mrmoshe

R.I.P Byron, He loved his chats and loved his fishing even more. My condolences to Shirl and the family. He was a one off.

A bit more reading on the technical side for those interested. It seems this virus can knock them over in about a week and eradication levels can reach 100%, given the right water temps. I just hope they do their homework thoroughly, as Australia's history is littered with failed biological control attempts and our waterways are too important to get it wrong. http://www.feral.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/CPFS7.pdf

Explosion of feral carp after flooding October 7, 2012 Nicky Phillips THE number of feral carp in some NSW rivers has exploded by up to 4000 per cent in the past two years, say fisheries experts, who are expecting a further incursion of the pest as juveniles reach sexual maturity in the next year. Drought-breaking rains in 2010 filled the state's parched rivers, and the subsequent floods led to an outbreak of the invasive fish species, known as the rabbit of the waterways. The chief executive of the Invasive Animals Co-operative Research Centre, Andreas Glanznig, said the carp competed with native fish for food and habitat. ''After the last major floods the number of new carp in the system increased by up to 4000 per cent,'' Mr Glanznig said. Advertisement According to the NSW Department of Primary Industries, carp were widespread through most of NSW, particularly in the Murray-Darling Basin and the rivers of the mid-north coast, and the central and southern tablelands. In some places in the Murray-Darling carp make up 80 per cent of the fish biomass, Mr Glanznig said. Females reach sexual maturity at three to five years of age and produce 1 illion eggs, on average, when they spawn each year. Males can procreate from two years of age, which means those fish born after the drought will be ready to reproduce this spring. As bottom feeders carp increase water turbidity, which means less light reaches water vegetation, and they also consume the eggs of other fish and invertebrates. European carp have been present in the state's waterways for more than a century. To manage the pest, the Department of Primary Industries place cages that collect carp while allowing native fish through to waterways. Unlike in Europe and Asia, there is limited demand for carp as a food source in Australia. Scientists at the CSIRO's Australian animal health laboratory in Geelong are testing a biological control for the pest. A research veterinarian, Ken McColl, said their experiments had shown the carp herpes virus was highly specific to carp and did not affect native fish or other animals. The team hope to have the virus ready for approval within three years. The varieties of freshwater fish introduced into Australian river systems have increased from 22 to 34 in the past 20 years. Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/environment/animals/explosion-of-feral-carp-after-flooding-20121006-2761l.html#ixzz28Z2dQq5R

Super-trawler bound for South Australia August 29, 2012 - 5:41PM David Beniuk AAP Controversial super-trawler the Margiris will arrive at South Australia's Port Lincoln on Thursday morning amid tight security. The 142m vessel, claimed to be the world's second-largest trawler, will be met by police and will berth behind an electronic security gate. Police have contacted South Australia's Flinders Ports to alert them to possible protest action. The ship has attracted widespread opposition, particularly in Tasmania where its operators have said it will be based. Advertisement Hundreds of boats took to the River Derwent earlier this month to protest against the ship, while a complaint by Tasmanian independent MP Andrew Wilkie has resulted in a Commonwealth Ombudsman's investigation into the decision on its quota. Green groups say they have more than 70,000 signatures on a petition against the boat. Seafish Tasmania intends to use the trawler to fish for 18,000 tonnes of redbait and mackerel, a quota the company says has been backed by a group of eminent marine scientists. Confirmation of the ship's arrival came as Greenpeace released a series of photos it claims were taken aboard a similar vessel in 2006. The photos appear to show dead by-catch, including sharks and dolphins. Seafish immediately dismissed them as misleading, saying they showed a different boat in a different fishery and were six years old. The company says sophisticated new "excluders" in their nets, developed after 12 months' research with underwater video cameras, will prevent by-catch. "AFMA (the Australian Fisheries Management Authority) is putting in place underwater cameras on the first fishing trip of the Margiris in Australian waters to monitor the excluder to ensure that it is working as it was designed to work," Seafish director Gerry Geen said in a statement on Wednesday. Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke has expressed concerns about the impacts on by-catch, warning he could use his powers to ban the ship from Australian waters. Greens leader Christine Milne said Mr Burke needed to back his tough talk with action. "There is no management plan for local depletion and there's no answer to local depletion," Senator Milne told reporters. "So what I'm calling on Minister Burke to do is not only express his concerns but actually stop the super-trawler." http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/supertrawler-bound-for-south-australia-20120829-250pz.html

These idiots are so lucky: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrKm3Qzh3vc

Fisherman short-changed 10cm on 'brag' tattoo Northern Territory News June 21, 2012 2:38PM A NORTHERN Territory fisherman who had a line tattooed on his leg to tell if his barramundi was legal had to get it redone - when he found out it was 10cm too short. Evan Slocum said the idea was to tattoo a line at 55cm - the legal length for a barramundi in the NT - from the ground to 55cm up his leg, as a guide to measure the fish length. But the so-called "brag tatt" went horribly wrong when the communications cabling company employee found the line was short, the NT News reports. "I went to start my next job (and) my tape measure fell off my tool bag and I thought, 'I'll just measure it'," he said. "He was 100mm short and I thought, 'Oh, my god'. "And I went back to the tattoo parlour ... I took my own tape measure with me and I said: 'Hey mate, you're 100mm short'. "He's gone: 'What?' "I said: 'You're 100mm short'. I've had a couple of women say that to me as well." Mr Slocum is not the only Territorian with a "brag tatt". Another bloke, known as Baghdad Bruce - who fishes in the NT, lives in the UK and works in Iraq - is part of the trend. Mr Slocum got the tattoo about a year ago after a mate measured a barra against his leg while fishing at Cahills Crossing in Kakadu National Park. The tattooist gave him his money back - and did another line at the 55cm mark. Read more: http://www.news.com.au/national/fisherman-short-changed-10cm-on-brag-tattoo/story-e6frfkvr-1226404306260#ixzz1yP3cqwhK

Rock fisher saved by lifejacket A fisherman has escaped death after being swept off rocks in Sydney's southeast. THE angler was one of three fishers who were casting from a rock pool at the north end of Maroubra beach on Saturday afternoon. A set of waves about 1.5-metres high washed the man, whose age was not immediately clear, into the sea. His lifejacket kept him afloat long enough for local lifeguards to race to the scene on a jet-ski and haul him out of the water. A Randwick City Council spokesman said the lifejacket almost certainly kept the man alive. "He spewed up a bit of water and he seemed to be doing all right," he added. "Obviously they called an ambulance for him and took him off to hospital." The spokesman said quite a few fishermen have been swept into the sea from the same spot - but many were not wearing lifejackets. Read more: http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/rock-fisher-saved-by-lifejacket/story-e6frfku0-1226397482886#ixzz1xw457cwA

ABC radio in Hobart did a piece with both for and against having their say. Some interesting facts too like it's an Aussie company that's leased the ship. http://blogs.abc.net.au/tasmania/2012/06/debate-about-supertrawler-to-operate-out-of-devonport.html

Forget about the past, you can't change it. Forget about the future, you can't predict it. Forget about the present, I didn't get you one. Happy birthday anyway>

I was just left of the Sth Narra Surf Club. The surf club guys were passing in their buggy and stopped and saw the wounded fish around 4:30pm.

I was down there on Sunday and got on to a thumper salmon which gave a good account of himself, until I had him in the wash right at the beach and suddenly, it got sharked!! Took a big chomp out of his side. There was a deep dropoff gutter parallel to the beach and that's where the noah was. So, yes, they are out there...or should I say right in there.

From today's Manly Daily: Petition pays off: government to consider Pittwater fishing haven PITTWATER could be off limits for commercial fishermen following a government fishing review. In response to a petition calling for a total ban on commercial fishing, lodged by Pittwater MP Rob Stokes, Primary Industries Minister Katrina Hodgkinson said the state government was willing to consider turning the area into a “fishing haven”. In November, Mr Stokes presented Parliament with 500 signatures calling for an end to commercial fishing in Pittwater. “Commercial fishing armaments fail to protect the important role that Pitt-water plays as a breeding ground and nursery for juvenile fish stocks,” he said in the attached letter. “(We) request the minister (for Primary Industries) initiate a fair buyout of commercial fishing operators from within Pittwater to help ensure a sustainable future for this invaluable natural asset.” The Coalition promised to review commercial fishing prior to the election, with a special nod towards Pitt- water. Commercial fishing policy is now under a government review which is due to be finalised in March. The review will balance environmental factors along with the economic issues for the industry. Ms Hodgkinson said no action would be taken until the review was finished but said it was seeking further feedback from commercial and recreational fishermen. “The NSW government is willing to consider proposals for new recreational fishing havens or changes to the existing recreational fishing havens - but only where there is strong consensus to do so from commercial and local fishermen,” she said. http://manly-daily.whereilive.com.au/news/story/petition-pays-off-for-stokes/

True Bluey or not, snorkellers hail Elvis of the sea Ilya Gridneff January 15, 2012 BLUEY'S back. Or is he? The legendary Clovelly Bay groper, famed for befriending many a Sydney snorkeller, may have returned. Or he's spawned a family. Intriguingly, the new Bluey on the block could also be a female that has changed sex and simply replaced him, a phenomenon characteristic of the eastern blue groper species. Bluey was thrust into the spotlight in 2002, when he was "murdered" by an unknown spear fisherman. So loved was the fish, the then NSW premier Bob Carr called the killer ''a mongrel'', before announcing five new aquatic reserves near Sydney beaches to protect marine life. Advertisement: Story continues below ''I have seen the groper,'' the premier pronounced at the time. ''I have swum with him. I know the groper, he was a friend of mine.'' But then a year or so later, Clovelly swimmers sighted Bluey, sparking debate on whether rumours of his death had been greatly exaggerated. And this summer a large bright blue dominant male has been spotted. A Coogee Pro Dive scuba master, Evan Batten, confirmed a Bluey lookalike was in the area, but said it was impossible to verify whether it was the original. Such sightings are so regular Mr Batten calls Bluey the ''Elvis of the sea''. ''Bluey is definitely a legend, he was extremely large, 1.2 metres long and a very rich blue. But did he get killed? Was it really Bluey they speared? Maybe he escaped and now has come back?'' To John Rowe, the secretary of the Gordons Bay Scuba Diving Club, Bluey is ''the Phantom'', named after the comic-strip character who never dies. While he was a long-time fan of Bluey, Mr Rowe said no one knew when the legend began ''especially because when the dominant Bluey dies a dominant female becomes the new Bluey,'' he said. All eastern blue gropers start life as greenish-coloured females, though some will change sex and colour to become blue males. Professor Steve Kennelly, the director of fisheries research at the Department of Primary Industries, doubts the original Bluey is still alive and suggested another fish may have simply replaced him. ''It's safe to say a Bluey or Bluey's relatives are back but it's definitely not him or his son,'' he said. ''I'd be very surprised if it was the original as he wouldn't have lasted this long.'' Professor Kennelly said public outrage over Bluey's death had helped promote a need to protect the species. It has been illegal to spear gropers since 1969 - they can only be fished with a rod and line. In 1998, the eastern blue groper was announced the official fish of NSW. News of Bluey's possible return excited Mr Carr. ''I snorkelled at Clovelly a few weeks ago and was happy to see a family of gropers enjoying the crystal clear water with me,'' he said. ''Why anyone would spear them is still beyond my understanding.'' Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/environment/conservation/true-bluey-or-not-snorkellers-hail-elvis-of-the-sea-20120114-1q0b5.html#ixzz1jVbf1nzA

Cracker trip Greg. Some massive fish landed there. I think I've found your new vessel to replace the contender. With this, you can "chase" even bigger specimens.

Yes, Narra Lake is open again. It was opened about 2 weeks ago, but closed over again soon after. The big tides these past few days has opened it up again properly and is flowing nicely. It's pretty brown now with all the rain we had in the past week, but should flush out pretty quickly.

Cracker trip boys and some big old girls boated. Cheers, Pete

Yes, that photo is right in front of the caravan park taken from the south side.

The entrance to the lake has been closed for over a month now while they dredge sand from east and west of the Ocean Street bridge. The eastern side is now finished and they are now tackling the western side. It's expected the works will be finished early December. Here's a pic of the huge piles of sand they are piling up and trucking off to Collaroy Beach to replenish it. The water quality is not good at the moment with no tidal flushing. I won't fish there again until it re-opens. Once it opens, it should fire again.

Very sad news Donna. My deepest condolences to you both. Pete.

The lake was opened yesterday and is gushing out. I bet Mr Jewie is also sitting off the entrance with all that food washing out. Once it settles down with a few flushes, the lake should be firing again.

Man fined $20,000 for black market nippers December 26, 2010 - 11:14AM A man has been fined almost $20,000 after he was hooked with a batch of saltwater nippers destined for the black market. NSW Primary Industries Minister Steve Whan welcomed the hefty fine, saying it should act as a warning to people involved in the illegal trade. "Let these significant fines be a warning to any would-be offenders - that it is just not worth it," he said in a statement today. The 34-year-old from Sefton has twice been caught with thousands of nippers, or yabbies, at Port Hacking in southern Sydney. Fisheries officers nabbed him in 2008 with 1500 nippers, and again in 2009, when he was found with 2520 near Maianbar. It is believed all the nippers were destined to be illegitimately sold to bait and tackle stores. The man appeared in court earlier this month facing charges including possession of more than the limit of a species, which is 100 per person. He was fined $8100, plus court costs, and ordered to pay $9580 in professional costs. Mr Whan said officers would be out in force over the summer. "These persons are causing undue pressure on the stocks of saltwater nippers and effectively threatening stocks of saltwater nippers for future generations," he said. "They are also jeopardising the livelihood of commercial fishers who pay for the right to take saltwater nippers." He also warned that shops buying nippers illegally would be targeted. AAP

Brilliant news Roberta! It know how long that road can be, but well worth it. Have a great time in WA. Cheers, Pete

The poison that got away Anne Davies INVESTIGATIONS EDITOR October 30, 2010 EXCLUSIVE THE fishing bans in Sydney Harbour will have to stay in place for decades due to high levels of dioxins, despite an expensive clean-up of Homebush Bay, the original source of the contamination. Although the clean-up of the former Union Carbide site is due to finish early next year, new figures obtained by the Herald under freedom of information laws show dioxins from the former pesticide factory have washed more than 10 kilometres up and downstream. Carcinogenic chemicals from a former pesticides factory at Homebush are spreading throughout the harbour. They cover an area too large to be remediated and authorities say the only answer is to wait until sediments cover the contaminated layer, so the poison cannot be absorbed by fish and small invertebrates. Even though the water quality in the harbour is much improved, the high levels of dioxins in areas where fish feed means the warning not to eat fish caught west of the Harbour Bridge, and to eat only 150 grams a month of fish caught east of the bridge, will likely remain for decades. The data, collected by the NSW Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water in 2008, shows that large tracts of sediments in the harbour are more contaminated with dioxins than Tokyo Bay or New York Harbour, and are among the most contaminated in the world. The department sampled more than 25 sites. They showed that directly outside the remediation area in Homebush Bay dioxin levels were 610 picograms per gram of sediment compared with 2.3 for a relatively pristine estuarine environment. But there were also readings of 350 picograms 10 kilometres up the Parramatta River and significant readings as far east as Rozelle. The tests confirm that Union Carbide is the source. The contamination has a ''signature'' that matches the cocktail of dioxins produced by Union Carbide during manufacture of the now-banned pesticide 2,4,5-T and the defoliant, Agent Orange, used during the Vietnam War. The department's director of specialised regulation, Craig Lamberton, said lifting the ban would be ''a medium- to long-term thing'' and that a large-scale clean-up would be technically and financially impractical. Asked if the ban could last as long as 50 years, Mr Lamberton said: ''I don't want to predict, but that's the kind of thing we are talking about. We think it will be decades. ''This strategy is about treating the worst of the contaminants. We have stopped new contaminants going into the bay by digging up all the soil on the site and treating it [and] removing all of the highly contaminated spots in the bay. ''The dioxins that are unrecoverable will be covered up by clean material, which means they won't be accessible and won't be available in the environment. They will still be there, they will eventually break down, but it's literally decades.'' Dioxins are classified as carcinogens and, as well as cancers, have been linked to birth defects and skin conditions. The exact health effects at lower levels are unclear. For more than 20 years, waste from the Union Carbide site was used for landfill and was dumped into the mangroves where it leached into Homebush Bay. Union Carbide was allowed to leave Australia without a comprehensive clean-up of the site and in the 1980s it was discovered that it was the main source of contamination in fish in the bay. In the 1990s the NSW government bought the site and promised $20 million towards a clean-up but it took until 2004 to orchestrate the remediation. It was not until 2005 that alarm bells rang when bream and prawns with high dioxin levels were discovered. However, the warning not to eat fish caught west of the bridge, imposed in late 2005, is being ignored by many recreational fishers. A survey by the Department of Industry published a month ago found that 25.3 tonnes of fish were caught and kept by fishers in 2007-08. Many of the recreational fishers have English as a second language, raising serious questions about whether the warning is getting through.

Thanks guys for the B.day wishes. I still feel at times like an 18 year old. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yeah..An 18 year old blonde shiela with big ummm....fish!! Happy 18th as well to Bassboy888

Happy Birthday Donna. :1happybday: Hope you had a great day. Cheers, Pete