How many hooks on electric reels in Qld?

[Old Scaley]

Like a lot of people lately, I have had a bit of spare time. I reckon I have seen most of the YouTube videos relating to salt water fishing in SE Qld. A number of them have featured deep dropping with electric reels. The rigs used generally have multiple hooks, and I have seen a few comments criticising them for breaking the rules. I checked the rules and they are a bit ambiguous:

Fishing lines

Freshwater No more than six fishing lines should be used alone or combined. A set fishing line must not be used. A set fishing line must not be used as a cross-line. Only one hook, artificial fly, bait jig or lure can be attached to a line. You can’t be more than 50m away from any of your fishing lines. Tidal water Up to three fishing lines are permitted consisting of a total of six hooks. An artificial fly, lure, bait jig or gang hook is considered equal to one hook. A cross line, drum line, free-floating line or set line is not included as a fishing line. You must be present with the line at all times.

I am not likely to take up fishing with an electric but just interested in the rules re number of hooks. I interpret the above to mean that each fisher on a boat can fish with up to 6 hooks, which could be 3 lines with 2 hooks or 1 line with 6 hooks. Have I got that right?

[ellicat]

You can have 6 hooks on a deep drop rig...I looked that up myself after watching Sammy Hitzke's last week production. Whether you can have more than 1 deep dropper per person, I can't fathom either.

Deep dropping with electric reels is better than deep dropping without an electric. I think I'd rather fish an ice circle in Alaska than doing either.

[ellicat]

When asked how many hooks per line in Qld, Google tells me

"Up to three fishing lines are permitted consisting of a total of six hooks. An artificial fly, lure, bait jig or gang hook is considered equal to one hook. A cross line, drum line, free-floating line or set line is not included as a fishing line. You must be present with the line at all times."

So if you consider a deep dropper as a set line then it doesn't seem to matter ??

[Old Scaley]

12 minutes ago, ellicat said:

When asked how many hooks per line in Qld, Google tells me

"Up to three fishing lines are permitted consisting of a total of six hooks. An artificial fly, lure, bait jig or gang hook is considered equal to one hook. A cross line, drum line, free-floating line or set line is not included as a fishing line. You must be present with the line at all times."

So if you consider a deep dropper as a set line then it doesn't seem to matter ??

I think the definition of a set line is one where you tie a line to a fixed object and leave it there, which is illegal because you must be present at all times. So a deep drop line would not be a set line in that context.

[Gad]

9 minutes ago, ellicat said:

When asked how many hooks per line in Qld, Google tells me

"Up to three fishing lines are permitted consisting of a total of six hooks. An artificial fly, lure, bait jig or gang hook is considered equal to one hook. A cross line, drum line, free-floating line or set line is not included as a fishing line. You must be present with the line at all times."

So if you consider a deep dropper as a set line then it doesn't seem to matter ??

Ok, the way the regs are set out they talk to the individual rec fisho... as obvious as the danglers on a Brahman bull 
So, I am allowed to fish with up to 3 lines.. rods, hand lines etc with a total of 6 hooks. each rod, handline etc is considered/looked upon as a 'line'
What are not classed as rec fishing lines are cross lines, drum lines, free-floating lines or set lines, therefore they are illegal to use

 

[Old Scaley]

That’s the way I read it @Gad. It could be made simpler by saying “a maximum combined total of 6 hooks per individual” or similar, to stop people thinking they might be able to have 3 lines with 6 hooks on each line.

[Terry H]

Thankfully(?) the actual legislation is worded fairly straightforward... s158 of the Fisheries Declaration 2019 is the applicable piece:

The issue is most people don't necessarily open up the raw legislation and you have to go dig for it. It would be nice if QLD Dpi would link to the various acts (Fisheries Act, Regs and Declarations) on their website. 

 

Edit: I just realised I didn't exactly help the situation

Links to all relevant legislation can be found here, including a summary of what each piece achieves: https://www.daf.qld.gov.au/business-priorities/fisheries/sustainable/legislation

Fisheries Declaration (most applicable one for Reco fishos is here: https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/sl-2019-0076