Declared Fish Habitat Area summary - Pumicestone Channel
Pumicestone Channel
Location
Pumicestone Passage between mainland and Bribie Island and most of Bribie Island foreshore.
Plan number
FHA-011 (revision 1)
Size
9,520 ha
4,611 ha management A
4,909 ha management B
Management level
A and B
Declaration dates
23 January 1969 (original declaration of Pumicestone Passage Reserve)
19 November 1983 (original declaration of Bribie Island Reserve)
24 July 1998 (redeclared to cadastral boundaries and to combine Pumicestone Passage and Bribie Island FHAs)
11 November 2011 (redeclared to clarify boundaries and address management issues)
Local government
Moreton Bay Regional Council and Sunshine Coast Regional Council.
Management features
Long-term protection and maintenance of mud crab habitat; important area for juvenile and adult fish which forms the basis of Moreton Bay’s commercial and recreational catches; limited habitat modification (runnels) for mosquito control.
Habitat values
Contains all seven of Moreton Bay’s mangroves; shoreline dominated by closed Avicennia, Ceriops, Aegiceras and Rhizophora; extensive tracts of Avicennia surrounding Goat Island; patchy saltmarsh areas associated with estuary; patchy sparse/dense Zostera and Halophila beds; shoals; mangrove over-wash islands; estuarine islands including Little Goat Island; semi-submerged wrecks.
Fisheries values
Important recreational fishing area, particularly for whiting; commercial ocean beach mullet fishery; Indigenous fishing; Australian bass; bream; blue salmon; estuary cod; flathead; garfish; jewfish; luderick; mangrove jack; sea mullet; tailor; whiting; mud and sand crabs; banana, eastern king, bay, school and greasyback prawns.
Unique features
One of most significant recreational fisheries habitats in Queensland, one of only two areas in south Queensland with substantial Bruguiera gymnorrhiza.
Other Benefits
Popular area for boating and recreation.