Pine Yesterday

[BrandonH]

Hi all

Me and my dad hit the pine yesterday morning for a fish. First port of call was around castle hill to see if we could get some Lizards, didn't take long. I think it was dad's second cast he hooked up to a 45cm dusky, just after this I got its little brother lol, a 25cm one. We kept working this bank on the way to another spot we wanted to fish and dad caught another 45cm Dusky. A bit further along another good looking bank I watched a big bream come up and grab my plastic but he didn't connect with the hook:'( (maybe due to using a 4" placky) After about 30mins of no more touches we decide to move to another section of the pine to see if we could hook up on one of Creek vermin's Cod;D We worked this stretch of water for quite awhile without a touch, although once when I was just about to bring my placky from the water I watched 2 fish about 25-30cm long following it up to the surface!! I don't want to say what I think they were but they looked like a skinny Bream but the coloring of them wasn't silver like a Bream, more of a light olive colour:-X This kept us interested for another 20mins or so but we couldn't managed to get anything to strike:-[ So we worked along the bank on the way back and noticed the pipeline near the yellow cross boiling up quite a bit! we went over for a closer look and nearly puked!! :sick2: Below is a pic of the S$#t coming out of this pipe>:(:'( yes it did STINK!!!!! There was a milky slick on the top of the water all the way to the next bend, we actually saw 2 people in a yak and told them they didn't want to venture up that way if they valued their health, I am glad they listened to us. further down the creek (well away from the s$%t) I manged to land a nice fat blue lipped 32cm Bream;D


Cheers
Brandon...

[jim_bream]

Gidday Brandon,
yeah mate that pipe is a navigation aid in the dark, you can smell it from the bend around the corner!! (Not to mention you can hear the pumps from the water).
Last time I was there (3 weeks ago) a fella pulled up in his tinnie and reckoned that the tailor (more like chopper I'm guessing) come this far up and hang near the outlet of the pipe.... Dunno about that but anyways....
I got monstered further upriver on the right (fallen tree) by something that I reckon was Creek Vermin's pet! (Would n't be surprised to see him hand feeding it whole sheep next time... ;-)
As they say- it's better than working.
On ya mate!
Jimbo

[Dirtysanchez]

Yechh, Obi Wan mentioned the crap pipe in the News section.. WTF is with that?
I hope he can track down the government body responsible and get that sorted, thats flamin disgusting ! >:(

Anyway, enjoy your flathead for tea :uhoh:

[nuggstar]

on ya mate, he scoffed that one

[Nico.d.R]

you can catch huge brown bass there .
i have never seen the water that bad i wonder if they were pumping more than normal .

cheers nico

[Freeeedom]

That's why the rocks just upstream from the pipe are known as 'stinky wall' - good prawn spot in summer. I think the stuff the pipe discharges is not sewage but something associated with the paper mill. If you look at the Google Earth picture of this section of the Pine you will see that the land just beside the river upstream from the pipe is some sort of dumping ground for what I guess is some sort of solid waste from the mill - looks like a moonscape. Can't be good for the water quality and I certainly wouldn't be fishing in the stream no matter what fish it holds.
Cheers Freeeedom

[Freeeedom]

Had another look at Google Earth. The area around the pipe is covered with a series of ponds, many of which appear to be aerated by spraying the water into the air. This will be to promote the action of certain bacteria and reduce the action of others, much as they do on sewage farms. Pic attached
Cheers Freeeedom

[nuggstar]

i remember that spot. we just past right by it. i might have to give it a bash next friday

[BrandonH]

Jim_Bream Yep there are a lot of very BIG fish in the pine, Catfish, Stingrays, bull sharks and Pike eels!! lol My mate and I have caught choppers up that far, nothing over 20cms though. Our best one (40something) out of the pine came half way back towards the bridge from this spot witch is still a long way from the mouth!!

Dirtysanchez Yeah Obi_wan is quite good with letters and things, it should at least rustle some feathers to start with. I think Freeedom has it on the money for whats causing it, I don't know what it is though but it sure smells like C$%p!! Also the Flathead came aboard on an incoming tide well downstream of this pipe so hopefully we won't suffer any side affects:-/

Freeedom Thanks for the info and pic mate!! I knew that the paper mill was there but on the day seeing this and smelling it there was only one thing that came to mind.. I guess if it was sewage you would get LOTS of fish around it when its pumping this hard, like the one in the Brisbane river... That is why I had to flick a lure around it while dad was taking pics, i thought if it is sewage I might have some fun catching and releasing fish;)

Nuggstar Haven't caught a lot around this pipe outlet in the past, only a couple of very small GT's and choppers. Where you went with Creek Vermin is a much better spot to fish;) make sure you get Nico to take you up there Saturday!! I won't be in town that weekend though, going to be fishing Noosa :P

Nico Brown Bass you say mate? must be something that is only attracted to your plastics?? ;D:P The run off from this was disgusting mate. I have seen it boiling up in the past but never having that colour as well:'( Hopefully my old man can get something happening with the pictures, We spoke with a pro crabber at one stage after seeing this and he said that that part of the creek is dead, he reckons its the only section of the pine he doesn't put crab pots down!!

Something STINKS! and I hope we can get the pollies/EPA to take action against this.


Cheers
Brandon...

[tailorboi99]

Good bream mate, something should be done with that SH1T3 pipe that is there too

[Lapras]

Brandon,

Good report - too bad it ended on a sh#tty note. I knew there was a good reason I fish the mouth.

Dave

[Obi _ Wan]

Update on Pollution.

Letter and pictures sent to my local State Government.

Youngharry52 also rang the EPA and gave them a stir, they are apparently very interested in getting a copy of the pic's. They have also said they talking to their people who monitor both the paper mill and sewage outfalls.

So maybe some thing will happen, i ceretainly hope so, i just can't help but thinking if it was me discharging all that crap into the river i would have locked up by now. Why it has not been stopped years ago is way beyond my understanding.

Cheers,
John.

[NAGG]

Update on Pollution.

Letter and pictures sent to my local State Government.

Youngharry52 also rang the EPA and gave them a stir, they are apparently very interested in getting a copy of the pic's. They have also said they talking to their people who monitor both the paper mill and sewage outfalls.

So maybe some thing will happen, i ceretainly hope so, i just can't help but thinking if it was me discharging all that crap into the river i would have locked up by now. Why it has not been stopped years ago is way beyond my understanding.

Cheers,
John.


Good onya John for notifying the authorities ......... That just shouldn't be happening!

Besides
This world aint big enough for 2 toxic waste dumps ;)

Chris

[chief]

good work on the fish and great work on the follow up on the pollution. I've contacted the EPA many times. They actually have returned emails, written me letters and I've been called on my mobile and had 1/2 hour conversations on some of my concerns where they were very interested in finer details . I've never been imformed of action taken which is a concern But if we keep in their faces and report incidents we may get a result and protect our water ways around SEQ..Well Done Crew

[Nico.d.R]

33223
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[Obi _ Wan]

Hey Nico, you didn't say when you took those pic's, i heard a whisper that it was on Saturday 16/08/08, three days after i took the original photo's.

You can see your pic's show the tide rising where my pic's showed the tide falling.

Mate i ask you, please to email those pic's to the EPA, state the time and date and position of the outfall.
It could help, and us fishermen need all the help we can get to protect our rights to fish in non polluted water, if you dumped that crap into the river you would be charged within hours.

Cheers,
John.

[Nico.d.R]

will do john , do you have the email address you sent the other photos to ?

cheers nico

ps. ill see if my mum can get anything done at work , she works at the council and i think they might have epa people there .

[Nico.d.R]

i thought i would post this just incase anybody wants to know whats happening with the poo pipe (paper mill) in the pine , this is a email i recieved today after sending a letter and some photos yesterday .

cheers nico


Hi Nico,

Thank you for these details.
I undertook some water samples at the release point yesterday after a report that it was releasing a white liquid again.
The samples have been sent for analysis, which may take a few weeks for the results to come back. I will continue to investigate the issue and will let you know the outcome.

[baitwaster]

Good work Nico, at least it looks like something is getting done about it.

[Nico.d.R]

are you having a sicky today to shane ? or are you at work.

cheers nico

[baitwaster]

I am at work mate.

Are you crook? ;)

[Obi _ Wan]

Thats good stuff Nico,

I was the guy who was up the Pine yesterday and reported the discharge to the EPA.
I also got the email this morning and i also spoke to the lass, who was quite supprised at the smell of the crap. Apparently the paper mill has a licence to dischage certain matter into the river, just what i am not sure. The results of the tests are due in about two weeks.

However i believe that the licence is due for renewal and the EPA have some scientists looking at what they will be allowed to discharge.

I hope the EPA enforce the company concerned to treat the waste to the level of the recycled water that they are pumping out of the Luggage Point Treatment plant these days.

Cheers,
John.
PS, I also took some more photo's which i am holding for the EPA if they need them, she said she would let me know if they were required.

[Obi _ Wan]

It would be tremendous if all you guys and gals who fish the Pine River could contact the EPA and make a complaint about the condition of the river as a result of the crap that is being released into it by industry :) To date i only know of three people who have made a complaint not enough :(

In fact i will ask you all, Please submit a complaint, it could make a difference :)

Wouldn't it be great if the river could be returned to a condition similar to the lower reaches of the Brisbane River ;D

Just think, snapper at the Bruce Hwy bridges, salmon in both the Nth & Sth Pine and perhaps more mangrove jack would inhabit the river 8-)

Now wouldn't that be fantastic?:)

Thanking you all in anticipation.

John.

[baitwaster]

John,

could you post up where you sent your complaint and I will send one today.

Thanks

[Obi _ Wan]

Good on ya baitwaster, thanks, details as follows.

EPA, North Region, Environmental Services, Phone -- 32251079. Fax---32258495.

Email Officer. nadine.cramp@epa.qld.gov.au

Many Thanks,

John.

[baitwaster]

E-mail sent today....

Nadine,

I am writing to make you aware of what I think may be a problem in the
Pine River. Near the paper mill, there is an outlet pipe that seems to be
pumping quite a lot of waste into the river. I thought it may just be a
harmless result of the milling process, but the stench that it gives off
must be experienced to be beleived.

I am a recreational angler and used to enjoy taking a feed of fish
home every now and then for my family, but I have had to release all
fish I catch in the area for fear of making my young daughter sick.

When the pumps are running, a white milky fluid is emitted from the
outlet that is quite visible and disturbing.

Could you let me know if the E.P.A. are aware of this, if fish from the
area are safe for human consumption, and what steps are, or can be
taken to remedy the situation.

You can understand that with all the restrictions that are about to be
placed on rec. fishing, I am more than a little concerned as to why
such blatant and obvious pollution is allowed to continue unchecked
and unabated, possibly decimating fish stocks in the area.

Once the fish have died in the area, there will no doubt be a report
issued blaming overfishing by recreational anglers for the decline in
fish numbers. If it gets to that point, it will be too late.

[BrandonH]

Great email mate!! good to see. Hopefully something will come of it soon.

cheers
Brandon...

[richieboy]

Sh!t out of pipe=colour change............mmmmmm colour changes are what I look for!!
Good post Brandon.

Rich

[baitwaster]

Got a response from Nadine...




Good morning Shane,
Just a quick update regarding the white water release into the North Pine River near the Amcor site. There has been an issue identified on site with the water quality and Amcor have taken a number of steps to firstly cease the water release into the River. I have been out on site and can confirm that the release has been stopped.
Amcor are also reviewing their systems to ensure the water quality release limits in their licence are met.
Thank you again for bringing this issue to my attention. Please feel free to contact me should you have any further queries.
regards



Nadine Cramp
North Region
Environmental Services
Environmental Protection Agency


Looks like we may have had some impact guys. - well done.

[Didley]

Good on ya boys:laola::laola:

[BrandonH]

Thats good news!! thanks for the update Shane:)

How did the bike project go this weekend?

cheers
Brandon..

[baitwaster]

250 Hp at the rear wheel on 8Lb boost..... very frikkin scary mate :o
I hit full boost in first accidentally, did a burnout and wheelie at the same time, and then went to buy some new undies.

Some footage of the dyno run if you wanna have a look. The microphone in my phone couldn't handle the noise real well though.

http://s27.photobucket.com/albums/c194/m8eee/vids/?action=view&current=dyno.flv