Scallops, hooking Australian salmon and more

Scallop © Department of NRE Tasmania

Scallop season opens

The scallop season opens statewide everywhere except the D'Entrecasteaux Channel on Saturday 23rd March.

Check your dive gear and make sure you've got your licence and know the rules before you go for your first dive of the season. Remember, scallops have to be measured and counted in the water.

Surveys are under way in the D'Entrecasteux Channel to assess stock levels and inform whether it can re-open for future seasons.

Check the rules

This good sized salmon was recently caught from shore in the D'Entrecasteaux Channel - photo © Department of NRE Tasmania

Spotlight on a species - Australian salmon

We've had a really good run of Australian salmon this season and they provide a great alternative to sand flathead for both shore and boat-based fishers.

Aussie salmon tick a lot of boxes for fishers - they are exciting to catch, take a wide variety of baits and lures, and are found all around Tasmania.

But do they taste good? Absolutely! For the best flavour make sure to dispatch them quickly, bleed them straight away and put them into an ice slurry. These simple steps greatly improve the eating qualities.

When dispatched, gutted and bled quickly Australian salmon make for a delicious dinner - photo © Department of NRE Tasmania

They've also got a high meat yield, are packed with healthy omega-3s and can be used in a number of ways - from fried fillets, baked whole, in a curry or even as sashimi!

Australian salmon is also classified as sustainable in the latest stock assessment, making it a great alternative to give sand flathead a break.

Read some of our tips and tricks for targeting and cooking Australian salmon.

Learn more

Wet cloths help protect fish from damage - and your hands from spikes! Any soft cloth or rag that you can wet will do the job - photo © Department of NRE Tasmania

Taking care of the sand flathead you put back

The new sand flathead limits mean that you're probably putting a lot more sand flathead back in the water than you used to.

The good news is sand flathead are hardy and released fish will lead to stock recovery and a better fishery! With responsible handling, most sand flathead survive being caught and released.

Make sure sand flathead you release survive by:

• Using a circle hooks
• Using a knotless rubber landing net
• Minimising time out of the water and handling with a wet cloth
• Using a dehooker (don't flip the fish, just jiggle gently!)

If you do deep hook an under or oversize fish, don't try to remove the hook. Cutting the line near the mouth and leaving the hook in is actually better for the fish.

Find out other ways you can help sand flathead recover on Flathead for the Future page.