Guide
Squid Fishing Regulations Australia: Bag Limits and Official Links
A state-by-state squid fishing regulations guide for Australia with official government links, bag limit notes and a clear reminder to check current rules before fishing.
Rules change. This page is a planning guide, not legal advice.
Last checked: 31 May 2026.
Before you fish, open the official state source for the water you are standing beside. Squid, calamari, cuttlefish and octopus can be grouped differently across Australia, and closures can override the normal bag limit.
Quick state-by-state planning table
| State / Territory | Current official planning note | Official source |
|---|---|---|
| Victoria | Squid, calamari, octopus and cuttlefish are listed together with no minimum legal size and a combined total limit of 10. Marine National Parks and Sanctuaries are excluded. | VFA squid, octopus and cuttlefish rules |
| New South Wales | NSW’s current saltwater guide lists Squid and Cuttlefish with no legal length and a bag limit of 20 in total. | NSW Saltwater Recreational Fishing Guide PDF |
| South Australia | Southern Calamari is zone-specific. PIRSA lists a total closure from 1 May 2026 in Spencer Gulf and Gulf St Vincent / Kangaroo Island fishing zones, with different limits in all other waters. | PIRSA Southern Calamari - Squid |
| Western Australia | WA lists squid, cuttlefish and octopus as a combined group with no minimum size, daily bag limit 15 and boat limit 30. Powered boat rules may require an RFBL. | WA squid group rules |
| Tasmania | Tasmania separates Gould’s squid and Southern Calamari. The size and bag limits page lists Gould’s squid bag 15 / possession 30, and Southern Calamari bag 10 / possession 20. Seasonal closures can apply. | Tasmania size and bag limits |
| Queensland | Queensland’s tidal waters page lists Cuttlefish or squid excluding tiger squid with no size limit and possession limit 50; Tiger squid has possession limit 20. | Queensland tidal waters limits |
| Northern Territory | NT lists octopus, cuttlefish and squid combined with a personal possession limit of 30. | NT possession limits for fish |
Why squid rules are easy to misread
Squid anglers often search for “squid bag limit Australia” and expect one simple answer. That is dangerous because the rule might be written as:
- squid only
- squid and cuttlefish
- calamari and cuttlefish
- squid, octopus and cuttlefish
- personal bag limit
- possession limit
- boat limit
- zone closure
- seasonal closure
Those words matter. A possession limit is not always the same thing as a daily bag limit, and a closure can make the usual limit irrelevant.
Victoria: simple, but still check location
Victoria is the main audience for many readers of this site. VFA lists squid, calamari, octopus and cuttlefish together with no minimum legal size and a combined total limit of 10.
The important extra detail is location. Marine National Parks and Sanctuaries are no-take areas for these species. Some intertidal restrictions also matter depending on the method and water.
Useful related fishing pages:
South Australia: check it every time
South Australia is the page where you should slow down.
PIRSA currently lists a total Southern Calamari closure from 1 May 2026 in the Spencer Gulf and Gulf St Vincent / Kangaroo Island fishing zones for recreational and charter boat fishing. The same species page lists different limits for all other waters.
If you fish SA, do not rely on memory, old screenshots or old forum posts. Open the PIRSA species page before the trip and confirm:
- the fishing zone
- whether a closure applies
- whether the limit is for calamari only or calamari and cuttlefish combined
- whether a boat limit applies
Tasmania: bag, possession and closures
Tasmania separates Southern Calamari from Gould’s squid in its table. It also lists seasonal closures for calamari and squid in some regions.
That means a simple number is not enough. You need the species, the area and the date.
Queensland and NT: possession wording matters
Queensland and the Northern Territory use possession-limit language for these species. That means the number can include what you are holding at a point in time, not just what you caught that day.
If you travel with frozen or stored seafood, possession wording becomes especially important.
Use this pre-trip compliance checklist
Before a squid session, check:
- state or territory
- exact waterway and zone
- species group wording
- daily bag limit
- possession limit
- boat limit
- seasonal closure
- marine park or sanctuary rules
- gear restrictions
- whether you need a licence
Save the official page on your phone before you lose reception.
Final answer
Use this page to find the right official source quickly. Use the official source to make the legal decision. Squid fishing rules are manageable, but only if you check the state, species group and zone before you keep a catch.