NEWSCAST - Recreational Fisheries News - August, 2022

[mrsswordfisherman]

NEWSCAST an information bulletin for recreational fishers   August 2022

 

Reminder - New Dusky Flathead and Lobster recreational fishing rules - effective 1 August 2022 A reminder to all recreational fishers that the new recreational fishing rules for Dusky Flathead and Lobster in NSW are now in effect. The new rules for recreational fishers are: Lobster – increase in combined bag limit from 2 to 3 per person (comprised wholly of any single species or a combination of species of Eastern Rock Lobster or Southern Rock Lobster). Dusky Flathead – introduction of a maximum size limit of 70 cm (previously only 1 over 70cm). This means only Dusky Flathead between 36cm (minimum size) and 70cm (maximum size) may be retained, all others must be released. The daily bag limit for Dusky Flathead has also been reduced from 10 to 5 per person. The possession limit however will remain at 10 per person to enable travelling fishers to store and freeze up to 10 fish for future consumption. Note -  A bag limit is the maximum number of fish you can collect per person per day, where a possession limit is the maximum number a person can have in their possession at any one time i.e. in your freezer. For more information on bag and possession limits in NSW, head to the DPI website - https://bit.ly/3PLzsAD. These changes will help boost the stock of bigger Dusky Flathead and ultimately provide better fishing opportunities for recreational fishers for this highly popular species in the future. The increased bag limit for Lobster will also provide for increased recreational fishing opportunities. DPI will continue to monitor and assess Lobster stocks. A new harvest strategy has also recently been finalised for the Eastern Rock Lobster Fishery that will guide decision making in the future. For more information on these changes see the frequently-asked-questions - https://bit.ly/3u7WMiW.

 

 

 

One stocking season finishes, another begins! July saw the completion of the 2021-22 stocking season which resulted in more than 5.3 million fish released across NSW. Our DPI Narrandera Fisheries Centre produced and released a record 1.26 million Murray cod along with Golden Perch, Silver Perch and the endangered Trout Cod during the successful season. Other species produced and released by DPI hatcheries included Australian Bass, Mulloway and Dusky Flathead at Port Stephens Fisheries Institute, various trout and salmonid species at the Gaden and Dutton Trout Hatcheries (Jindabyne and Ebor) as well as a number of threatened species – including the iconic eastern freshwater cod – at the Grafton Fish Hatchery. This past season also saw community groups and organisations participate in the popular Dollar for Dollar Native Fish stocking program with Murray Cod, Golden Perch and Australian Bass released as part of this program. The 2022-23 season has recently commenced with broodstock collection and stocking already underway. These ongoing stocking events not only maintain and enhance the State’s recreational fisheries, but also benefit communities through tourism and economic opportunities. DPI’s freshwater and marine stocking programs are great examples of your recreational fishing fees at work!

 

 

 

New Euro reef bringing the baitfish and the kingies! DPI’s latest reef installed off the Eurobodalla coastline last summer is already home to a number of fish including huge schools of juvenile yakkas and Eastern Nannygai. In really exciting news for anglers, large schools of Kingfish have also recently been encountered! The Eurobodalla reef is located 3.5 km north-east of Moruya heads in a depth of 41 to 43 metres – check out the DPI website or the FishSmart app for coordinates. Planning is now underway for the next artificial reefs to be installed off Forster and the Central Coast next year. This is all part of ‘Fish for life – Building a healthy fishing future.

 

 

 

The 2020-21 game fish tagging annual report is here! Since 2006, an annual report on the NSW DPI game fish tagging program has been prepared by gamfishing guru, Julian Pepperell. These annual reports summarise the tagging and recapture efforts for each season, highlighting significant recaptures, trends and biology of some of our favourite species. Some of the key highlights of the 2020/21 season include; 10,207 fish were tagged in 2020/21. The 500,000th fish was tagged in the program’s history The first recorded movement of a Striped Marlin from Australia to New Zealand New time-at-liberty record for a Samsonfish – 12 years A Kingfish recaptured twice, once after 629 days, the second after another 330 days. – That fish had travelled approximately 3,000 km during its 959 days at liberty If you would like to learn more about the 2020/21 tagging season or would like to check out any previous season reports, please head to the DPI website - https://bit.ly/3IN6WeK.

 

 

 

North Coast NAIDOC week celebrations A great day was enjoyed on Minjungbal country fishing with children and family from the Tweed Aboriginal community to celebrate National NAIDOC Week 2022.  Community Elders along with the DPI Fisheries Aboriginal Fisheries team, Community Programs team and Fishcare volunteers Peter and Paul, all participating to make the day an outstanding success. The day commenced at the Minjungbal Aboriginal Cultural Centre with some cultural learning and a BBQ before heading down to the river for a fish. A number nice fish were caught on the day by the children involved including Bream, Whiting and a respectable 42cm Dusky Flathead by one lucky young angler.  Special thanks to Aaron and Blake at Tweed Bait for getting involved in activities and for their support in providing bait, tackle and some fantastic prizes for participants.

 

 

 

Are you in need of a fishing adventure?  There are 21 amazing fishing experiences in some of the state’s most scenic National Parks just waiting to be booked for your next adventure! Both freshwater and saltwater Eco Hut stays are available covering a vast array of species such as Brown and Rainbow Trout, Murray Cod, Golden Perch, Bream, Flathead, Mulloway, Australian Salmon, Tailor and more! There is still some availability on all 21 Eco Huts for the remainder of 2022, even the most popular months of November and December. Make sure to click the ‘availability’ tab if your preferred dates are not available to see if an alternative time may suit. Best of all there is a 33% discount across the full range of Eco Fishing Huts till 31st December 2022 if you hold a NSW recreational fishing licence or a valid exemption!! This is supported by the Recreational Fishing Trusts. Just enter the code “ECOHUTS” and include your recreational licence number (or your fishing fee exemption details) in the comments section when you make your booking. Be quick and don’t miss out, for more information follow the link https://bit.ly/2glub6U. This is all part of ‘Fish for life – Building a healthy fishing future.

 

 

 

RAP report shines spotlight on Mulloway! The latest edition of the “RAP Report” (DPI’s Research Angler Program newsletter) has been released and in this issue we look at all things mulloway. Ageing, growth rates, tagging and even some exceptional recaptures are all covered in this edition. You can also find out about the great catches from our monthly winners, as well as some important program updates.  Check it out at bit.ly/3vDJN9f. The RAP report is produced from information provided by everyday fishos like you. Your fishing successes help us to learn about fish growth and movements.   If you’re interested in learning more, including the location of your closest drop-off points, check out the DPI website. Be sure to donate frames from your Mulloway, Snapper, Kingfish, Pearl Perch, Dusky and Blue Spotted Flathead, Spanish and Spotted Mackerel catches to be in for a chance to win some great prizes including RAP merchandise or $50 gift vouchers.

 

 

 

 

Fishing brings smiles to the north coast Recently the Fishcare and Get Hooked teams visited the north coast for a few days by the river and some fishing fun. The area is still undergoing major recovery from the recent floods and many families across the region are doing it tough, so it has been great to be able to bring some smiles to local kids and families by running a fishing workshops and school excursion with local parents and teachers. It was great to see lots of first-time catches,  laughter and new friends made! As always our staff were assisted by our wonderful Fishcare Volunteers. Want to know more about our fishing programs? Head to the DPI website for more info! This is all part of ‘Fish for life – Building a healthy fishing future.

 

 

 

Big fine and costs imposed for court elected penalty notice A recreational fisher who was caught red handed with a bag of prohibited sized fish in possession whilst fishing at The Entrance North in December 2020 recently had an expensive day in court. On the evening of 12 December 2020, the defendant who was fishing at The Entrance channel adjacent to Karagi Carpark, was seen to be in possession of a plastic bag which looked to contain fish. As Fisheries Officers approached, the fisher tossed the bag into the water to attempt to avoid detection. Upon further inspection the bag contained 7 prohibited sized fish including Yellowfin Bream and Sand Whiting. Thankfully most fish were able to be returned to the water alive. The defendant was originally issued a $500 penalty infringement notice by Fisheries Officers, but the defendant elected to have the Penalty Infringement Notice heard at court. The defendant failed to show for the hearing at Wyong Local Court on Friday 1 July 2022 and the matter preceded. The defendant was found to be guilty of - Possession of prohibited sized fish -Section 16 (1) Fisheries Management Act 1994. The defendant was convicted and fined received a combined $10,235 in fines and costs. Fishers are reminded to familiarise themselves with the NSW fishing rules and regulations before heading out. Downloading the free NSW FishSmart app is a quick and easy way of accessing everything you need to fish responsibly. Anyone observing suspected illegal activity should call the DPI Fishers Watch service on 1800 043 536 or report it online at: https://bit.ly/3Q3rEdh.