Coral Trout (also known as Coral Trout, Leopard Coral Grouper) in Queensland. Minimum legal size, daily bag limit, possession limit — verified against the Fisheries Queensland guide, 2026.
In Queensland, the minimum legal size for Coral Trout is 38 cm and the possession limit is 7 (combined total of all coral trout species). Season note: Closed during the annual coral reef fin fish spawning closures — two 5-day periods each year, around the new moon in October and November (in 2026, 8–12 October and 6–10 November; confirm current-year dates with Fisheries Queensland).
Closed during the annual coral reef fin fish spawning closures — two 5-day periods each year, around the new moon in October and November (in 2026, 8–12 October and 6–10 November; confirm current-year dates with Fisheries Queensland).
Coral trout is a "coral reef fin fish", so its catch also counts toward the combined possession limit of 20 for all coral reef fin fish (emperors, cods, tropical snappers, etc.) — the lower 7-trout cap applies first. The blue spotted coral trout (Chinese footballer) has a 50–80 cm slot. New-moon closure dates shift each year.
These limits are pulled from the Fisheries Queensland recreational fishing rules. Last verified June 2026.
Always check the official guide before keeping any fish. Regulations change. Fisheries Queensland (Queensland Department of Primary Industries) updates its guide annually and occasionally mid-year. Fines for over-bag or undersized fish are significant.
Queensland does not require a recreational fishing licence to fish in tidal (salt) waters. A Stocked Impoundment Permit (SIP) is needed only to fish certain stocked freshwater dams.
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