RSPCA supports ban on gamefishing
The RSPCA has publicly supported a ban on game fishing following the recent weighing of a 1431 lb marlin at Hervey Bay, Queensland.
Dr Mandy Patterson, a principal scientist from RSPCA Queensland, told ABC local radio the RSPCA strongly opposes game fishing on the grounds of suffering.
"The RSPCA has actually had a long standing policy opposing game fishing because of the suffering that the fish go through in the hour or two they fight for their life before being pulled onboard,” said Patterson.
"This is a subset of our policy which opposes the use of animals for entertainment purposes."
The RSPCA claims its stance is backed by science showing fish feel pain and distress.
For the full story click on Fishing World.
In a follow-up opinion piece on Fishing World, fisheries scientist Dr Ben Diggles pointed out that "The reality is, recreational fishing for marlin has generated the majority of scientific information that is available on these elusive fish. Without help from recreational angler tag and release programs (The NSW gamefish tagging program alone has tagged around 140,000 billfish), we would know very little about the movements or life history of black marlin."
You can read more of what he said at this link.
NSW DPI cancels tender for representational organisation for rec fishers
Early in 2018 the Recreational Fishing Alliance and one other company put in a bid to win a tender from NSW DPI to provide “Delivery of sector representation, consultation and communication services to the recreational fishing sector.”
The RFA has been lobbying for the past few years for the establishment of a funded representative body. This was approved and funding allocated by the Recreational Fishing Trusts and Recreational Fishing NSW in 2015. The establishment of a representative body was an election promise by the Nationals leading up to the last NSW election.
The Request for Tender (i.e. the invitation from the DPI for interested parties to tender) was finally issued publicly on 1 December 2017, and closed on 9 February 2018. The main purposes of the project were to provide communication services between DPI and fishers or a broad range of agreed issues, and to investigate how to operate such a service in a self-sustaining way into the future. It was to operate over 1 to 2 years, depending on the success or otherwise of the key tasks.
DPI's choice of an approved tenderer was supposed to be made by 9 March 2018, and “supply of services” was mean to commence on 30 March 2018. None of the decision-making or implementation dates were met. The tender theoretically lapsed after 6 months on 10 August 2018. But in August DPI extended the deadline and postponed the decision by 2 months, and then on 5 October postponed it for another 4 weeks.
On 23 November 2018 DPI informed the RFA it has decided not to award the tender to anyone at all.
Failure to award the tender means that once again, volunteers have to shoulder the load to help to secure the future of fishing in NSW.
Aboriginal Fishing Trust Fund grants
Applications for grants and loans from the Aboriginal Fishing Trust Fund are invited for projects that will enhance, maintain and protect Aboriginal cultural fishing, or promote economic opportunities for Aboriginal communities associated with the fisheries resource.
$538,000 is available this funding round.
For information about eligibility, assessment process and applying, go to this link.
Applications close on 27 Feb 2019.
AFTA hosts recreational fishing breakfast at Parliament House
The RFA was invited to the Australian Fishing Trade Association's breakfast for federal parliamentarians at Parliament House Canberra on 27 November and it was another great effort by all those involved in the recreational fishing industry to get the serious players around the tables over coffee and scrambled eggs.
MC was the every willing and able Al McGlashan as he acknowledged the Hon David Littleproud MP Minister for Agriculture & Water Resources, Senator the Hon Richard Colbeck Assistant Minister for Agriculture & Water Resources, The Hon Joel Fitzgibbon Shadow Minister for Agriculture and other ministers, party leaders, senators and Members of Parliament. Luke Gosling, Jonathon Duniam and Rebekha Sharkie who are the Co-chairs of Parliamentary Friends of Recreational Fishers made everyone feel welcome.
Everyone involved spoke with passion and conviction about what recreational fishing means to us, especially Audette Gill, who was on the road for 17 hours to catch a plane to Canberra and also to Colin Tannahill and his team at AFTA, well done.
2000 extra kingfish stocked into Botany Bay Recreational Fishing Haven
DPI stocked 7000 Yellowtail Kingfish into Botany Bay back in September to increase sportfishing opportunities. The good news is that another 2000 kingfish are being stocked this week to further boost the existing kingie population in and around the bay.
Some of these fish have been externally tagged for anglers to easily identify them as part of the stocking. This cohort of juvenile kingfish are currently about 35-40 cm in length and are expected to grow very quickly.
DPI has already received reports of some of the September stocked fish being caught and released. It is likely that some of these stocked fish will be caught before they reach the minimum size limit of 65 cm so please handle any undersize fish carefully and return them swiftly back to the water. Our research shows kingfish have very high survival rates when handled carefully.
To report the capture of tagged kingfish, go to this link. Reporting tagged fish helps justify the investment.
The stocked kingfish were bred at the DPI marine hatchery at the Port Stephens Fisheries Institute.
This is your recreational fishing licence at work. ANSA (NSW) was also instrumental in securing additional funding for the stockings.
You could be on TV
Endemol Shine, the Sydney based television production company conducts "ongoing casting" for Network Ten’s observational entertainment program Gogglebox Australia, is seeking out flatmates, housemates and families, who would like to be potentially considered for the show.
They’re currently looking for Sydney based groups, or combos of either grandads, fathers, sons, brothers, uncles and/or nephews, or male housemates, flatmates, or best mates, aged in their 20s, or 30s.
If anyone is interested, or knows of anyone, who might be keen, or perfect for Gogglebox Australia, they can contact Angela Brown, Casting Producer on 0409 540 131 or via Angela.Brown@endemolshine.com.au
Marine flare collection dates
Roads and Maritime Services' expired marine flare collection program is on again in January and February 2019. Find a collection point near you to safely dispose of your expired flares.
Taree to Woy Woy
Queen Elizabeth Park, Taree Thursday 10 January 8–10 am
Crowdy Head Boat Ramp, Crowdy Head Thursday 10 January 12–2 pm
Forster Boat Ramp, Forster Thursday 10 January 4.30–6.30 pm
Soldiers Point Boat Ramp, Soldiers Point Friday 11 January 9–11 am
Little Beach Boat Ramp, Little Beach Friday 11 January 1–3 pm, Saturday 16 February 8–11 am
Stockton North Boat Ramp, Stockton Friday 11 January 4.30–6.30 pm
Carrington Boat Ramp, Carrington Saturday 12 January 8–10 am, Saturday 16 February 2–5 pm
Blacksmiths Boat Ramp, Blacksmiths Saturday 12 January 1–3 pm, Sunday 17 February 8–11 pm
Norah Head Boat Ramp, Norah Head Saturday 12 January 4.30–6.30 pm
Terrigal Haven Boat Ramp, Terrigal Sunday 13 January 8–10 am, Sunday 17 February 2–5 pm
Gosford Boat Ramp, Gosford Sunday 13 January 1–3 pm
Lions Park Boat Ramp, Woy Woy Sunday 13 January 4.30–6.30 pm
For more information on the schedule and other collection locations across NSW visit rms.nsw.gov.au/flares or call 13 12 36.
Estuary perch stocked in Brogo Dam
On 11 December 10,000 Estuary Perch fingerlings were stocked into Brogo Dam on the NSW South Coast. This is the second year of Estuary Perch stockings. EPs are a highly sought after recreational species and complement the bass fishery at the dam. This stocking will help diversify and augment the fishery and will increase fishing amenity. Last week DPI undertook monitoring at Brogo to assess the success of last year's stocking and captured several one+ yr old estuary perch (see Chris Walsh's photo above of 1 year old EPs recently sampled from the dam).
This fish release mirrors a recent stocking of Australian Bass undertaken by the Far South Coast Bass Stocking Association (FSCBSA) last month, as part of the community based Dollar for Dollar native fish stocking program. Australian Bass stockings by the association at Brogo go back over 20 years and they have also been involved in Bass Catch angler research monitoring for most of that time. It's a major achievement for FSCBSA to be involved in anglers catch research at Brogo over such a long period of time. Dollar for dollar funding is provided by the Recreational Fishing Licence Trusts.
NT government offers package to prevent fishing lockouts
The Northern Territory Government has made an offer in an attempt to prevent fishing closures across the NT coast:
"A $10 million package will help develop economic opportunities, create jobs and support work with the Northern Land Council (NLC) and other fishing stakeholders." said Primary Industries Minister Ken Vowles.
The Northern Land Council is an independent statutory authority of the Commonwealth. It is responsible for assisting Aboriginal peoples in the Top End of the Northern Territory to acquire and manage their traditional lands and seas.
"The Territory Government respects the legal right of Traditional Owners to manage access to their intertidal country following the High Court Blue Mud Bay decision, and the NLC has indicated it will introduce a permit system next year.
"The vast majority – two thirds - of recreational fishing activity in the NT occurs in waters that are not affected by the Blue Mud Bay ruling, including Darwin Harbour, Bynoe Harbour, Shoal Bay, Kakadu and Shady Camp.
Of the remaining third, 75 per cent of that fishing effort falls under existing permit-free agreements negotiated with the NT Government, such as Daly River, Nhulunbuy, Borroloola and Wadeye."
This follows an ultimatum from the NLC giving the Government till December 4th to negotiate, or they will lock out all fishermen from up to 80 per cent of the Territory's coastline.
You can hear more about this issue by listening to ABC Radio's Tales from the Tinny program at this link.
NSW DPI 2018 Performance Data and Insights report
NSW DPI's latest research estimates that $2.195 billion was spent on recreational fishing in 2017-18, and that combined direct and indirect economic output from the sector is in excess of $3.42 billion.
This is one of the key findings of the 2018 Performance Data and Insights report recently released by the NSW Department of Primary Industries.
The report contains some interesting data. The recreational harvest is greater than commercial harvest for five key species - estimating the weight of the recreational catch (caught and kept) showed that, for five of ten key species, a majority of the total harvest weight was attributable to recreational rather than commercial fishing - specifically Dusky Flathead, Sand Flathead, Mulloway, Tailor and Yellowtail Kingfish
Bream are the top species caught by recreational fishers and the report claims that 72% are released.
Licence sales are around 500,000 per year but are recently declining; however revenue is climbing due to increases in licence fees.
There is a summary on the DPI website or download the full report at this link.
NSW Scientific Committee officially recognises feral horses in KNP a key threat
The NSW Scientific Committee has listed ‘Degradation and loss by Feral Horses (brumbies, wild horses)’ as a key threatening process under the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Act, effective from 30 November 2018. Download the listing here. Feral horses are doing massive damage to waterways within the Kosciuszko National Park.
Leading conservation groups support the listing, including Reclaim Kosci, the Invasive Species Council, the National Parks Association of the ACT, the National Parks Association of NSW, the Colong Foundation for Wilderness, Nature Conservation Council of NSW and Save Kosci.
"The state’s scientists have confirmed that feral horses are causing serious harm to native wildlife," Invasive Species Council CEO Andrew Cox said.
In May, Nationals Party leader and NSW deputy premier John Barilaro successfully passed legislation that protects feral horses in Kosciuszko National Park at the expense of the natural environment.
Since then NSW environment minister Gabrielle Upton has had little to say about the issue and has left the deputy premier to lead the process.
"We urge the premier to reign in her out-of-control deputy premier and put the environment minister back in charge," said Richard Swain, Reclaim Kosci coordinator. "Environment groups are calling for the protection given to feral horses in Kosciuszko National Park to be overturned and horse numbers urgently reduced. The new scientific listing states that feral horses are transforming the ecosystems of Kosciuszko National Park. They trample and kill plants, destroy wetlands, degrade water catchments and drive species towards extinction."
Twenty three threatened plant species and 11 threatened animal species are impacted by feral horses in NSW, ten of which are critically endangered.
"This reiterates the peer reviewed findings of the Kosciuszko Science Conference convened earlier in the month by the Australian Academy of Sciences," Mr Swain said.
Fishcare Update for the Southern Region
Fishcare Volunteer Diane explaining NSW regulations on using cats for bait.
Stephen Thurstan, Southern Education Officer for DPI, says that spring saw some much needed rain along much of the South Coast, ending a long dry spell. Luckily, the rain didn’t interfere with the many events that Fishcare Volunteers participated in over the last three months. Although it didn’t look good at the start of the Gone Fishing Day event at Huskisson, the light showers in the morning cleared by 11am to enable a great event. The first kids fishing workshops for the season at Gaden got off to a great start with good weather and lots of fish being caught by lots of happy kids. Bookings for the six January workshops are going well at this stage so it will be a busy time for the Fishcare Volunteers again.
The Southern Fishcare Volunteeer of the Year is Merve Roberts. Merve joined the Fishcare team in September 2015 and has logged over 334 hours. He has made himself available for almost every Kids' Fishing Workshop on the south coast since he joined, often driving an hour north to Batemans Bay one day then even further to Merimbula the following day. He is an avid motorist with a collection of vintage cars that he regularly shows. So its not surprising that he is keen to hit the road, even driving 3 hours to Gaden hatchery workshops is no problem for Merve. He is a keen fisher who conveys his passion and excitement for fishing to the kids that he teaches. This can often be seen in the great pictures he has posed for with the kids he has just helped to catch a fish...as in the shot with Mel above, taken at Gaden Trout Hatchery. It's often hard to tell who's the happiest.
Read Stephen's full report at this link.
Research into fishery habitat restoration
Alicia Feldman from the School of Management, Queensland University of Technology (QUT) is researching habitat restoration and preservation activities in fish habitats of Australia.
She invites individuals who are 16 or older, reside in Australia, and participate in recreational fishing and/or environmental conservation activities in fish habitats to complete a 10 minute online survey.
This research project is likely to result in increased knowledge, insight and understanding of individuals who do and do not participate in habitat restoration activities. The project is expected to result in publication of an academic journal article and a summary report for a general audience. You may wish to request a copy of these publications by emailing the research team directly.
Each individual who completes the survey is entitled to an entry into a prize draw, with the chance to win one of five $50 BCF e-giftcards.
The survey may also be accessed directly via this link.
Vale Ross Hunter
Port Hacking Game Fishing Club Life Member Ross Hunter passed away in November.
Ross was an absolute identity within the game fishing fraternity, known as a true gentlemen and one of the great Captains of his time. He shared his love of the sea through his mighty vessel Broadbill.
He taught many club members and fishing enthusiasts how to fish and enjoy the ocean locally through his charter business and as well at his beloved Port Stephens where he tagged 21 marlin in a single day.
Our sincere thoughts go out to his family. RIP Captain Ross.
Reminders
Kids' fishing workshops at Gaden Trout Hatchery
Kids 8-14 years old are invited to come and learn to fish safely and responsibily. Instructors are experienced volunteers and staff from DPI.
The workshops run from 10 am to 2 pm and include fishing techniques, bag and size limits and fish handling methods for best releases.
Cost is $40 per child and includes a rod and reel, shirt, hat, tackle box and show bag...all to take home.
Bookings are essential, there is a maximum of 25 participants.
Bookings (and you need to get in early!)
Location: Gaden Trout Hatchery, Jindabyne
Dates Friday 11th & Saturday 12th January 2019
To book: e-mail stephen.thurstan@dpi.nsw.gov.au or ring Stephen Thurstan, on 02 4220 8484 or 0438 245 190.
NSW DPI fishing workshops are run with the assistance of the Fishcare Volunteers and are supported by funds from the Recreational Fishing Trusts.
Reminders
Pensioners and fishing licences
If you're the holder of a current Pensioner Concession Card issued by Centrelink or the Department of Veterans' Affairs you don’t need to pay the NSW Recreational Fishing Fee.
If you've been issued with one of these Concession Cards there is no need to pay any fees or fill in any forms - just take that card with you when you go fishing.
Want to know where your licence money goes?
The latest available summary of new projects recommended for funding from the Recreational Fishing Trusts is online at this link.
Lost access to your local spot?
The RFA wants to know if your local spot has been closed to fishing so drop us a line and let us know what access you have lost recently. Email us.
Compulsory lifejackets for rockfishers In Randwick area
With the NSW Police and others out enforcing the lifejacket laws the RFA wants to hear if you have been checked and what was experience like and was the information passed on relevant. Any constructive ideas of how they could do things better or if they are doing a great job will be passed on by the RFA’s Safety Officer. Let us know what you thought of the process of checking rockfishers for lifejackets in the Randwick LGA.
Crown road closure applications now ONLY online and in local papers
In August 2012 the NSW government started to clear a backlog of applications to convert Crown roads to freehold. This includes many 'paper roads' that could provide important fishing access to the public. Initially NSW DPI was monitoring the flow of applications and notifying angling groups including the RFA of any applications that could lead to loss of fishing access. However the number of applications has now increased dramatically and NSW DPI has stopped notifying angling groups due to lack of resources to cope with the avalanche.
The NSW government launched an online service showing the applications at http://www.crownland.nsw.gov.au/crown_lands/roads
The roads notices are searchable by date, locality and local government area. The information will remain online for the full 28 day submission period for each proposed road closure. The maps contain information to clearly identify which roads are being offered for sale and closure, without revealing the identity of landholders or applicants.
Anglers must monitor the website and their local newspapers (the only place the government is obliged to advertise proposed closures) so they find out about closures in their area. If you don’t watch this situation and quickly lodge objections when necessary you could lose valuable access to your favourite places.
Promote your fishing club or community fishing event
If you have a local fishing competition or a charity or community fishing event, we are always happy to give it some publicity in this newsletter.
The newsletter goes out around the 25th day of every month of the year, to over 4,000 subscribers. You don’t have to be a member of the RFA of NSW. About 100-200 words is OK, however roughly written, and we always like a picture.
Sign up for free weather alerts for coastal and inland waters
You can sign up for alerts for NSW coast and inland waters direct from Maritime and can set your own alert trigger conditions and choose which locations you want covered. Alerts are sent daily when wind conditions exceed the trigger points you specify. Easy, useful and free.
Who represents anglers?
We regularly get comments from anglers that they don't know who is on the advisory committees to the NSW government and that they don't know what issues are considered and decided by those committees. The information is on the web, but not always easy to find, so here are the links:
Recreational Fishing NSW Advisory Council
http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fishing/recreational/recreational-fishing-fee/licence-fees-at-work/rfnsw
Advisory Council on Recreational Fishing minutes
http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fishing/recreational/recreational-fishing-fee/licence-fees-at-work/rfnsw
Recreational Fishing Freshwater Trust Expenditure Committee members and minutes
http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fishing/recreational/recreational-fishing-fee/licence-fees-at-work/rfftec
Recreational Fishing Saltwater Trust Expenditure Committee members and minutes
http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fishing/recreational/recreational-fishing-fee/licence-fees-at-work/rfstec
Recreational Fishing Alliance of NSW Facebook page
www.facebook.com/RFANSW
NSW Council of Freshwater Anglers Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/NSWCFA
RFA videos now on YouTube channel
The RFA of NSW now has a YouTube channel where all our safe fishing videos can be viewed. Go to
www.youtube.com/safefishing to see the channel.
