Fish bites: 2024 Henley-on-Todd Regatta cancelled

The ABC reported yesterday that the Rotary Club-based organising committee failed to meet a deadline to submit documents showing how an NT government grant for last year’s event was spent – a key part of applying for another round of funding for this year’s event.

The event was scheduled to go ahead on Saturday, August 17. Competitors race on foot in boats either supplied by the regatta or in a bring-your-own boat built for the event.

The Henley-on-Todd Regatta is held on the dry sand riverbed of the Todd River that runs through Alice Springs. The course is kitted out with “No fishing” signs while 

This is only the third time in the event’s history that it has been cancelled – of those, only one cancellation was due to water in the Todd River.

Organisers updated the event’s Facebook page yesterday with a notice saying the event would return in 2025.

NSW Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen has revealed fishers may be allowed within 50 meters of offshore wind turbines in the Hunter offshore wind zone off Newcastle if the project goes ahead.

According to the minister, he expects recreational fishers will be able to travel and fish within the offshore wind zone, which already occurs internationally in the UK and Denmark.

“In those jurisdictions, turbines are around 2.0 kilometres apart with an exclusion zone of just 50 metres around turbines,” a media statement from the ministry earlier this week said. “It means fishing vessels can go about their normal operations within the wind farm.”

The wind zone is directly offshore from Port Stephens, one of the major sportsfishing centres of Australia.

According to the ministry, there are clear requirements for the offshore wind developer to consult with fishers and avoid, mitigate and offset any impacts on fishing.

The proposed wind farm is expected to produce enough electricity to power 1.2 million homes, or two aluminium smelters.

School holidays kick off in Victoria next week with the Victorian Fisheries Authority stocking more than 35,000 rainbow trout in 80 locations throughout the state.

According to the VFA, Each site that has been stocked has great shore access and makes for perfect introductory waters to get the kids into fishing over their two-week break. 

Children aged 17 and below do not need a fishing licence, although adults helping their children fish will need a current Victorian fishing licence. A daily bag limit of five trout applies, of which only two can exceed 35cm.

Last year, the Victorian government committed $1.5 million to a project to give 95,000 grade five students a free fishing kit including a rod and reel, and a tackle box equipped with basic terminal tackle. 

Fisheries Queensland will release up to 10,000 jungle perch fingerlings into Lake Kurwongbah and the Enoggera Reservoir in a bid to bump tourism to the water systems and improve recreational fishing.

The three-year trial kicked off after the state’s recreational anglers overwhelmingly said it was a species they most wanted to be added to Queensland’s stocked impoundments.

Jungle perch can grow up to 50cm in length and 3.5kg in weight. Native to Queensland, the species is prized as a fish that is hard to catch and fights hard when hooked up. 

It has never been approved as an impound species and was successfully bred in captivity at Fisheries Queensland’s Bribey Island research centre and hatchery.

Fisheries Queensland said if the trial was successful jungle perch would be added to the list of impound species and be introduced to other dams in the state.

A West Australian recreational fisher has been slugged with an $11,000 fine for repeatedly pulling a pot registered under his wife’s name and interfering with others that did not belong to him.

According to Fisheries WA, the Mandurah fisher and another man were seen by fisheries officers pulling, setting and interfering with a number of lobster pots near Blue Bay at Halls Head, about 80km south of Perth.

Another man charged with similar offences and appearing in court was fined more than $2000 and ordered to pay court costs.

Kawasaki will be giving Australia a sneak peek at its all-new Kawasaki Jet Ski Ultra 160LX-S Angler that will go on sale here next year.

The Australian arm of the Japanese group will be bringing a US version of the ski along to the 2024 Sydney International Boat Show, which kicks off on August 1.

Similar to the Sea-Doo FishPro, the Kawasaki Jet Ski Ultra 160LX-S Angler features factory-fitted accessories that turn the ski into a competent offshore fishing platform, including buoyancy outriggers to give more stability while fighting a fish.

Given the way this year’s tuna action is heating up, you may also want to look at an inflatable sled to tow behind it to get your catch back inshore.