Spanish Mackerel (also known as Spaniard, Spanish) in Queensland. Minimum legal size, daily bag limit, possession limit — verified against the Fisheries Queensland guide, 2026.
In Queensland, the minimum legal size for Spanish Mackerel is 75 cm and the possession limit is 1 per person (or 4 per boat with 4 or more people aboard) on the east coast. Season note: Closed seasons apply, split at latitude 22°S. South of 22°S: 1–21 February and 1–21 March each year. North of 22°S: two 3-week periods (6 weeks total) around the October and November new moons.
Closed seasons apply, split at latitude 22°S. South of 22°S: 1–21 February and 1–21 March each year. North of 22°S: two 3-week periods (6 weeks total) around the October and November new moons.
Limits were cut hard after the 2021 stock assessment; the 4-per-boat figure reflects the 1 January 2026 settings. The Gulf of Carpentaria has different limits (3 per person). Min 75 cm, no maximum. Spanish mackerel is permanently no-take in Platypus Bay near K'gari (ciguatera risk).
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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