Devon Hills recreational fisher Todd Lambert said anglers were being asked for input into a draft Tasmanian recreational sea fishing strategy, but there was a lack of oversight of the emerging King George whiting fisheries on the North-West, East and Northern coasts.

"Recreational fishers in recent times have been asked to endure a bag limit cut from 30 down to five on the grounds of keeping this fishery sustainable, yet, conversely, the commercial sector's take on this very same species is unlimited," Mr Lambert said.

"So the question has to be asked, what is the rationale behind this?"

He said most fishers supported sustainability of the resource, but questioned what logic was being applied.

"I have recently written to IMAS (Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies) asking them more about the management of this fishery and was told that there will be a document coming out in future months that is currently in the process of being finalised, but, given the month timeframe for the rec fishing document, it clearly will not be included in this fishery plan," Mr Lambert said.

"One has to ask why, especially when this species could be easily promoted as predominantly a recreational fishing species.

"I would urge recreational fishers and, especially, the (Primary Industries) Minister, Mr Guy Barnett, who is in charge of overseeing all of this, to ask these questions before signing off on it, especially in regards to how the commercial catch of this species is reported and policed."

North-West commercial fisherman Craig Garland had a different take.

He said Mr Lambert was right "to a degree".

Mr Garland said he had suggested at the start of management discussions some years back a recreational bag limit of three King George whiting because of concern about low numbers of breed stock in the far North-West and letting the species recover.

Mr Garland said he thought commercial fishers statewide were taking 1-2 tonnes of King George Whiting per year, and he understood recreational fishers were taking 7-8 tonnes, "so we're being outfished".

Mr Garland said a build-up of numbers of the genetically distinct North-West King George whiting had developed since the Burnie pulp mill closed and the pollution which used to kill the larvae dissipated.

He said they were now settling in at Port Sorell and around the Tamar and he was finding adult fish along the coastline in places he had never seen them before.

"The pollution's gone and we're getting a glimpse of what was around before (paint pigment factory) Tioxide and APPM (the pulp mill)," he said.

He said the King George whiting was the most sought after, highest value and arguably the finest eating inshore fin fish in south-east Australia and proactive management was crucial to its survival.

Comment was being sought from the government.