method may face a $500 penalty infringement notice and/or a maximum court-imposed fines of $22,000 or imprisonment for 6 months or both for a first offence.
For a second or subsequent offence a perpetrator may receive a $44,000 fine or imprisonment for 12 months or both.
To Support the changes, DPI Fisheries will undertake education activities, including social media reminders, to increase awareness of responsible fishing practices.
Blue Gropers were made the state fish of New South Wales in 1998
