Prawns are a popular item for summer entertaining but if you are planning to catch your own to throw on the barbecue make sure you know the limits.

Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol education officer Karl Roebuck said prawns were a regulated species in Queensland and bag limits applied.

“Recreational fishers must not take or possess more than 10 litres of prawns, whole, without their heads or any other part removed, unless they are for immediate consumption,” Mr Roebuck said.

“Recreational bag limits for prawns are very fair and aimed at keeping prawn stocks at a healthy and sustainable level. Anyone caught disregarding these rules faces a heavy on-the-spot fine.”

Mr Roebuck said recreational fishers should also know the rules about fishing apparatus when deciding how to catch their prawns as well. To catch prawns fishers can use a cast net with a drop of no more than 3.7m and a mesh size of no greater than 28mm.

For more information on Qld’s recreational fishing regulations visit www.dpi.qld.gov.au/fishweb or call 13 25 23.