QLD · REGULATIONS · JUNE 2026

Red Emperor QLD legal size & bag limits.

Red Emperor (also known as Nannygai) in Queensland. Minimum legal size, daily bag limit, possession limit — verified against the Fisheries Queensland guide, 2026.

In Queensland, the minimum legal size for Red Emperor is 55 cm and the possession limit is 5. Season note: Closed during the annual coral reef fin fish spawning closures — two 5-day periods around the new moon in October and November each year (in 2026, 8–12 October and 6–10 November; confirm current-year dates).

What is the legal size & bag limit for Red Emperor in QLD?

Minimum size
55cm
Daily bag
5
Possession
5
Legal size for Red Emperor in QLD: Red Emperor must be at least 55 cm to keep. There is no maximum size. 55 cmTOO SMALLLEGAL — NO MAXIMUM
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Is there a closed season for Red Emperor in QLD?

Closed during the annual coral reef fin fish spawning closures — two 5-day periods around the new moon in October and November each year (in 2026, 8–12 October and 6–10 November; confirm current-year dates).

Why these rules exist

Red emperor is a coral reef fin fish: its limit of 5 also counts toward the combined possession limit of 20 for all coral reef fin fish, and it is closed during the October and November spawning closures. No maximum or slot size.

Source & verification

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.

See related

Common questions

What is the minimum legal size for Red Emperor in QLD?
In Queensland, the minimum legal size for Red Emperor (also known as Nannygai) is 55 cm. Verified against the Fisheries Queensland recreational fishing rules (June 2026).
What is the bag limit for Red Emperor in QLD?
In Queensland, the possession limit for Red Emperor is 5. Verified against the Fisheries Queensland recreational fishing rules (June 2026).
Is there a closed season for Red Emperor in QLD?
Closed during the annual coral reef fin fish spawning closures — two 5-day periods around the new moon in October and November each year (in 2026, 8–12 October and 6–10 November; confirm current-year dates). Verified against the Fisheries Queensland guide (June 2026).
Do you need a fishing licence to fish in Queensland?
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.
Written by
Olli-Mikael Vaittinen, founder of Fishare, holding a yellowfin tuna boatside
Olli-Mikael Vaittinen

Olli-Mikael Vaittinen has fished his whole life. Fifteen years of fly fishing, guiding seasons on Norway's Lakselva — his favourite Atlantic salmon river — and a blue marlin landed in Vava'u, Tonga. Founder of Fishare — the app that puts the data behind the decisions every angler makes on the water.

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