FISHING

• Fishing is permitted in most of the Whitsundays.
  
  
• Whitsunday Escape does not supply fishing gear; however you are welcome to bring your own gear.
  
  
• Most fisherman find that lures towed behind the boat or dinghies are easy to manage and the most successful.
  
  
• New Zoning regulations have been introduced to the Great Barrier Reef, with some impact on the Whitsundays. Click for Zoning map pdf. Further information can be accessed on the GBRMPA web site
  
  
• Recent changes have also seen the introduction of a closed season for all coral reef fin fish on the barrier reef due to spawning aggregation. Fishing for game fish is still permitted during these periods.

  For 2008, the closed seasons are:

  • 22 October 2008 to 30 October 2008 (inclusive)
  • 21 November 2008 to 29 November 2008 (inclusive)
  • 21 December 2008 to 29 December 2008 (inclusive)
    
    

• Regulations can be viewed on the DPI web site
  
  
• Spear- fishing is now only permitted in a very small part of the Whitsundays (outside the public appreciation boundary) details are on the Zoning map pdf. It would not be worth bringing spear guns as the visibility in the small permitted area is usually poor.