Recreational Fishing Havens

[nigelr]

Sorry, I think this maybe won't be relevent to all you Qlders.
I'm hoping someone knows the regulations in regards to beach haul netting at the mouths of rivers designated as Recreational Fishing Havens.
Here on the Bellinger we presently have a crew encamped immediately adjacent to the northern river mouth, complete with nets, tubs, two boats (one a jet-boat), several vehicles, just awaiting the immenent mullet run, downstream to the sea.
The DPI site states in regard to the Bellinger River Recreational Fishing Haven as being 'completely closed' to commercial activity. Not a very comprehensive description.
As you might appreciate, the local rec fishos are anxious to find whether these guys are operating within the law.
Is there a 'buffer zone' of exclusion from commercial activity in regards to beach haul within a certain distance of the actual rivermouth?.
The same crew were here 4-5 years ago and took out an estimated couple of tonne of mulloway, quite a substantial amount from a relatively small system, claimed to be 'by-catch', before having the book thrown at them for a multiplicity of illegal activities.
Needless to say they made no friends with either the locals or the local authorities, and few mullet were actually taken.
To date NSW Fisheries have been noticable by their absence, hopefully this will change at 9am Monday morning!
Any feedback gratefully received.
Cheers.

[mylestom]

Nigelr,

Have sent a emails to the addresses on the web site for infor from Fisheries. But just get them back.

All seems very vague with the information where ever you try on their web resources.

Have sent a request to the only other addressess which didn't return

information-advisory@dpi.nsw.gov.au


Would really like to find out what the use of buying up all the commercial netters in the river. Then let the beach haulers catch the same fish as they come out the rivermouth.

Seems a waste of recreational licence fees for not much result.

Noticed boat disappeared for awhile today, but they left spotter at mouth of river in old 4wd drive.

A lot of upset people at Urunga as well, but no one knows what the regulations are or where to find them


Trev

[FNQCairns]

Here in Cairns we have trinity inlet closed to commercial netting, that is the public govt face on it but a while ago some recfisho's cut some pro's nets only to have fisheries issue a statement some were still allowed to net by law.
Hope your situation is less the 'believed to be doing something that makes a difference' than 'actually doing something that makes a difference' like the govt yobo's up here.

It either is or it isn't how hard is that!

good luck they do lot's of damage.

cheers fnq

[disorderly]

Hi Nigel,

I'm no help in regards to the legality of what they are doing,But I certainly admire your resolve in finding out and trying to keep them honest.Estuary and inshore netting and trawling are a real bugbear of mine ,so good luck.

Scott

[nigelr]

Thanks Trev, hopefully some positive input/info from the local Council, DPI today.
Have to agree with your rationale.
Thanks FNQ for your sentiments, be nice to actually see Fisheries doing something pro-active, rather than just paying for the illusion, as you no doubt are aware we have licence fees down here.
Thanks for your support Disorderly, I'm sure there are many, many rec fishos who share similar concerns to these.
Personally I find it hard to figure how these guys can make any sort of a living out of this practice.
Cheers to all.

[HORTO]

there not allowed on the southern side (1km south from the southern training wall of the Bellinger River) but not sure about north beach.

http://www.fisheries.nsw.gov.au/comm...losure_listing

hope you hear something back

my family just moved down to your area, i'll be up visiting in a few weeks.
currently in tassie studying BASc in fisheries so hopefully one day i'll be in a position to make a difference.

good luck

i hope they are told to leave before they do damage.

[nigelr]

Thanks for that Horto.
Will be good to have you aboard.
Hope your family enjoy it here!

[longtail]

Hi nigelr , i have family in Nambucca heads and whenever we go down to visit we have a fish in the bellinger . would like to hear the outcome of this mate , and i hope you get some straight answers from fisheries soon.


Jason.

[mylestom]

Nigel have downloaded and read most of the 165 pages of the Fishery Management Strategy for the Ocean Hauling Fishery.
Dated feb2003. Most of it contained trigger dates and points with no follow up attachments to document. The document as a basis for a fishery does not seem to be current.

The closure of Hungry Head 1km south from the Southern Training wall of the Bellinger River is included. However that is under Regional Liaision Process closures which are supposed to be reviewed every two years.

The question would have to be asked who is on the process and when was the last meeting held and where are the records.

Seems to be a large document with not much substance. Mostly out of date and no mention of where to obtain current information.

Upon query to Fisheries this day they state the CODE OF CONDUCT by the Commercial Fishery is Voluntary however all documentation seems state MANDATORY.

The code of conduct covers issues like vehicle speed limits on beaches, use of agree access points, avoiding environmental damage and incorporates local arrangements with Councils.


It is supposed to be reviewed each year, but where you find this info seems to elude the searches that I had tried.



Further of interest is that spotting of fishes is only from beach. According to document. That means that Licenced Fishing Boats are part of their fishing equipment of professional fisher and therefore not allowed into the Kalang or Bellinger River.

According to a reliable rumour seems like their boats have been spotted up around Brownleys Lane at Fernmount in the last fortnight. While not fishing they are still not allowed with their equipment ie boats.


Enough from me, maybe someone else can help to points us in the right direction to find current and reliable information.


Trev

[nigelr]

Thanks for your interest and support longtail.
As Mylestom has revealed, getting straight stories from Fisheries may be a little difficult. Fortunately the local State MP is taking an interest in this matter, he has a reputation for achieving results, so we shall see. Amazing what movements a question asked on the floor of NSW Parliament can entrain within the bowels of Public Servants.
Will post updated as they occur.
Cheers.

[kingyfisher]

I wish you all the best in your quest for common sense from DPI (fisheries) Nigel.But I fear that nothing will progress until the present Minister is removed. I love the Urunga area and lived there for 2 yrs when fishing was legal in the river,some years they used to completely cross the river (with a small zig-zag gap for boat traffic) with nets.......this was highly illegal even in those relaxed times. Many times they also stripped the mullet of roe and dumped the dead fish off the beach too. Once again good luck in trying" to keep the bastards honest"

[nigelr]

Thanks for your comments and support kingyfisher.
At present we are trying to obtain the current Operating Guidelines for the NSW Ocean Haul Fishery, as well as the 2007 Ocean Haul Fishery Code of Conduct.
Our local DPI Fisheries claims to be presently unable to locate this information, we shall see, if necessary our local Member, Andrew Fraser, may be able to help us in this regard.
Cheers.

[mylestom]

Nigel call back from fisheries tonight and advised that info was in www.legislation.nsw.gov.au Fisheries management (Ocean Hauling Share Management Plant) Regulation 2006 (2006-736) updated 5feb2007.

Doesnt seem to answer any questions.

In regard to Code of conduct Ref
DRAFT OUTCOMES OF THE OHMAC MEETING 09 AUGUST 2006 Agenda item 5.
States that " An update on the status of the Code of Conduct/Practice (COP) was provided.
Awaiting DPI Review?

Very hard to get a straight answers and lots of little alleys leading nowhere.

Typical Govt Dept.


Trev

[nigelr]

Thanks for that update, Trev, will have a read.
Seems Bellingen Shire Council made an application in 2004 to have access denied in the wake of the events that occurred at the Bellinger rivermouth that year, involving the travelling Qld Ocean Haulers.
Apparently that application was denied by the relevent NSW Govt department.
Cheers.

[nigelr]

The combined opinion of fellow local fisher Mylestom and myself, after studying the various legislations and regulations pertaining to the Ocean Haul Fishery Beach Haul Netters is that they can pretty much do what they want, catch what they want and fish where they want, apart from those areas specified as being closed to them.
While ostensibly targetting sea or any other species from the mullet family, dart, salmon, luderick,sand whiting or yellowfin bream, they can also take blue mackeral, Spanish mackeral, Frigate mackeral, Longtail tuna, mackeral tuna, three species of bonito, mulloway, sweep, diamond fish and tarwhine.
What irks those of us here is that after having the Bellinger River declared a Rec Fishing Haven, and thus removing the pro fishers from the river, travelling haul netters can target the fish supposedly protected by this move, as they make their way to sea.
There is also the issue of the mulloway stocking program, paid for by rec fishers' licence fees. The pros must be grinning as they take them from the Richmond and Tweed rivers, thanks rec fishers!
I noted with interest in the minutes of the Advisory Council on Recreational Fishing meeting of 28 Sept 2006, the Commercial Fishermans' Co-op had written a letter to the NSW Minister responsible 'regarding reviews of Recreational Fishing Havens'.
Thankfully the Council did not support the proposal to review RFHs.
Signs of things to come for NSW Rec fishos?
All this for what?
'On average 3,500 tonnes of fish is taken each year, mainly sea mullet (Mugil cephalus), luderick (Girella tricuspidata), yellowtail scad (Trachurus novaezelandiae), blue mackerel (Scomber australasicus), pilchards (Sardinops sagax) and sea garfish (Hyporhamphus australis). This catch is worth around $6 million at first point of sale.'
To quote the DPI website.
Recreational fishing would spin off 10 times this in NSW alone, IMHO, as a very rough and conservative guestimate.
Enough doom and gloom for now, I will post any updates as they happen, if they happen!
Cheers and thanks all for your support.