Donate your catch to science

Recreational fishers are being encouraged to play a key role in research by donating their catches of fish to help scientists from the Department of Primary Industries (DPI) gain more information for monitoring fish stocks so they can be managed efficiently and effectively.

DPI Executive Director for Fisheries NSW, Dr Geoff Allan, said the NSW Research Angler Program is a new project established using funds from the NSW Recreational Fishing Trust, which relies on the enthusiasm of the State’s one million recreational fishers to collect vital biological information on the fish they catch.

"This unique program allows recreational fishers to be directly involved in the assessment and monitoring of some of their favourite species which will help provide our researchers with vital data to manage the species for future generations," Dr Allan said.

"The two year program is commencing with one of the State’s most iconic recreational species: mulloway (aka jewfish)."

Mulloway have been selected as a priority species for study due to their popularity and ongoing concerns for the health of the mulloway stock. Mulloway stocks in NSW are currently assessed as being overfished and new management arrangements are currently being considered to assist with rebuilding the population to a more healthy state.

"While mulloway can live for more than 30 years, the majority of the individuals in the NSW stock are less than five years old, so clearly the stock needs close attention," Dr Allan said. 

Reeling in beach hauling of the big breeding females would be a start, we say.

Dr Allan asked fishers to donate the frames (skeletons including heads) from fish they catch and choose to keep at participating tackle stores along the NSW coast from Tweed Heads to Bermagui.

"Once we collect the donated frames, they will be processed in the DPI’s laboratories and our researchers will record length, sex and reproductive state, and by analysing the earbones (otoliths), will be able to determine the age of the fish," Dr Allan said.

How the system will work is that angler donate their mulloway frames to any participating tackle store drop-off point throughout NSW. Frames can be donated fresh or frozen. 

The anglers then provide details on the capture including when, where and who caught the fish. Every frame donated entitles the angler to be entered into a monthly prize draw to win a $50 gift voucher for use in a fishing tackle store or fishing tackle to the value of $50.

Every angler who donates a mulloway frame will receive a certificate detailing the biological information collected from the fish they caught as well as updated program information.

Dr Allan said details of the catch will be kept confidential to ensure secret fishing spots are not revealed.

The program commenced on September 1, 2013 and continues until September 31, 2015.

Monthly prizes are drawn at the end of each season.

Further details including participating tackle stores are available at NSW Research Angler Program: http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fisheries/recreational/researchangler