The similarity in appearance of some cod species can lead to fishers incorrectly identifying cods and exceeding bag limits as a result.
Our Mid West Fisheries Officers say one of the most common mistakes relates to mixing up the black tipped rockcod with Chinaman cod – which has a different bag limit from other cods.
Black tipped rockcod are part of the cods group, with a daily bag limit of three in the Gascoyne Bioregion and two in the West Coast Bioregion.
They are also part of the mixed species bag limit of two demersal finfish a day in the West Coast Bioregion and five per day in all other areas of the State. This means that if you catch two black tipped rockcod, you can’t take any other demersal finfish on that day if you’re fishing in the West Coast Bioregion.
However, fishers can take up to four Chinaman cod a day Statewide, which count towards the nearshore/estuarine finfish mixed species bag limit of 16 fish per day.
Some fishers who have mixed up these two species have arrived back at the boat ramp to discover they have exceeded the daily bag limit, and have faced fines and potential court appearances as a result.
While colour provides some indication, black tipped rockcod have discernible reddish bars on the side of the body, with a narrow black border on the tips of the dorsal fin. The pectoral fins and tail are reddish in colour, and the bottom edges of the tail and anal fins have fine white markings.
Chinaman cod are overall brown in colour and have irregular blotchy brown bars on the side of the body, and the pectoral and tail fins are a yellow/brown colour.
Taking more than your daily bag limit, and other recreational fishing offences, can attract fines as high as $5,000 plus up to 10 times the prescribed value of the species.
By correctly identifying species, you can stick to the rules and do your part to help ensure cod stocks remain healthy for the future.
For more information see our recreational fishing rules.
You can also download our Recreational fishing guide in booklet size or the A4 print-friendly version.
