Measuring your catch transcript

Speaker:

Fisheries Officers are often asked how to measure fish.

There are three steps.

• Firstly, place the fish flat on the ruler.
• Step two, with the mouth closed move the fish up to zero centimetres.
• Step three, hold on to the body of the fish and sweep from side to side to get an accurate measure of the fish. So this fish would be approximately 44 centimetres.

We use the same method for measuring all scale fish whether that is bream or whiting for example.

Place the fish flat on the ruler. Move the head of the fish up to zero centimetres. Sweep the fish until you get an accurate measurement.

So this fish would measure just over 32 centimetres. King George whiting need to be 27 centimetres so this is clearly a size fish. The length of the fish is to the tip of the tail.

So this is the same process that can be used to measure bream. Place the fish flat on the ruler. Move the fish up to zero centimetres and make sure the mouth is closed. Sweep the body of the fish round to ensure you get an accurate measurement to the tip of the tail. This fish measures about 27.5 centimetres. Bream need to be 28 so this fish wouldn't be legal size.

To assist anglers The Victorian Fisheries Authority  has produced a Recreational Fishing Guide and a fish length ruler. These are both available free. Please make sure you've got an up to date one so you 'know your limits'.