Primary Industries and Regions SA (PIRSA), Media Release, 6 July 2026

Recreational fishers will be able to catch King George Whiting in all South Australian waters these school holidays following changes to the species’ spatial closure period.

The King George Whiting closure amendment is one of two changes introduced to support the recovery of marine species affected by the algal bloom. The second is a temporary commercial closure on the collection of bloodworms, beachworms and tubeworms in the Gulf St Vincent/Kangaroo Island Fishing Zone. Recreational fishing for bloodworms remains open, with reduced limits in place in the Gulf St Vincent/Kangaroo Island Fishing Zones.

The King George Whiting spawning spatial closure, covering southern Gulf St Vincent, Investigator Strait and parts of eastern and southern Spencer Gulf and Yorke Peninsula, was introduced on 1 May under the Algal Bloom Fish Recovery Program to protect fish during their spawning period.

Originally due to end on 31 July, the closure has been amended following industry feedback and updated advice from the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI), which indicates that a closure from 1 March to 30 June better aligns with the peak reproductive and spawning period.

From 2027, the King George Whiting spawning spatial closure for commercial, recreational and charter fishers will apply from 1 March to 30 June each year the closure is in place.

Recreational fishing for King George Whiting can now resume within the closure area, subject to existing bag and boat limits:

• Spencer Gulf: 10 fish daily bag limit, 30 fish daily boat limit (three or more people on board).
• Gulf St Vincent/Kangaroo Island: 5 fish daily bag limit, 15 fish daily boat limit.

Commercial fishing

A closure on the commercial take of marine scalefish species, including King George Whiting in the Gulf St Vincent/Kangaroo Island Fishing Zone remains in place until May 2027. Commercial fishing for King George Whiting continues in Spencer Gulf.

The temporary closure on the commercial take of bloodworms, beachworms and tubeworms in the Gulf St Vincent/Kangaroo Island Fishing Zone will remain in place until 30 April 2027 following SARDI advice that stocks may still be recovering from the algal bloom.

Recreational fishers are encouraged to assist the recovery effort by reporting their catches via the SA Fishing app.

For more information, visit PIRSA website or on the free SA Fishing app.