NSW fishers thrown $13m

The NSW Minister for Primary Industries, Lands and Water, Niall Blair, has announced that $13 million will be invested in 63 recreational fishing projects in NSW in the next year.

"Fishing is one of the state’s most popular recreational activities – and it is so important we invest in infrastructure and programs to support this crucial sector," Mr Blair said.

"Projects will be funded from Albury to Grafton and in Sydney’s waterways – including nearly $1 million to fund a fifth artificial reef off the coast of NSW."

Artificial reefs already constructed off Sydney and Shoalhaven Heads are proving to be very popular with recreational fishers. The Sydney reef has now matured into complex fish habitat for a wide range of bottom-dwelling and oceanic fish species such as kingfish, snapper and mulloway.

The funding has been provided through the Recreational Fishing Trust to wide range of projects including:
>> Recreational fishing enhancement – artificial reefs and fish stocking
>> Recreational fishing education – fishing workshops, school education and fishing advisory
>> Fishing access and facilities – fishing platforms, fish cleaning tables, safety infrastructure and other facilities including the enhancement of fishing access
>> aquatic habitat rehabilitation and protection – community grants to remove barriers to fish migration, replanting and protecting river bank vegetation andrestoring water flows
>> Research on fish and recreational fishing – surveys, biology of popular recreational species and angler catch projects

Funding will also continue for deployment of fish aggregating devices in offshore waters. More devices in new locations will be deployed in the summer season.