Port Stephens - Sat 27-Tues 30 Sep

[Shnappahead]

Hi guys,

My brother & I are heading up to Port Stephens late Sept to do some capming & I thought this would be a great opportunity to meet some of you & head out for a fish....either offshore (we have a boat) or rockhopping.

If you could let me know if anyone is at all interested, that would be great.

Cheers,
Adz

[bondy99]

Port Stephens, my home town a long time ago. I'm in Brisbane now, but if I was down there I'd say welcome and would be good to go for a fish either boat or rock hopping. Deep sea is better though.

Peter

[Shnappahead]

Yeah Im hoping to go Deep sea on the Broady charter in Feb sometime...but really wanna get into close headland or rock fishing....being a newbie and all!

[Blackjenny]

Hi Shnappahead. Blackjack and I will have been living at Tea Gardens for a week when you are up this way. We wouldn't really be able to help you much because we haven't had enough boating experience ourselves. Which side are you staying on, the Nelson Bay side or our side - the Tea Gardens side? (it's about an hours drive by car)

I am sure you won't have too many problems finding some good spots either in the harbour or around the heads. The Myall River (TG side) is no good at the moment because of too much fresh water killing the fish and threatening the oysters . It made front page headlines in the Newcastle Herald.

Anyway, have a good time and keep us posted with pic's and good news.
Best of luck .

P.S. Be careful to keep out of the Green Zones or the fines are not a lot of fun.
Found the story on-line:
Weather hurting estuary


MATTHEW KELLY
3/09/2008 10:13:00 AM
PLUMMETING salinity has been officially linked to a massive fish kill in the Myall Lakes in recent weeks.In addition, Department of Primary Industries scientists believe a prolonged stretch of cold weather has combined to increase stress levels of marine life in the estuary.
Many locals also believe pollutants, such as acid-sulphate run-off, could also be affecting water quality.
Following recent Herald reports on increasing public anxiety about the marine park's health, the department confirmed yesterday that testing of dead fish revealed they were suffering from the fungal illness Saprolegniosis, also known as winter disease.
The fungus is different to red spot disease, which is also occurring in the area.
"Commercial fishers have reported seeing more dead fish in the Myall Lakes area, including some that are ulcerated," aquatic biosecurity manager Jane Frances said.
"If caught, fish with severe ulcerations should not be eaten or thrown back."
Low salinity levels, which were recorded at eight parts per thousand last week, also resulted in the suspension of oyster harvesting around Tea Gardens. Harvesting can not resume until salinity levels increase to at least 18 parts per thousand.
The situation is expected to improve over time.
***The Herald highlighted yesterday concerns about the ability of the river mouth to flush effectively due to the build-up of sediment on the eastern side of Corrie Island.
A Department of Environment and Climate Change spokeswoman said the department's experts were satisfied enough water was able to pass through the river mouth via the island's north-western passage.
But member for Port Stephens Craig Baumann, who inspected the area yesterday, said the situation needed the State Government's urgent attention.


***I find this bit interesting. I wonder if it has anything to do with the sand dredging going on at Jimmy's Beach at the moment. See this thread: http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/sho...d.php?t=122123

Quote from that post from 28 Aug 2008:
Re: Port Stephens and Jarvis Bay
Quote:
Originally Posted by bondy99
It was pitch black too.

The bar needs to be deepen and or dredged to make it safer.

I would not fancy heading out under those conditions bondy. And definitely never in the dark at any time. That is a brave thing to do and only for you Pro's/highly experienced fisho's.

I agree with you about the dredging. Funny thing is though, that at the moment, there is some dredging going on at Jimmy's Beach. Sand is being pumped to Winda Woppa (further along the same beach a kilometre or so for those who don't know the area) in another attempt to stabilise the shoreline there.

I'm not happy because they've exposed some rocks where you used to be able to bring your boat into a dear little sandy bay. It has changed the dynamics of the fishing too is my bet. I hope my favourite spot (flathead, whiting, bream) from the rocks further along the wall hasn't been wiped out - or else! Not happy Jan.

Many of the locals say it is a complete waste of money (about $1million) and won't solve the problem (waves eroding the sand and shoreline) that occurs with monotonous regularity. Fact is that the residents opposite that shoreline all have homes in the million dollar and over bracket. Maybe it's a case of the local council having to appease some very disgruntled homeowners.

This problem has been in the headlines here since I was a girl. It seems everything they try....well they are still trying.

[Blackjenny]

I found this article too from the Newcastle Herald for your information Shnappa. Funny thing is Corrie Island is not very far from Winda Woppa. Won't stop you from having a good time though . Cheers.


Sick Myall river raises pollution fears

BY MATTHEW KELLY

1/09/2008 11:07:00 PM
A DEADLY mixture of low salinity and pollution has been blamed for crippling the Myall Lakes estuary, resulting in the death of thousands of fish and the suspension of oyster harvesting in the area.A build-up of sediment around the river mouth, restricting the estuary's ability to flush, is compounding the situation.
"This is meant to be a marine park, we need to fix this before the whole thing goes under," recreational angler Andrew Sharp said.
Salinity levels around Tea Gardens plummeted to eight parts per thousand last week, compared to 35 parts per thousand for seawater.
Readings have to reach 18 parts per thousand before oyster harvesting in the area can resume.
The delayed effect of heavy rainfall earlier in the year is suspected of causing the low salinity.
"It is a very low reading," Port Stephens councillor and retired marine biologist John Nell said.
"Fish and oysters in those conditions would find it very stressful; they wouldn't last long."
Thousands of fish have been caught or found dead in the past fortnight suffering from grotesque fungal illnesses.
"I caught 12 bream last week; they all had red spot on them but that one [pictured at right] was the worst affected," long-time Tea Gardens resident Gordon Grainger said.
Several commercial fishermen have stopped fishing in the area, because of concerns about the health of fish in the estuary.
Cr Nell said he suspected the combined effect of low salinity and pollutant, possibly acid-sulphate run-off, had caused the fish kill.
"It's probably a bit of a combination of the two," he said.
"The low salinity would be the primary factor but the acid sulphate would be aggravating it."
A Department of Primary Industries spokesman said it was taking longer than expected to do tests on fish taken from the area 10 days ago.
Mr Grainger said water in the estuary had become noticeably more stagnant.
"It's full of colloid [suspended particles] mud," he said. "It's just not clearing at the mouth."
It is widely believed that sand being dumped at Jimmys Beach to prevent erosion but which is washing around into the river mouth is compounding the sedimentation.
"It's such a huge lake system but it has quite a narrow outlet and the neck of the bottle is getting narrower," Port Stephens Shellfish Program chairman Don Burgoyne said.
A secondary impact of the sedimentation could be the introduction of feral pests onto Corrie Island nature reserve, Mr Grainger said.

[Shnappahead]

Awesome, thanks for the heads-up blackjenny.
I'd be happy to catch up with you guys for a rock fish or some beach fishing, if you would prefer...what ever works for you!
If ya like I can PM u & give u my mobile # & see how things go??...we're staying down in Lemon Tree Passage, on oyster farm road, which I think is a little ways away but still, we have transport so wouldnt be a problem if u wanted to meet half way?...let me know anyway.

[Blackjenny]

PM sent. Good luck and happy fishing Shnappa.