Sweetwater Fishing Forums
General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: takrat on October 04, 2012, 09:28:09 PM
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I recently got myself into hot water on another forum because I was critical of some people fishing (targeting) Bass in the last couple of weeks of the closed season. I had used the Fisheries NSW 2012 handbook on Freshwater fishing as my guide and believed I was in the right. However I have just been informed by a Fisheries inspector, who had agreed with me up to this point that there is actually legislation that allows anglers to target Bass during the closed season. Now while I suppose a few Bass caught and released by the recfisho's won't make a huge difference in the overall scheme, it's the netting of the estuaries by the pro's that really causes the problem. There is a considerable by-catch of spawning Bass on the Richmond in particular, and I believe it has to stop. I would encourage all Freshwater fishers to lobby the NSW DPI Minister Katrina Hodgkinson on this matter. I will get her direct email address and put it on here.
Thanks,
John
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The email for Katrina Hodgkinson is office@hodgkinson.minister.nsw.gov.au Hoping a few get on board with this, it's not just a NSW thing because Bass fishers don't care much about state borders. Or so I'm told.
JD
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Good work JD.
Would you to put a few suggested dot points down to help those who aren't locals (but would like to be able to help) to kick them off?
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Yeah small steps, its only a couple of years since they introduced their pseudo closed season.
Hopefully it will get turned in to a real closed season soon.
Who knows they might even introduce a minimum size for bass one day! :o
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THanks for the support fella's I have also emailed the Ballina Chamber of Commerce. My reasoning is that if the netting is allowed to go on unchecked there will be no fish to catch and therefore no tourism dollars. Rec fisho's bring in more money than pro's any day.
Points; Re-instate a proper closed season, the current one is a Claytons job.
Remove all nets from the rivers, these are important breeding areas for fish of all kinds.
If that is not (possible?) at least place a moratorium on netting during the breeding season for Bass.
Another option would be to draw a line across the river at a certain point and declare it a no go zone for Pros and rec fisho alike during breeding season.
There is no point in doing salinity tests because they will vary in far too many ways; floods, tides and run off from cane paddocks.
Reduce or eliminate the black water run off from the cane paddocks.
Cheers,
John