New Spanish mackerel assessment shows sustainable populations

• New science-based Spanish mackerel stock assessment demonstrates sustainable populations in Queensland’s fisheries.
• Assessment supports increased future catch limits for both recreational and commercial fishers by the end of 2025.
• Evaluation overturns Labor’s flawed 2021 stock assessment, which attracted significant industry and expert criticism. 

The Crisafulli Government will deliver certainty and restore fairness for the fishing sector, with a new stock assessment revealing sustainable populations that would support increased catch limits for Spanish mackerel. 

This year’s Spanish mackerel stock assessment found the population was now likely to have doubled since the 2021 review. 

Based on this, the Department Primary Industries has proposed raising Spanish mackerel catch limits for both commercial and recreational fishing. 

If these proposals are adopted, the recreational boat limit will double from two fish per boat to a maximum of four. 

For commercial fishers it will see a 51.5 per cent increase in allowable catch, with the annual commercial limit expected to increase from 165 tonnes to 250 tonnes. 

The stock assessment for Spanish mackerel is the first conducted since the Crisafulli Government’s overhaul of the former Labor Government’s flawed processes, which attracted strong criticism from industry, qualified experts and independent reviews. 

The Crisafulli Government is also proposing to set the Spanish mackerel harvest strategy at a target of 48 per cent of unfished levels, ensuring enduring and sustainable access to the fishery. 

The reduction from 60 per cent to 48 per cent will align the harvest strategy with Commonwealth fisheries.  

Existing Spanish mackerel limits will remain in place while public consultation is conducted. The impact of current limits will be evaluated in the next stock assessment. 

The 2025 stock assessment found Spanish mackerel were fast-growing and highly reproductive. Combined with the protections around spawning grounds, assessors had confidence fish populations would be sustainable. 

Public consultation will be announced in due course, with the proposed changes intended to take effect by the end of the year. 

Primary Industries Minister Tony Perrett said the proposed changes struck a balance between allowing fishers and seafood consumers to enjoy this prized catch while continuing to protect this valuable fishery for future generations. 

“The Crisafulli Government is delivering positive outcomes for the fishing sector based on robust and reliable scientific processes,” Minister Perrett said.  

“We said we would support Queensland’s fishing sector by only legislating scientifically backed changes to regulation – and that’s what we are doing. 

“Gone are the days of Labor’s botched stock assessments that relied on flawed science and were subject to industry criticism. 

“By contrast, our robust stock assessment process is recalibrating to create a sustainable fishery after a decade of Labor using self-serving science to savage the fishing industry. 

ENDS 

MEDIA CONTACT: Nicole Bond 0417 199 369 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: 

• The minimum legal-size limit will remain at 75 centimetres.
• The charter fishing limit will remain unchanged (one fish per person, no boat limit).
• A 51.5% increase to the commercial quota has been modelled to provide approximately $3.5 million in gross value of production to the Queensland economy.
• 93% of Queensland stocks assessed under the national process have no sustainability concerns.
• Spanish mackerel is one of only five fish stocks with sustainability concerns.
• Fisheries Queensland’s latest stock assessment was published on 7 May 2025 and is available here.
• The Sustainable Fisheries Expert Panel  met on the 15 July 2025 and endorsed the recommendations.