
Goodbye 2020, hello east coast black jewfish season
The first day of the new year marks the reopening of the east coast black jewfish season.
There is a possession limit of one per person, or two per boat when there are more than two people on board, and fish must be kept whole until back on land.
Kept fish must also be 75cm or larger if caught on the east coast and at least 60cm within the Gulf of Carpentaria.

The Agriculture and Fisheries Department is also looking for people to have their say on various draft harvest strategies as well as form working groups.
Species included in the drafts affecting both commercial and recreational fishers include:
- Blue swimmer crab
- Mud crab
- Corals and related cnidarian species for live aquariums
- Sea cucumber
- Stout whiting, red spot whiting, yellowtail scad and goatfish
- Tiger prawns (brown and grooved), red spot king prawns, Moreton Bay bugs and scallops
- Barramundi, threadfin salmon, grey mackerel, sea mullet, whiting, bream and school mackerel
Consultation will close at 5pm on January 31, 2021.
For more information, see the DAF's website.
Mackay's weekend weather forecast:
Friday: Partly cloudy. High (70 per cent) chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm. Winds southerly 15 to 25 km/h tending south-easterly 20 to 25 km/h in the morning then becoming light in the late evening. Sun protection recommended from 7.50am to 4.20pm, UV index predicted to reach 15 (Extreme).
Saturday: Partly cloudy. Medium (60 per cent) chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm. Winds south to south-easterly 20 to 30 km/h becoming light during the evening. Sun protection recommended from 7.50am to 4.20pm, UV index predicted to reach 14 (Extreme).
Sunday: Partly cloudy. Medium (50 per cent) chance of showers. Light winds becoming east to south-easterly 20 to 25 km/h during the morning then becoming light during the evening.
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And your BOM coastal waters forecast for Mackay from Bowen to St Lawrence:
Friday:
Winds: Southeasterly 10 to 15 knots, reaching up to 20 knots at times.
Seas: Below 1m, increasing to 1 to 1.5m south of Mackay.
Swell: Easterly around 1m offshore.
Saturday:
Winds: East to south-easterly 10 to 15 knots, reaching up to 20 knots at times.
Seas: Around 1m, increasing to 1 to 1.5m offshore during the afternoon.
Swell: Easterly around 1m offshore.
Sunday:
Winds: East to southeasterly 10 to 15 knots.
Seas: Around 1m.
Swell: Easterly around 1m offshore.
Finally, the all-important tide times:
Friday: Low tide of 1m at 5.48am, high tide of 5.63m at 12.09pm and low tide of 1.35m at 6.45pm.
Saturday: High tide of 4.27m at 12.25am, low tide of 1.11m at 6.27am, high tide of 5.55m at 12.49pm and low tide of 1.39m at 7.28pm.
Sunday: High tide of 4.21m at 1.10am, low tide of 1.27m at 7.11am, high tide of 5.42m at 1.33pm and low tide of 1.43 at 8.15pm.
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Whitsunday's weekend weather forecast:
Friday: Slight (30 per cent) chance of a shower in the morning. Mostly sunny afternoon. Winds east to south-easterly 25 to 40 km/h. Minimum of 21C, maximum of 31C. Sun protection recommended from 7.40am to 3.50pm, UV index predicted to reach 12 (Extreme).
Saturday: Partly cloudy. Slight (20 per cent) chance of a shower. Winds easterly 25 to 35 km/h. Minimum of 21C, maximum of 30C. Sun protection recommended from 7.40am to 3.50pm, UV index predicted to reach 13 (Extreme).
Sunday: Mostly sunny. Slight (30 per cent) chance of a shower. Winds east to south-easterly 25 to 35 km/h. Minimum of 20C, maximum of 30C. Sun protection recommended from 7.40am to 3.50pm, UV index predicted to reach 11 (Extreme).
And your BOM coastal waters forecast for the Whitsunday's from Cardwell to Bowen:
Friday:
Winds: Variable about 10 knots, tending north-easterly 10 to 15 knots inshore during the afternoon.
Seas: Below 1m.
Swell: Easterly below 1m.
Saturday:
Winds: Variable about 10 knots, tending north-easterly 10 to 15 knots inshore during the afternoon.
Seas: Below 1m.
Swell: Easterly below 1m.
Sunday:
Winds: Variable about 10 knots, tending northeasterly 10 to 15 knots inshore during the afternoon.
Seas: Below 1m.
Swell: Easterly around 1m outside the reef.
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Finally, the all-important tide times:
Friday: Low tide of 0.67m at 5.05am, high tide of 3.66m at 12.05pm and low tide of 1.14m at 6.36pm.
Saturday: High tide of 2.41m at 12.07am, low tide of 0.75m at 5.45am, high tide of 3.61m at 12.45pm and low tide of 1.14m at 7.21pm.
Sunday: High tide of 2.39m at 12.59am, low tide of 0.87m at 6.33am, high tide of 3.52m at 1.30pm and low tide of 1.11m at 8.14pm.