Every limit a NSW recreational saltwater angler needs, in one scannable page. Sourced directly from the NSW DPIRD 2024-25 Saltwater Fishing Guide PDF. Covers every common target species — snapper, kingfish, mulloway, flathead, bream, whiting, tailor, drummer, luderick, garfish, mahi mahi, marlin, tuna, and 12 more. Closed-season alerts called out. Slot-limit species (snapper, dusky flathead, mulloway) explicitly flagged. Rules current at May 2026 — always cross-check against the live DPIRD page before keeping fish.
| Species | Min size | Max size | Bag limit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BreamAcanthopagrus australis & A. butcheri | 25 cm | — | 10 in total of both species | Yellowfin and black bream combined toward the bag limit. No closed season. |
| Dusky flatheadPlatycephalus fuscus | 36 cm | 70 cm | 5, of which 1 can be 60–70 cm | Slot limit. All flathead over 70 cm must be released. See Sydney flathead guide. |
| Sand flatheadPlatycephalus bassensis | 33 cm | — | 20 | Combined limit with other flathead species except dusky. |
| Sand whitingSillago ciliata | 27 cm | — | 20 | Combined limit with other whiting species. No closed season. |
| Luderick (blackfish)Girella tricuspidata | 27 cm | — | 10 | Float-fishing with weed is the traditional method. Peak Jun–Aug. |
| Sea mulletMugil cephalus | 30 cm | — | 20 | Combined with other mullet species. |
| GarfishHyporhamphus species | — | — | 20 | No minimum size. Bag includes all garfish species combined. |
| Estuary perchPercalates colonorum | 25 cm | — | 5 | Closed Jun–Aug in coastal estuaries. |
| Australian bassPercalates novemaculeata | 25 cm | 35 cm | 2 | Slot limit. Closed Jun–Aug in coastal rivers. |
| Silver trevallyPseudocaranx georgianus | 30 cm | — | 20 | Common in harbours and estuary mouths. |
| Species | Min size | Max size | Bag limit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SnapperChrysophrys auratus | 30 cm | — | 5, of which only 2 can be over 70 cm | Slot limit on big fish. Major target species year-round. |
| Rock blackfish (drummer)Girella elevata | 30 cm | — | 10 | Different species to luderick despite the nickname overlap. |
| Bluespotted (yank) flatheadPlatycephalus caeruleopunctatus | 33 cm | — | 20 | Combined with sand and tiger flathead limit (not dusky). |
| Pearl perchGlaucosoma scapulare | 35 cm | — | 5 | Deep reef. Mid-NSW and northern. |
| PigfishBodianus species | 30 cm | — | 5 | Combined across pigfish and wrasse species. |
| LeatherjacketMonacanthidae family | 25 cm | — | 20 | Excellent eating. Combined across species. |
| Morwong (jackass)Nemadactylus macropterus | 28 cm | — | 10 | Combined with other morwong species. |
| Eastern blue groperAchoerodus viridis | — | — | NIL — fully protected | NSW state fish — total protection. No-take, ever. |
| Species | Min size | Max size | Bag limit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TailorPomatomus saltatrix | 30 cm | — | 20 | Surf staple. Peak Jun–Aug. |
| Australian salmonArripis trutta | no minimum | — | 5 | Surf beach metal slug target. Peak Jul–Sep. |
| Mulloway (jewfish)Argyrosomus japonicus | 70 cm | — | 2 per day, 1 if over 1.2 m | Iconic species. Night beach + harbour break-walls. New moon peak. |
| SweepScorpis lineolata | 25 cm | — | 20 | Schools tight to wash zones on rocky beaches. |
| BonitoSarda australis | — | — | 10 | Spinning species. Summer wash and headlands. Strong bait fish. |
| Species | Min size | Max size | Bag limit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yellowtail kingfishSeriola lalandi | 65 cm | — | 5, of which only 1 over 1.1 m | Trophy slot. Reef pinnacles and harbour bridges. Peak Nov–Apr. |
| Mahi mahi (dolphinfish)Coryphaena hippurus | 60 cm | — | 10 | FAD-associated. Peak Jan–Apr. |
| Spanish mackerelScomberomorus commerson | 75 cm | — | 5 | Northern NSW pelagic. Trolling lures. |
| Yellowfin tunaThunnus albacares | — | — | 5 per person, combined with bluefin/longtail/albacore | Offshore canyon edges. Trolling and cubing. Peak Mar–Jul. |
| Striped marlinKajikia audax | — | — | 1 per boat, tagged and released | Game fish. NSW Game Fishing Tagging Program. |
| Black marlinIstiompax indica | — | — | 1 per boat, tagged and released | Game fish. Catch-and-release strongly encouraged. |
| CobiaRachycentron canadum | 75 cm | — | 2 | Northern NSW. FADs and reef pinnacles. |
| Species | Min size | Max size | Bag limit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gummy sharkMustelus antarcticus | 45 cm | — | 5 | Southern NSW. Good eating. |
| Other shark species (combined)various | — | — | 5 combined | Includes school shark, bronze whaler, hammerhead — many species fully protected, check DPIRD. |
| Grey nurse sharkCarcharias taurus | — | — | NIL — fully protected | Critically endangered. No interaction permitted. |
| Long-finned eelAnguilla reinhardtii | 58 cm | — | 10 | Estuary and freshwater. |
| Species | Min size | Max size | Bag limit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern rock lobsterSagmariasus verreauxi | 10.4 cm carapace | — | 2 per day | Hand-held only. No berried females. Closed May–Oct. |
| Blue swimmer crabPortunus armatus | 6.5 cm carapace | — | 20 | No berried females. Hoop nets and witches hat traps legal. |
| Mud crabScylla serrata | 8.5 cm carapace | — | 5 (male only) | No female mud crabs may be taken at any size. |
| Prawnsvarious | — | — | 10 L | Measured in volume not count. Hand-cast nets only. |
| AbaloneHaliotis rubra | 11.7 cm shell length | — | 2 per day | Hand-held only. Tagging required. Many areas closed. |
Possession limit means the maximum number of fish of a species you can have in your possession at any time. This includes fish in the fridge, in your shed, on the boat, or in the car. A two-day trip does not give you two bag limits — you cannot have more than the possession limit at any moment.
Any fish you keep must be readily identifiable. You cannot fillet undersize fish to disguise them. Skin must remain on each fillet until the fish reaches your home. Headless intact bodies are legal if the carcass is visible enough for identification.
Recreational rules permit up to four rods per angler in saltwater, with no more than three hooks per line. Cast nets are legal for bait only — minimum 60 mm and maximum 3.6 m diameter. Hoop nets, witches hats, and dilly traps are restricted by zone — check DPIRD. Set lines, gill nets, and longlines are prohibited recreational gear.
If you are fishing from a powerboat you need a NSW general boat licence and the vessel must be registered. Carry the required safety gear: lifejackets for everyone aboard, an EPIRB if heading offshore, flares, and an anchor. Rules differ inside enclosed waters versus open ocean.
NSW has 27 aquatic reserves where fishing is either prohibited or restricted. The Sydney metro area has 9 reserves including Cabbage Tree Bay, Long Reef, North Harbour, and Bronte-Coogee. See the Sydney aquatic reserves guide for the boundary maps and the regulations for each reserve.
Fishare scores the next 7 days at every NSW hero spot using live tide, swell, wind, pressure and SST data. Every species page carries the verbatim DPIRD bag and size data so you know the rules at the point of catch.
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