A survey of the Princess Charlotte Bay recreational barramundi fishery

A voluntary survey of recreational anglers using Lakefield National Park, a wilderness reserve in north Queensland, was undertaken from 1986 to 1991. The recreational barramundi fishery catch in the Park is estimated to be between 4.4 and 9.4 tonnes per annum and is conservatively worth between $A 200 000 and $A 430 000 per year. Management measures regulating the fishery including the bag limit, closed season and minimum legal size were largely respected. The average angler caught 1.26 barramundi per visit. Average size of barramundi retained increased from 59.8 cm in 1987 to 66.4 cm in 1990. Catch rates, while low (0.09 fish per hour), were comparable to those obtained in similar recreational fisheries in the Northern Territory and have steadily increased since 1987.