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Author Topic: Green light on fishing for bass during closed season?  (Read 51651 times)

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Re: Green light on fishing for bass during closed season?
« Reply #60 on: June 08, 2011, 03:45:53 PM »
It seems to me that the more this is discussed the more we veer off the core subject. Any law is no use unless it is properly policed and that has to begin with fisheries themselves. In Northern NSW we give the bass a break from June 1 to end August. There ARE other freshwater species to target, and of course there is always the rusty water. Most of us have hooked a Bass in water that was virtually full salt so trying divide rivers up into no go zones won't work; too many variables. As far as man made obstacles are concerned they should be either dismantled of fitted with fishways. I do not believe in restocking rivers that are open to the sea either. If a river is so degraded that the fish can't or won't naturally restock then it's a lost cause anyway. Until the issues of riparian vegetation and 19th century farming practices are addressed most of it becomes irrelevant. The Richmond is struggling as are many of the other traditional Bass streams. If we address the unnatural input we should be a long way to remedying the situation. As far as closed seasons are concerned, nobody likes to get hooked on their honymoon. Leave 'em be.
JD

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Re: Green light on fishing for bass during closed season?
« Reply #61 on: June 08, 2011, 08:31:22 PM »
The heavy stocking has already depleted the importance of natural wild stocks.  Can anybody identify where the natural wild stocks are of Bass, Murray Cod, Trout Cod or Barramundi anymore?

If that were to be the case ,it would be fair to say , a closed season has no real value what so ever , as any fish removed at any time / waterway are easy to replace through stocking

Pete

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Re: Green light on fishing for bass during closed season?
« Reply #62 on: June 09, 2011, 12:23:44 AM »
Awesome discussion folks, I love it. Keep it going, we will come up with a good plan.

Who better than us fishos who have the best interests of our fish & fishing in mind about the fish to come up with a working model to present to fisheries? If we can't, how the hell can we expect anyone else & then who is to blame if we don't? Better than a do-gooder animal rights idealist which could be the alternative.

Keep the suggestions coming folks... C'Mon folks, don't get stressed, offer solutions or alternatives.  :youbeauty

** In a think tank, there are no bad ideas**

Thanks,

fitz..

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Re: Green light on fishing for bass during closed season?
« Reply #63 on: June 09, 2011, 01:27:00 AM »
Fitz,
Hope this is along the lines of something definate, much needed and hopefully achievable.
The Noosa is the LAST true wild Bass fishery in SEQ.
The hatchery issues are NOT a factor.
Limited stocking has been done in the Kin Kin Creek catchment of which the majority of fingerlings would have been sourced from the local hatchery, up until 2007 this hatchery sourced broodstock from the Noosa (ironicly collected by the pro netters mostly, who have generations of knowledge of the timing of spawning movements as they targeted them) in 2007 the broodstock was a mix of Noosa fish and entrained Ewen Maddock fish. 2008 ? well we wont go there, 2009 I collected all of the broodstock, a mix of fish from various locations some cultured, some wild, of various sizes and ages. Did the best I could, put a great deal of thought and effort into this. Any fish stocked that came from other hatcheries would have virtually no effect on the Within-Population Variability of the Noosa Bass.
The greatest impact on the Noosa Bass fishery has been the net fishery in the lake, the sight of tonnes of Noosa Bass in Brisbane supermarkets in the late seventies and early eighties was the prime mover for leglisative change. The net fishery continues to this day with Bass still caught as bycatch in ever dwindling numbers.
This has contributed to the decline in numbers far more than any of the issues featured in the media recently.
Here is what we should aim for.

1 A total ban on possession of Bass in the Noosa catchment.

2 A total closure of the net fishery AT LEAST upstream of the narrows in spawning season.

3 A recreational closure upstream of the narrows in spawning season.

4 A total ban on stocking in the Noosa catchement with the exeption of Bass if the fingerlings are produced following strict genetic guidelines.

3 may be contraversial and hard to implement but the Noosa is a legislated "Wild River" for what thats worth.

cheers
Steve.






 

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Re: Green light on fishing for bass during closed season?
« Reply #64 on: June 09, 2011, 07:57:53 AM »
What triggers the spawning season?
 Lenght of day?
Water temp change?
Other factors?
 I fished the hinze a fortnight ago and a couple of the male fish were emitting sperm as I brought them boatside. I dont think it was because they were excited to see me.
Cheers
Ray

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Re: Green light on fishing for bass during closed season?
« Reply #65 on: June 09, 2011, 09:40:45 AM »
This is indeed a very interesting topic. I think a closure should be a closure. Nothing is ever black and white and that's where this is tricky. I looked at the idea if you're caught in posession and figured sure if the live well is full your open to prosecution. then I thought well what about the idea of keeping bass in the live well so they don't take the school with them when they leave? then i thought it's possible you hook a Bass as a ranger rocks up..your legally in posession so a goner unless commensense prevails. One thing i wonder about is do Bass reproduce at different times to yellas, silvers and the rest of the freshies? In some countires there was a total ban on all fresh water species for a period of 2 months. That saw the introduction of privately owned dams with stocked fish which you could fish year round. In these countries many fish will reproduce in dams so?
Ultimately my view is a closure will only work when it is a blanket closure for all species of fish (based on me being ignorant of all breeding seasons) in areas (rivers/creeks) where they will naturally reproduce. I would also support, fish being stocked into areas where their numbers are dwindling even if it's due to man made strutures preventing access to the salt to breed. Fish are not only good to catch they also serve a purpose to other animals as food. Though i do support the view that farming practices need to be changed as does the management of rivers. I feel rivers should have a boundary along their entire length even on private land that allows other people access to them. This would open the counrty side to many people which in turn would bring attention to what is happening in these areas, hopefully with the outcome of a better river system?
John

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Re: Green light on fishing for bass during closed season?
« Reply #66 on: June 09, 2011, 10:02:22 AM »
Hey Guys,
I haven't read all of the posts but I will make this observation...
It appears that many people are not aware of the rules in relation to the closed bass season. The ruling that I saw posted by Anita is correct and you cannot take or attempt to take bass during the closed season. There is no restriction on fishing per se, and no way of preventing people fishing for other species that share the same environment as bass and therefore the incidental or accidental take of bass....
However, the closed season does not apply to bass in the waters upstream of the impoundments listed in the recreational fishing guide...so in those impoundements that have bass stocked in them, you may take and possess you limit of legally sized bass, year round.....If you were to be found downstream of the impounded waters with bass in your possession then you can be sure that there would be some further investigation undertaken by the Boating and Fisheries Patrol.

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Re: Green light on fishing for bass during closed season?
« Reply #67 on: June 09, 2011, 10:26:34 AM »
Some very interesting points eing made but back to original post.
 It would appear it all boils down to two different Deedi employies interupetation of the rules.
 Has anyone or is anyone going to seek a ruling that will apply untill a new set of rules are set.
If the ruling given at Fernvale is correct to be fair to all anglers who enjoy their bass fishing, no matter where, the decision should be widely published and not merely available to readers of fthis website and stocking assns.
Cheers
Ray

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Re: Green light on fishing for bass during closed season?
« Reply #68 on: June 09, 2011, 11:44:11 AM »
This is how it is currently written on the DPI website:
Tidal Waters:
Quote
Why do we have closed seasons?
Closed seasons (regulated waters) prevent people from fishing at certain times of the year to protect species at vulnerable times in their life cycle, such as during spawning seasons.

Australian bass
A closed season applies to Australian bass throughout Queensland from 1 June to 31 August. See also the section on freshwater closed seasons (Australian bass) for information on taking bass from some fresh water during the closure.


Fresh Water

Quote
Why do we have closed seasons?
Closed seasons prevent people from fishing at certain times of the year to protect species at vulnerable times in their life cycle, such as during spawning seasons.

Australian bass
A closed season applies to Australian bass throughout Queensland from 1 June to 31 August except in and from waterways upstream of Baroon Pocket, Bjelke-Petersen, Boondooma, Borumba, Cania, Cressbrook, Fred Haigh (Lake Monduran), Gordonbrook, Hinze, Lenthalls, Maroon, Moogerah, North Pine, Somerset, Wuruma and Wivenhoe dams; Claude Wharton and Jones weirs; Isis Balancing Storage (Lake Gregory) and Clarendon, Dyer (Bill Gunn Dam) and MacDonald lakes.

Barramundi Throughout the Queensland east coast a closed season applies to barramundi from midday 1 November to midday 1 February, except in and from waterways upstream of Awoonga, Burdekin Falls, Callide, Eungella, Fairbairn, Fred Haigh (Lake Monduran), Kinchant, Koombooloomba, Lenthalls, Peter Faust, Teemburra, Tinaroo and Wuruma dams.

The Gulf of Carpentaria closed season for barramundi in 2009-2013 is:

■midday 25 September 2009 to midday 22 January 2010
■midday 30 September 2010 to midday 26 January 2011
■midday 4 October 2011 to midday 30 January 2012
■midday 7 October 2012 to midday 3 February 2013.
These closures do not apply in East Leichhardt Dam and Belmore, Corella, Julius and Moondarra lakes, and to waterways upstream of these impoundments.

A take and possession limit of one barramundi applies during the closed season in all of the 18 lakes and dams mentioned above. The barramundi may be greater than 120 cm. Recreational fishers may continue to fish in the 18 dams and lakes once they have reached their limit of one barramundi.

Outside of the closed season, in the 18 dams and lakes mentioned above, a take and possession limit of five applies to barramundi that may include one barramundi greater than 120 cm.

It is also prohibited to deliberately target barramundi for catch and release during these closed seasons, as the stress of capture may prevent fish from spawning.

Now why is the last paragraph in the Barramundi rule not present in the Bass rule?

From the Queensland Government, with regard to fisheries, the definition of "take" is"

Quote
“take” fisheries resources includes—
(a) catch, gather, kill or obtain from water or land; and
(b) attempt to catch, gather, kill or obtain from water or land; and
(c) land (from a boat or in another way), bring ashore or tranship;

I've read all of the above and still cannot come to a definitive asnwer on how the current law stands on me casting a Spinnerbait in the mid-Brisbane river this weekend, and I defy anyone to give me that answer, because it is not written there!

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Re: Green light on fishing for bass during closed season?
« Reply #69 on: June 09, 2011, 06:00:42 PM »
If the ruling given at Fernvale is correct to be fair to all anglers who enjoy their bass fishing, no matter where, the decision should be widely published and not merely available to readers of fthis website and stocking assns.
Cheers
Ray

I wouldn't call it a ruling, I'd call it an interpretation.

The problem is that most folks either blissfully unaware, indifferent or couldn't be bothered to do anything. This website & this discussion are both open to all of the public to have a say.



We will soon have a good oportunity to make a submission to get the grey out of the way. It will be another five years after that if action is not taken. I would suggest without submissions, the "no news is good news" or "if it aint broke don't fix it" rules may apply. The regs obviously needs tweaking...

We're all on the same team here, so if we can't work out a viable workable alternative, who can?

I still lean towards the following:

Closed Season for Australian bass

When June 1 - August 31 (unless data suggests it should be different)

Where All waters south of & including Noosa River.

Exceptions
A- All Qld waters north of Noosa River including tributaries of the following river systems Mary, Burnett, Kolan, Gergory, Isis.... , and
B- All waters upstream of first man made barrier on system. (same as current list but with addition of weirs eg Mt Crosby Weir, Luscombe Weir, Berries Lagoon Weir.....
It is also prohibited to deliberately target bass for catch and release during the closed season.



So, a law abiding citizen could not legally target bass in potential spawning water from Noosa in the north to NSW border while obviously stocked fish (upstream of barriers) can be fished for year round.
If and/or when a working fishway were to be retrofitted to a barrier, then these rivers could be removed from both restocking & the closed season applied. (no system should have both IMHO)
Bass are not native to Burnett, Gregory, Kolan etc so should not be protected by closed season, but if needed could specifically name first barrier eg Ben Anderson Barrage etc...

Comments? Additions? Subtractions?

Fitzy..



BTW- Thanks for the comment Hambone.  :youbeauty

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Re: Green light on fishing for bass during closed season?
« Reply #70 on: June 09, 2011, 07:52:15 PM »
From this end Fitzy that seems like a pretty reasonable unbiased plan.

I would support that motion.

Steve

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Re: Green light on fishing for bass during closed season?
« Reply #71 on: June 09, 2011, 08:40:33 PM »
Sounds pretty comprehensive to me but Lake Kurwongbah should also be included in exception list.
I am in favour of anything that clearly states the rules with no chance for the bush lawyers to misintererpt.I tried in 1999 to get the act changed with similar wording to the barra regs but one individual peeing into the wind doesnt get far.
 Cheers
Ray

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Re: Green light on fishing for bass during closed season?
« Reply #72 on: June 09, 2011, 09:15:06 PM »
I think from memory Ray, Kurwonbah was put up along with Ewen Maddock Dam as an exemption to be reviewed.

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Re: Green light on fishing for bass during closed season?
« Reply #73 on: June 10, 2011, 12:33:12 AM »
I tried in 1999 to get the act changed with similar wording to the barra regs but one individual peeing into the wind doesnt get far.
 Cheers
Ray

The Act or the regs Ray? they're two different things....

Either way, never give up hope of making change mate. One individual may not always get their way, but several may well affect change.  :youbeauty

fitz..

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Re: Green light on fishing for bass during closed season?
« Reply #74 on: June 10, 2011, 07:36:28 AM »
I think it was the act.I wrote to the then minister and just got a namby pamby response  Cannot even remember who the minister was then as I have chucked the letter.
Cheers
Ray

 

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