Manage your quota

If you are a commercial fisher working in a catch-based quota fishery, you must:

  • hold sufficient quota before you begin a fishing operation
  • monitor your quota balance
  • report your catch.

Monitor quota balance

To check your current quota level:

Report quota catch

Fishers operating in quota fisheries must report their catch.

Manage individual transferable quota (ITQ)

To take an ITQ-managed species in a fishery, you must ensure you hold:

  • a relevant quota authority
  • sufficient ITQ entitlement for that species.

It is an offence to possess ITQ-managed species for which you hold insufficient unused ITQ entitlement. This is referred to as being 'over quota'.

To avoid going over quota:

  • ensure you hold sufficient ITQ entitlement before you undertake a trip
  • monitor your quota use during the fishing operation
  • be ready to transfer more quota if your quota balance is getting low.

This is particularly important towards the end of a fishing season, when availability of unused ITQ entitlement may be limited.

Transfer quota

You can transfer your quota to another commercial fisher, if they have the same fishery symbol on their primary commercial fishing licence.

Changes to primary commercial fishing licence

ITQ units are separate to the primary commercial fishing licence.

If a primary commercial fishing licence is sold or temporarily transferred, the ITQ units are not automatically transferred.

Business practices

Contact us

Email fisherieslicensing@daf.qld.gov.au