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Welcome our newest member:
PeterV
(no. 12974)
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Why Do You Go Fishing?
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For the sport of it
(62.8 %) 187 votes
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To be with family and mates
(8.4 %) 25 votes
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Catch that trophy fish
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To be outdoors
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For a Feed
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(Votes Counted: 298)
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Fisheries Victoria
'A fortnightly round-up of recreational fisheries management issues'
Fish-e-Fax Issue 190, 1 March 2007
Glenelg spiny freshwater crayfish interim closure
As of 1 March 2007, the take of Glenelg spinyfreshwater crayfish (GSFC) will be prohibited for one year in all Victoria waters via a Fisheries Notice.
Due to current environmental conditions and concerns for the sustainability of the species the decision has been made by Fisheries Victoria to close the fishery. Drought effects have led to pooling in sections of the Glenelg River system which in turn has led to an increased mortality in GSFC populations. Loss of significant bushland during the 2005 Grampians fires resulted in greater access for recreational anglers, thus increasing the risk of over fishing this iconic species.
Glenelg spiny freshwater crayfish. |
GSFC are listed as a 'threatened species' under the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988.
Scientists from Primary Industries Research Victoria (PIRVic) will be monitoring the species during the closure on behalf of the Glenelg Hopkins Catchment Management Authority. This research will aid Fisheries Victoria in deciding whether to open the fishery to recreational fishing again at the conclusion of the Fisheries Notice on 29 February 2008. This monitoring program was also recommended in the Glenelg Hopkins Fisheries Management Plan which was declared in November 2006.
Further information concerning the interim closure is available from the Department of Primary Industries and information packages have been distributed to Recreational Fishing Licence Agents, Angling Clubs and Angling Associations in south west Victoria. If you would like to receive an information package please contact our Customer Service Centre on 136 186.
Compliance round-up
- Six people from the western suburbs of Melbourne were stopped by Fisheries Officers last week and allegedly found to be in the possession of 1200 abalone taken from the Point Cook Marine Sanctuary. The officers claim that they observed the defendants diving in shallow waters and shucking the abalone whilst in the water. The defendants were questioned at a police station and then released pending further investigation. The maximum penalty for abalone trafficking is 10 years imprisonment.
- A licensed eel fisherman has been convicted and fined $10,000 after pleading guilty to using commercial fyke nets in unauthorised waters. The illegal fisherman set the nets in Sydenham Inlet which is a section of the Cape Conran Coastal Park in East Gippsland.
- A man from Colac has pleaded guilty and fined $650 to using and possessing commercial drum nets, taking blackfish during the fishery's closed season and stocking fish into protected waters without authority. Blackfish have a closed season from 1 September to 31 December each year as they are highly susceptible to overfishing.
- In January 2007, Fisheries Officers received information from a member of the public who claimed to have observed a commercial mesh net illegally set over the night in waters along the Capel Sound foreshore area in Tootgarook. Shortly after the report, Fisheries Officers visited the location and claimed to have observed two men dragging large fish bins out of the water that were anchoring a line of floating buoys. The men were intercepted by the Officers and both allegedly found to be in the possession of illegal commercial fishing equipment in the form of two mesh nets and a large quantity of fish.
Members of the public who observe any suspected illegal fishing activity are reminded to call Fisheries Victoria's reporting hotline 13 FISH (133 474) any time, seven days a week. You can help manage your fisheries resources by doing the right thing if you observe others breaking the law.
Quality brown trout for those who wait
The upper Merri and Hopkins rivers along with Mt Emu Creek have lately been the subject of a year long creel survey conducted by researchers at PIRVic. The project funded by Fisheries Victoria, incorporated 800 researcher hours on interviews with 137 anglers.
The survey revealed that trout are the preferred target species, and that it takes an average of 14 hours for anglers to catch a brown trout, with experienced anglers more likely to catch them. The results also indicated that more than 50% of anglers were locals from Warrnambool and surrounding regions, though some anglers were drawn from interstate, particularly nearby South Australia.
The preferred methods of fishing were found to be lure fishing (45%), bait fishing (37%) and then fly fishing (12%). During the period of the 2005/06 salmonid open season (1 Sept to midnight 11 June), anglers fishing in the freshwater sections of the upper Merri and Hopkins rivers caught an estimated 263 brown trout and 228 eels.
Importantly, the survey revealed that low catch rates do not deter anglers from the waters, who rate the overall performance of the fisheries "good." It suggests that anglers are targeting these waters as they produce high quality brown trout.
Fisheries Victoria annually stocks yearling brown trout into the upper Merri River, Hopkins River and its main tributary Mt Emu Creek as part of the Departmental stocking program. It is estimated that stocking significantly contributes to the fishery as participants in the survey indicated that 186 of the 263 brown trout caught were fin clipped. Fin clipping is undertaken by technicians at the Snobs Creek production facility on a proportion of fish before they liberate.
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