MRC Info?

[Member]

Gday , after doing a lot of reading about the MRC in the Mary river i have noticed a few things as to why the population was nearly wiped out.
The biggest destroyer of MRC was the method of fishing used by the locals in the old days. The method used most common was TNT and set lines. The MRC recovery program was formed after the massive decline and total population wipeout in certain systems, this was formed many years after the destruction using TNT. The MRCRP took on a massive task of restocking the cod in many systems from the gold coast to gympie. most of the systems stocked have proved to be successful with cod of all sizes , it appears they have bred naturally and  thriving numbers are around.
I would like to see for my self the numbers and over this summer i am going to target cod in a few systems 
Before any one says anything please read the next bit , using an underwater camera, light and my snorkling gear i am going to explore a few of the clear water areas with out much depth and see how many cod i can get on film. location will be kept discreet as to not encourage people targeting them with rods.
I am doing this to see numbers and sizes of fish i come across plus its going to be a hot summer and what better way to spend some days swimming in pristine waters.
A review of the MRC is long over due, considering  the methods of fishing have changed. rules are in place on the taking of cod but i would like to see  target catch and release approved. Lots of fish are protected in certain areas around the world,but they do not stop people from targeting them. example is florida tarpon i think it is? protected from taking and bringing aboard a boat but allowed to target catch and release them after a pic. You are allowed to still enjoy the sport of the fish. Lets face it MRC are a great sports fish and the thrill of catching one is unreal, i would like to see a review that is all 
What are your honest views on this?
And if any one has more info into the MRCRP or past information on the cod.

[Member]

I personally think they need a few more breeding seasons left alone before a decision is looked at.

Ive had the same idea with the go pro... just the idea...


Mr Elops take it away

[Member]

I can't see how looking into it would hurt anything it's probably more then the actuall law makers do, a lot of the laws need revising there just so contradictive .
Obviously the damage was done before most of us were born but numbers are definatley looking promising from now and into the future , if any thing anglers just need educating .Theres a lot of fisherman that do the right thing catch n realease , and there's always going to be Hill Billy's doing the wrong thing police them .

[Member]

The endangered status has been removed and placed at vulnerable  , I think that was 2010? The cod recovery team still exist and have done a magic job over the years . 
Is there any more info since 2010 on actions by the team? and did i read that there would be a review 3 years after 2010?

[Member]

Still listed as Endangered Wes.
Greatest threat to recovery now is habitat loss, introduced fish and fishers targeting them for catch and release during and pre breeding season or not following the regs when accidently caught.
Freshwater regulations review is due for release for public comment some submissions for change to MRC regs were made.
 

[Member]

Paul, The problem with catch & release is the methods used. Define C&R..... if the fish goes back in the water its C&R?. But how many people actually get the fish back in the water inside the same time you can hold your breathe for? Or use wet hands when touching the fish? Or support the fishes body if the need to lift it out of the water to remove the lure?

I've seen very experienced and caring anglers release large cod only only to see the cod roll 10 minutes later. Let's be honest, C&R as it stands is not zero impact. That's what I've been trying to tell tournament organisers / anglers for years now. Just because a fish goes back in the water, it doesn't mean the fish is going to live. Hang around any bass tournament if there's been a deep bite or on a hot day after the weigh-in fish are dumped from the livewells...... You can often see dozens of dead bass floating within minutes to hours.... 


Wes. The final nail in the coffin for cod in the Brisbane system was a bush fire around 1938 followed by rain event which saw alot of ash flow into the river killing almost everything. IMHO the main threat to MRC recovery is suitable habitat. Without it we can stock a million MRCs, but it won't do any good without suitable habitat for them to do it on their own. Recreational fishing IMHO is pretty self regulating the rules are followed ie bag limits, size limits, closed waters & closed season adhered to (these are recognised management tools). If numbers decline, people stop fishing for them and the fish can recover.

And thermal polution in the form of cold water releases from dams has shown in some cases that it can take upto 100km of river flow downstream from a dam release for the water to warm up sufficiently for cod to breed or even survive.

[Member]

I can't see how looking into it would hurt anything it's probably more then the actuall law makers do, a lot of the laws need revising there just so contradictive .
Obviously the damage was done before most of us were born but numbers are definatley looking promising from now and into the future , if any thing anglers just need educating .Theres a lot of fisherman that do the right thing catch n realease , and there's always going to be Hill Billy's doing the wrong thing police them .

DAFF often carry out research using electrofishing to check on MRC numbers.  Obviously they don't release results of these studies.  Wes' research will tell him that there are fish present, but that is all.  He won't know if they are naturally recruited or stocked fish, therefore he won't know if the current efforts are working.  I hope that we are years off any changes to the regulations.  There needs to be a change to the regulation of habitat before anything is changed with regard having Mary River Cod as a viable recreational angling target.  Please guys, just let them be.

[Member]

There is a photo in one tackle store of a large mary caught in Burnett Creek with the addition that fish was released. Only thing is that the fish is suspended vertically by the gob.
Cheers
Ray

[Member]

DAFF often carry out research using electrofishing to check on MRC numbers.  Obviously they don't release results of these studies.  Wes' research will tell him that there are fish present, but that is all.  He won't know if they are naturally recruited or stocked fish, therefore he won't know if the current efforts are working.  I hope that we are years off any changes to the regulations.  There needs to be a change to the regulation of habitat before anything is changed with regard having Mary River Cod as a viable recreational angling target.  Please guys, just let them be.

Why are the results not released? Going for a swim is not research, just observation of some numbers in a few little areas. The numbers have me curious but seems to be secret squirell only. What population numbers do they consider recovered? I understand about habitat and alot of cod in the mary system lost alot of pools to silitation.

[Member]

Why would DAFF tell everyone where a protected/endangered species was living?  Not everybody has honourable intentions.  Recovered is a naturally sustainable population.  Continued stocking clouds the numbers and turns research into guesswork.  Do some searching of the Trout Cod populations in the Ovens River in Victoria and you'll see how long it will be until an Endangered tag is removed and a sustained population is viable.  You'll see that it won't be in my lifetime, and probably not in yours.

[Member]

The system I fish in from time to time the Cod are endangered in my opinion?  Two of you fellas know the area I am talking about. 

There is no restocking happening and a few meat eaters have found ways to take them. So that adds up to a decline in numbers.

No sign of any breeding happening.  No help from the fisheries so it's pretty obvious what the results will be.

Wes it is probably not a good time for camera work as it doesn't take much rain to dirty up the water and this will be the case for a few months in many of the streams.

B.G.

[Member]

Why would DAFF tell everyone where a protected/endangered species was living?  Not everybody has honourable intentions.  Recovered is a naturally sustainable population.  Continued stocking clouds the numbers and turns research into guesswork.  Do some searching of the Trout Cod populations in the Ovens River in Victoria and you'll see how long it will be until an Endangered tag is removed and a sustained population is viable.  You'll see that it won't be in my lifetime, and probably not in yours.

Was not asking for where mate! was asking about a number . How many cod have they surveyed in the last year etc, not where are they living? Its not hard to give general area locations like mary system ( thats a big lot of river and tributaries without being exact) , Brisbane/stanley , Logan/Albert and coomera
( outside the Mary system) These are areas they have published as release sites but no info if they had success. I am more then happy to target cod in the dams and enjoy the sport of them that way.