Trawl
The Trawl fisheries within Queensland are some of the most highly regulated and well managed fisheries in the world. The sector comprises several distinct fisheries, operating along the east coast from Cape York to the Queensland–New South Wales border. Management strategies rely on a combination of region-specific effort quotas, gear requirements, Vessel Monitoring systems, seasonal and spatial closures.
The Queensland trawl fisheries have a small and well-managed spatial footprint, covering only a limited portion of the seabed. Most trawling activity is concentrated in specific areas, with substantial closures and management zones protecting sensitive habitats, including parts of the Great Barrier Reef. Modern monitoring, such as Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) data, ensures that fishing effort is targeted and sustainable, allowing the industry to operate efficiently while minimising environmental impact. Overall, the footprint is focused and carefully regulated, supporting both economic and ecological outcomes.
The East Coast Otter Trawl Fishery (ECOTF) is the largest trawl fishery in Queensland, operating in multiple trawl regions: Northern, Central, Southern Offshore, Southern Inshore, and Moreton Bay. Access is controlled through commercial fishing licences with symbols such as T1, T2, M1, and M2. Management is based on a region-specific effort-quota system. Effort days are automatically deducted through vessel monitoring systems (VMS) when the vessel is detected trawling. Seasonal and spatial closures protect habitat and nursery grounds, with specific closure periods varying by region.
The ECOTF operates under strict bycatch mitigation measures. Bycatch Reduction Devices (BRDs) are mandatory on all otter and beam trawl nets. Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) are mandatory on all otter trawl nets and some beam trawl nets.
The ECOTF is an approved Wildlife Trade Operation (WTO) under the EPBC Act, granting its export eligibility. This approval confirms that the fishery meets sustainability and ecological management standards.
The River and Inshore Beam Trawl Fishery operate primarily in inshore waters targeting species such as banana prawns, bay prawns, school prawns, and small finfish. The fishery has no TACC limits in place however is subject to spatial closures and specific net and gear requirements, VMS monitoring, logbook reporting, and marine park zoning rules. BRDs are mandatory within the on all beam trawl nets, and some regions also use TEDs. Licence symbols in this fishery include T5, T6, T7, T8, and T9 depending on location.
Across all Queensland trawl fisheries, management is underpinned by regional harvest strategies, bycatch reduction measures, mandatory TEDs, spatial and seasonal closures, vessel tracking, and EPBC Act approvals where export occurs.