Fishing
Fishing in South Australia offers an exciting challenge for everyone - from the novice and families through to the seasoned angler. Fishing experiences in marine parks include the raw power of surf beaches, your own closely-held offshore spot, or casually fishing from a jetty or breakwater with the kids.
Five iconic South Australian fishing adventures that you can enjoy in marine parks
- Fishing in the surf for mulloway from the beach in the Coorong (in the Upper South East Marine Park) or on the Far West Coast beaches (in the Far West Coast Marine Park)
- Fishing on the beach for salmon at Waitpinga Beach (in the Encounter Marine Park), Locks Well (near the Investigator Marine Park or Browns Beach (in the Southern Spencer Gulf Marine Park)
- Fishing for squid off the jetty at Second Valley (in the Encounter Marine Park)
- Boat fishing for snapper in Backstairs Passage (in the Encounter Marine Park)
- Boat fishing for King George whiting - one of the best table fish in Australia - in fishing grounds from the West Coast (the West Coast Bays Marine Park) to Lower Yorke Peninsula, Fleurieu Peninsula and Kangaroo Island.
When heading out to fish in a marine park, it’s important to be responsible. While there are no licences required to fish in a marine park, you do need to make sure you are fully equipped with the knowledge to make your fishing adventure not only a fun one, but a safe and responsible one.
Five tips for responsible fishing in a marine park
- Be aware of the sanctuary zones. Respect the areas where you can and can’t fish. Sanctuary zones do not allow you to remove any fish and also have regulations about boat cleaning and releasing bilgewater
- Be aware of marine mammals such as seals, sea lions and dolphins and seabirds
- Make sure you know about catch limits and legal lengths for the fish species you are targeting
- Teach any children in your group the importance of ocean safety
- Make sure you’re aware of any seasonal closures – PIRSA's recreational fishing web page can help