Queensland marine worm identification guide

Abstract

The marine bait worm fshery is a very important natural resource in Queensland. Many people from diferent parts of the community harvest marine worms for their own recreational fshing, and there are signifcant commercial activities involving the harvest of marine worms. Marine worms are also important food sources for numerous bird and inshore fnfsh species. To ensure sustainability of this fshery, both types of harvest must be regulated and monitored.
To minimise the impact of harvesting on the natural environment, and to maintain stocks into the future, limits are in place. Possession limits are an important part of fishery regulations—they are designed to ensure the sustainability of these marine resources, provide equitable shares to diferent community sectors, and prevent the illegal sale of commercial species.
Efectively identifying the diferent regulated species is integral to managing and enforcing possession limits. Several species of marine worms in Queensland waters
are commonly harvested for bait. All are segmented bristle worms belonging to the class Polychaeta (see the table below). This guide will help harvesters identify these worms and understand current management arrangements.