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NEWS
Fish stocking news
Summer fish stocking to benefit NSW anglers, but fish kills deserve more immediate attentionRecreational fishers throughout NSW have even more reason to enjoy their sport in the years to come with the stocking of various fish species in lakes, dams and rivers across the state.
The Department of Primary Industries’ (DPI) four hatcheries plan to produce and release a total of more than 4 million fingerlings and fry by the end of summer.
At a recent visit to the Narrandera Fisheries Centre, Minister for Primary Industries Katrina Hodgkinson announced that more than 100 popular fishing spots across NSW will benefit from the DPI’s fish stocking program this season.
"Throughout the 2014-15 fishing season, DPI plan to stock NSW public waters with around 60,000 Australian bass, 240,000 Murray cod, 650,000 golden perch, 225,000 silver perch, 150,000 Atlantic salmon, 560,000 brown trout, 100,000 brook trout, 24,000 trout cod and 1.9 million rainbow trout," Ms Hodgkinson said.
"Here at the Narrandera Fisheries Centre, around 1.2 million Murray cod, golden perch, silver perch and trout cod will be produced for dams and rivers from Albury all the way to Inverell.
"The DPI hatcheries in Gaden and Dutton produce all trout that are stocked into our waters, while the Narrandera and Port Stephens hatcheries produce native fish for stocking primarily into dams and lakes."
STATE STOCKING BOAST
Ms Hodgkinson said that DPI, in conjunction with local acclimatisation societies, has been successfully stocking freshwater fish in dams and rivers in NSW for many years.
"The DPI’s fish stocking program is recognised for the benefits it provides to local communities by improving recreational fishing, ensuring conservation of certain species, and providing employment and tourism to regional areas," Ms Hodgkinson said.
"The fish stocking program is another great example of how the funds raised through the NSW Recreational Fishing Trust is invested back into projects and initiatives that directly benefit recreational anglers.
"The NSW Government is proud to support the recreational fishing industry, which generates about $1.6 billion into the NSW economy each year and creates about 14,000 jobs." More info on NSW fish stocking at http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fisheries/recreational/info/stocking.
SHAME, SHAME, SHAME
But all is not well in the state of NSW and, in particular, in the tributaries to the Nepean and Hawkesbury that are home to Australian bass and other native species.
Inquiries into a shocking recent fish kill in South Creek by local fishing clubs have gone unanswered, despite hundreds of dead bass, eels and other native species floating along the banks.
The South Creek catchment covers an area of 620 square kilometres and represents 30 per cent of the Sydney region. Much of Sydney's urban development is occurring here and during the next 20 years.
South Creek Bass club has posted some harrowing videos including the following one titled Death of the Valley that shows an awful lot of dead fish and bass. NSW Fisheries are nowhere to be seen and the club hasn't heard a peep out of them despite alerting them to this tragedy.
In this day and age of blowing political trumpets over illegal fishers being busted with a few eels here and a few bass there (we don't condone illegal fishing, mind you), you would expect emergency action over fish kills on this scale.
Alas, there have been many fish kills in NSW, oil spills at places like Botany Bay, but very little is done about it. See the heart-wrenching footage below from South Creek Bass Club
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Written byBoatsales Staff
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