Queensland has the highest diversity of freshwater fish in Australia. Unfortunately this diversity is threatened by the presence of invasive fish which have been introduced and subsequently established in some of our waterways. Some invasive fish pose such a threat to Queensland waters that they have been listed as ‘noxious’ in Queensland legislation.

The introduction of invasive fish species into Queensland’s natural waterways significantly impacts native fish biodiversity and abundance.

Invasive fish impact native fish through:

• direct competition for food and space • predation • habitat alteration and • introduction of exotic diseases and parasites. In Queensland it is illegal to sell prohibited and restricted noxious fish on Gumtree, Ebay, Facebook or any marketplace.

Prohibited and restricted noxious fish of Queensland

Prohibited and restricted noxious fish

Mozambique tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) Carp (Cyprinus carpio)

Black pacu (Piaractus brachypomus) Alligator gar (Atractosteus spatula) (Image courtesy of WikiCommons)

Invasive fish are species that are not native to an area and have potential negative social, economic or environmental impacts. Ornamental (aquarium) fish may severely impact our waterways if released into the wild. Most invasive fish established in Queensland waters have been released by irresponsible members of the public.

Legislation requirementsThe Biosecurity Act 2014 protects Queensland’s economy, biodiversity and people’s lifestyles from the threats posed by invasive pests and diseases.

Under the Act, certain species of invasive fish are listed as noxious ‘prohibited’ and ‘restricted’ matter.

Species not listed as prohibited or restricted under the Act may be declared by a local government under local laws.

Prohibited noxious fishThe Biosecurity Act 2014 identifies 191 species as prohibited noxious fish. These species are not in Queensland, nor are they able to be brought into Queensland. If sighted they must be reported to Biosecurity Queensland within 24 hours of the sighting.

Prohibited noxious fish in Queensland:

• Aba aba (Gymnarchus niloticus)• Adriatic sturgeon (Acipenser naccarii)• African butter catfish (Schilbe mystus)• African lungfish (Protopterus annectens)• African pike (Hepsetus odoe)• African pike-characin, tubenose poacher, fin eater

(fish of the subfamily Ichthyborinae)• Alfaro huberi (Alfaro huberi)• American gar, alligator gar, armoured gar (Atractosteus

spp. and Lepisosteus spp.) other than Atractosteus spatula and Lepisosteus oculatus

• Amur sturgeon (Acipenser schrenckii)• Angler catfish (Chaca bankanensis)• Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus)• Baikal sturgeon (Acipenser baerii baicalensis)• Balsas catfish (Ictalurus balsanus)                  • Banded astyanax (Astyanax fasciatus)                  • Banded jewelfish (Hemichromis fasciatus)• Banded sunfish, spotted sunfish (family Centrachidae)• Banded tetra (Astyanax aeneus)                    • Barred tail pearlfish (Leptolebias minimus)• Beluga (Huso huso)• Bighead carp (Aristichthys nobilis)• Bigmouth sleeper (Gobiomorus dormitory)• Black bullhead (Ameiurus melas)                      • Black madtom (Noturus funebris)                    • Black river madtom (Noturus maydeni) • Blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus)                  • Bluegill (Lepomis spp.)• Bottlenose, cornish jack (Mormyrops anguilloides)

• Bowfin (Amia calva)• Brindled madtom (Noturus miurus)    • Brook stickleback (Culaea inconstans)• Brown bullhead  (Ameiurus nebulosus)                  • Brown madtom (Noturus phaeus)• Burmensis frogmouth catfish (Chaca burmensis)• Caddo madtom (Noturus taylori)• Carolina madtom (Noturus furiosus)                    • Catla (Catla catla)• Chameleon goby, striped goby

(Tridentiger trigonocephalus)• Channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus)• Chapala catfish (Ictalurus ochoterenai)              • Checkered madtom (Noturus flavater)                    • Chinese sturgeon (Acipenser sinensis)• Chinese swordfish (Psephurus gladius)• Chucky madtom (Noturus crypticus)                  • Copper mahseer (Neolissochilus hexagonolepis)• Ciscus ray (Paratrygon aiereba)• Dormitator lebretonis• Electric catfish (Malapterurus spp.)• Electric eel (Electrophorus electricus)• Elegant madtom (Noturus elegans)                    • European catfish, wels catfish (Silurus spp.)• European sturgeon (Acipenser sturio)• Eyespot ctenopoma (Ctenopoma ocellatum)                • Fat sleeper (Dormitator maculatus)• Fathead catfish (Pylodictis olivaris)    • Flat bullhead (Ameiurus platycephalus)              • Flatnose catfish, dwarf giraffe catfish

(Anaspidoglanis macrostomus)• Forktail lates (Lates microlepis)• Fourspine stickleback (Apeltes quadracus)• Frecklebelly madtom (Noturus munitus)                    • Freshwater minnow (Zacco platypus)• Fringebarbel sturgeon (Acipenser nudiventris)• Frogmouth catfish, squarehead catfish (Chaca chaca)• Gambusia, mosquito fish (Gambusia spp.) other than

Gambusia holbrooki• Gangetic climbing perch (Anabas cobojius)                    • Giant barb (Catlocarpio siamensis)• Giant bully (Gobiomorphus gobioides)• Gilled lungfish (Protopterus amphibius)• Grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella)• Green sturgeon (Acipenser medirostris)• Gulf sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus destotoi)• Happy (Sargochromis spp.)• Headwater catfish (Ictalurus lupus)                    • Helicophagus leptorhynchus• Helicophagus waandersii• Hildebrandi least madtom (Noturus hildebrandi)    • Himantura kittipongi• Hoplerythrinus spp. and Hoplias spp.)

2 Prohibited and restricted noxious fish

• Hypseleotris tohizonae (Hypseleotris tohizonae)• Japanese sturgeon (Acipenser multiscutatus)• Knife-edged livebearer (Alfaro cultratus)• Lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens)• Large scaled spiny cheek sleeper (Eleotris amblyopsis)                • Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides)• Lautus (Noturus hildebrandi)    • Leptolebias aureoguttatus (Leptolebias aureoguttatus)• Lerma catfish (Ictalurus dugesii)• Manyspined ctenopoma (Ctenopoma multispine)                • Marble goby (Oxyeleotris marmorata)• Marbled freshwater whip ray (Himantura krempfi)                  • Marbled pearlfish (Leptolebias marmoratus)• Marbled whip ray (Himantura oxyrhyncha)                • Margined madtom (Noturus insignis)                    • Mekong giant catfish (Pangasianodon gigas)• Mississippi paddlefish (Polyodon spathula)• Mottled ctenopoma (Ctenopoma weeksii)                  • Mountain madtom (Noturus eleutherus)                  • Mrigal (Cirrhinus cirrhosus)• Neosho madtom (Noturus placidus)                                     • Nile perch (Lates niloticus)• Ninespine stickleback (Pungitius pungitius)• Northern madtom (Noturus stigmosus)    • Noturus gladiator• Ocellated labyrinth fish (Ctenopoma muriei)                    • Opal pearlfish (Leptolebias opalescens)• Orange-fin labeo (Labeo calbasu)• Orangefin madtom (Noturus gilberti)                    • Ouachita madtom (Noturus lachneri)                  • Oxyeleotris siamensis (Oxyeleotris siamensis)• Oxyeleotris urophthalmoides

(Oxyeleotris urophthalmoides)• Oxyeleotris urophthalmus (Oxyeleotris urophthalmus)• Ozark madtom (Noturus albater)                    • Pacific fat sleeper (Dormitator latifrons)• Pacific sleeper (Gobiomorus maculatus)• Pangasius conchophilus (Pangasius conchophilus)• Pangasius elongatus (Pangasius elongatus)• Pangasius krempfi (Pangasius krempfi)• Pangasius kunyit (Pangasius kunyit)• Pangasius macronema (Pangasius macronema)• Pangasius nasutus (Pangasius nasutus)• Pangasius nieuwenhuisii (Pangasius nieuwenhuisii)• Parasitic catfish, pencil catfish, candiru catfish

(family Trichomycteridae)• Persian sturgeon (Acipenser persicus)• Pike characin (Acestrorhynchus microlepis)• Pike cichlid (Crenicichla spp.)• Pike minnow, pike killifish (Belonesox belizanus)• Pikes (Esox spp.)• Pink, slender, greenwoods, mortimers, cunean

and green

• Piranhas, pacus (fish of the subfamily Serrasalminae) other than Metynnis spp., Myloplus rubripinnis, Myloplus asterias, Myloplus planquettei and Piaractus brachypomus

• Purpleface largemouth (Serranochromis spp.)• Pygmy madtom (Noturus stanauli)                                   • Pygmy sunfish (Elassoma spp.)• Red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii)• Redfin bully (Gobiomorphus huttoni)• Reedfish (Erpetoichthys calabaricus)• Rio verde catfish (Ictalurus mexicanus)                • Ripsaw catfish, black doras, black shielded catfish

(Oxydoras spp.)• River carp, deccan, high backed, jungha, putitor,

Thai mahseer (Tor spp.)• Roach (Rutilus rutilus)    • Rohu (Labeo rohita)• Russian sturgeon (Acipenser gueldenstaedtii)• Saddled madtom (Noturus fasciatus)• Sakhalin sturgeon (Acipenser mikadoi)• Sandwich island sleeper (Eleotris sandwicensis)              • Scioto madtom (Noturus trautmani)      • Sentani gudgeon (Oxyeleotris heterodon)• Shiners (Notropis spp.)• Shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum)• Shoulderspot catfish (Schilbe marmoratus)• Siberian sturgeon (Acipenser baerii baerii)• Silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix)• Silver catfish (Schilbe intermedius)• Silverbelly ctenopoma (Ctenopoma argentoventer)            • Slender lungfish (Protopterus dolloi)• Slender madtom (Noturus exilis)                      • Smoky madtom (Noturus baileyi)                    • Snail bullhead (Ameiurus brunneus)                  • Snakehead (Channa spp.)• Snooks (Centropomus spp.)• South American lungfish (Lepidosiren paradoxa)• Southern redbelly dace (Phoxinus erythrogaster)• Speckled madtom (Noturus leptacanthus)                • Spot pangasius (Pangasius larnaudii)• Spotted bullhead (Ameiurus serracanthus)              • Starry sturgeon (Acipenser stellatus)• Sterlet (Acipenser ruthenus)• Stinging catfish (Heteropneustes fossilis)• Stonecat (Noturus flavus)                      • Tadpole madtom (Noturus gyrinus)                    • Tailspot ctenopoma (Ctenopoma kingsleyae)                • Tench (Tinca tinca)  • Tiger catfish (Pseudoplatystoma fasciatum)• Tigerfish (African), pike characin (Hydrocynus spp.,

subfamilies Hydrocyninae and Alestinae)• Tigerfish (South American) or trahira (Erythrinus spp.)• Tilapia (Sarotherodon spp., Oreochromis spp. and

Tilapia spp.) other than Oreochromis mossambicus and Tilapia mariae

Prohibited and restricted noxious fish 3

This fact sheet is developed with funding support from the Land Protection Fund.

Fact sheets are available from Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) service centres and our Customer Service Centre (telephone 13 25 23). Check our website at biosecurity.qld.gov.au to ensure you have the latest version of this fact sheet. The control methods referred to in this fact sheet should be used in accordance with the restrictions (federal and state legislation, and local government laws) directly or indirectly related to each control method. These restrictions may prevent the use of one or more of the methods referred to, depending on individual circumstances. While every care is taken to ensure the accuracy of this information, DAF does not invite reliance upon it, nor accept responsibility for any loss or damage caused by actions based on it.

© The State of Queensland, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, 2019. 06/19

• Tomeurus gracilis (Tomeurus gracilis)• Tropical carp-gudgeon (Hypseleotris cyprinoides)• Twospot climbing perch (Ctenopoma nigropannosum)            • Twospot lebiasina (Lebiasina bimaculata)• Twospot livebearer (Heterandria bimaculata)• Ubangi shovelnose catfish (Bagrus ubangensis)• Valencia toothcarp (Valencia hispanica)• Walking catfish, airbreathing catfish (family Clariidae)• White catfish (Ameiurus catus)                      • White sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus)• Yangtze sturgeon (Acipenser dabryanus)• Yaqui catfish (Ictalurus pricei)• Yellow bullhead (Ameiurus natalis)    • Yellowbelly gudgeon (Allomogurnda nesolepis)• Yellowfin goby (Acanthogobius flavimanus)• Yellowfin madtom (Noturus flavipinnis)                • Yellowtailed catfish (Pangasius pangasius)

Restricted noxious fish Noxious fish that are listed as restricted matter are already present in Queensland. They have an adverse impact and as a result, restrictions are placed on all dealings with these invasive fish to best manage the risks they pose.

The Act requires everyone to take all reasonable and practical steps to minimise the risks associated with noxious fish under their control. This is called a general biosecurity obligation (GBO).

A person may have a GBO when dealing with biosecurity matter that requires everyone to ‘take all reasonable and practical measures’ to prevent or minimize the risk posed by the biosecurity matter.

The specific restriction requirements also apply to a person when dealing with prohibited and restricted matter.

Restricted noxious fish that are Categories 2, 3, and 4A person has the following restrictions placed upon them when dealing with these noxious fish:

• Alligator gar (Atractosteus spatula) • Black pacu (Piaractus brachypomus) • Marbled lungfish (Protopterus aethiopicus) • Spotted gar (Lepisosteus oculatus)

Restricted noxious fish that are Categories 3, 5, 6 and 7A person has the following restrictions placed upon them when dealing with these noxious fish:

• Carp (Cyprinus carpio) • Chinese weatherfish, weatherloach

(Misgurnus anguillicaudatus) • Climbing perch (Anabas testudineus) • Gambusia (Gambusia holbrooki) • Giant cichlid, yellow belly cichlid

(Boulengerochromis microlepis) • Tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus and Tilapia mariae)

Category meanings Category 2 The fish must be reported within 24 hours to Biosecurity Queensland on 13 25 23. Your GBO requires you to take all reasonable and practical steps to minimise the risk of the animal escaping until they receive advice from an authorised officer.

Category 3 The fish must not be distributed either by sale or gift, or released into the environment.

Category 4 The fish must not be moved.

Category 5 The fish must not be kept.

Category 6 The fish must not be fed.

Category 7 The fish must be killed and disposed of as soon as practical.

Further informationFurther information is available from your local government office, or by contacting Biosecurity Queensland on 13 25 23 or visit biosecurity.qld.gov.au.