Crabbing Gear

Crab Pots and Dillies

In tidal waters, when fishing for blue swimmer crabs, mud crabs and spanner crabs, no more than four crab pots or dillies (or a combination of pots and dillies) may be used per person.

Also a person must not possess more than four crab apparatus per person, on a boat on the water.

Crab pots and dillies must be marked by an identifying tag bearing the surname and address of the owner.

When not attached to a fixed object (for example tied to a tree above the high water mark), all crab apparatus must have a light coloured surface float attached. The float must not be less than 15 cm in any dimension and must be marked clearly with the owner's name.

When tied to a fixed object, a tag must also be attached to part of the rope that is above the high water mark. The tag must be marked clearly with the owner's name.

The use of inverted dilly apparatus (witches hats) is to be phased out. The use of this apparatus will be prohibited from 2 April 2010.

When fishing for spanner crabs, the frame of a dilly must be made of solid steel of a thickness of at least 6 mm and no more than 1 m in each of its dimensions.

If a collapsible trap is used it must be made of rigid material and have one or more collapsible sides.

Female or undersized crabs must be removed from the trap and returned to the water immediately.

Note:
The age limit for the recreational use of crab apparatus has been removed.

 Collapsible Trap

In tidal waters, a collapsible trap must be made of rigid material with one or more collapsible sides.

ID and Measurement
Crab Gender Identification and Crustacean Measurement

Determine crab gender from the underside of the crab.

Possessing Crabs and Crabmeat

A person must not possess:

• mud or blue swimmer crabs with the carapace (shell) missing (this includes possessing claws without the rest of the crab)
  
  
• crabmeat - unless the crab with a missing shell or the crabmeat is for immediate consumption.

Closed Seasons

Spanner Crabs

Throughout Queensland a closed season (regulated period) applies to spanner crabs from midnight 20 November to midnight 20 December inclusive.

Tropical Rocklobster (Tropical Spspiny Rock Lobster)

A closed season applies to all species of tropical rocklobster (family Panuliridae)
from midnight 1 October to midnight 31 January in Queensland tidal waters:

• north of latitude 14º S, south of Cape York and east of longitude 142º31'49" E
  
  
• in the Gulf of Carpentaria, shoreward of the 25 n mile line and south of latitude 10°48' S.

Protected Species

The following species are protected throughout Queensland and are therefore prohibited from being in anyone’s possession without a permit:

• female mud and blue swimmer crabs.
  
  
• egg-bearing spanner crabs, slipper lobsters, and tropical rocklobsters (tropical spiny rock lobsters).
  
  
• tar-spot tropical rocklobsters (tar-spot tropical spiny rock lobsters).