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Queensland

From the Great Barrier Reef to Cape York and the Torres Strait, Queensland's tropical fisheries cover prawns, mud crab, coral trout, and a strong Indigenous fishing presence.

Tropical waters & the Great Barrier Reef

About Queensland

From the Great Barrier Reef to Cape York and the Torres Strait, Queensland's tropical fisheries cover prawns, mud crab, coral trout, and a strong Indigenous fishing presence.

Key facts

Regions in Queensland

10 fishing regions have their own profile inside Queensland.

Bug capital

Moreton Bay

Moreton Bay is famous for the Moreton Bay Bug (slipper lobster), banana prawns, and a multi-species fleet supplying Brisbane.

Region

Hervey Bay

A sheltered bay between the mainland and K'gari (Fraser Island) supporting scallops, prawns, and a renowned recreational fishery for whiting and flathead.

Wild barramundi country

Hinchinbrook & Townsville

The Hinchinbrook Channel and Townsville coast support wild-caught barramundi, mud crab, banana prawns, and a major reef-fish charter industry.

Sunshine Coast tuna port

Mooloolaba

Mooloolaba is QLD's premier tuna port — landing yellowfin, swordfish, and mahi-mahi from the Eastern Tuna and Billfish Fishery.

Region

Mackay & the Whitsundays

Whitsundays-region fisheries cover spanish mackerel, coral trout, red emperor, and a vibrant reef-charter scene set against the Great Barrier Reef.

Gulf of Carpentaria gateway

Karumba

Karumba on the Gulf of Carpentaria is the heart of the banana prawn fishery and a major barramundi fishing town with Indigenous co-management.

Indigenous-managed fisheries

Weipa & Cape York

Cape York fisheries are increasingly Indigenous-led — barramundi, mud crab, and reef fish fisheries with strong cultural integration.

Region

Cairns & Far North Queensland

Cairns is the gateway to the northern Great Barrier Reef — a centre for reef-line fishing, charter operations, and seafood processing for Asia-Pacific markets.

Banana prawn ocean

Gulf of Carpentaria

The shallow tropical sea between northern QLD and Arnhem Land — the heart of Australia's banana and tiger prawn trawl fishery.

Indigenous-led tropical fisheries

Torres Strait

Between Cape York and PNG, the Torres Strait is co-managed with Traditional Inhabitants and supports tropical rock lobster, prawn, and finfish fisheries with significant Indigenous ownership.