Big Barra Transfer from Fresh to Salt Water.

[brisbane_boy]

Thanks to qld fisheries allowing aggressive netting for barra the wild stocks arent flash, cant see this helping the recreational fishery untill changes are made.

dam fishing doesnt have much on the wild fishing, go to darwin for real action but it does have extra large size, i think itd be wrong to bandaid fix another fishery and take away the only thing going for another.

[nickstock]

is there any polly we can vote for soon who loves his barra fishin

None that are in power in QLD. North Queensland's local members are all spineless bastards that refuse to take notice on any form of illegal fishing in Cape York.

The amount of illegal fishing practices that take part in remote areas of Cape York every day is terrible, and the QLD Fisheries monitoring (or lack of it) this fishery makes me embarrassed to be a Queenslander.

Nick Stock

[Pridey]

None that are in power in QLD. North Queensland's local members are all spineless bastards that refuse to take notice on any form of illegal fishing in Cape York. Nick Stock

Totally agree mate, its disgusting and embarassing! If it weren't politics it would be criminal negligence !

[Steve B]

Below is a small part of a BushnBeach story I wrote in 2007, at the time the stocking group (MASA) were still working on its implementation so I don't how it went or even if it's still in place now. One of the main MASA members driving the project was a fisheries scientist of many years experience. I remember being very impressed at how proactive the whole stocking group were in everything they did and how hard they were working to be relevant in the local community. Personally I don't really have a strong opinion either way about their plans to release a few big fish into the Kolan River (some dams lose thousands over the wall in floods), as long as they have DPI approval (8 per year I think on the DPI permit) but I do have a strong opinion that as the stocking group that does all the work, runs the big comp to raise funds, and purchases the fish at Mondy, MASA have the right to decide for themselves how they develope that fishery, re taking out a small amount of the big girls. They wanted a fishery where the average angler with average gear and a S.I.P could stand a good chance of catching a barra, not just the very experienced guys with the best gear. I'm not speaking for MASA, it's what I was told at the time and it could have changed by now. I know there were plenty on this site that lined up to give it to MASA about their plans but then that's the Ausfish way sometimes isn't it. It wasn't Dale's point some had a prob with but the issue of removing big fish.
Also looking at it from a gene pool point of veiw some freshwater sections of the Burnett have been stocked with barra for years before Paradise dam was built, and water flows over all the weirs to the salt every year. I'm sure there'd be a few more rivers flowing to the salt that are stocked with barra.
Cheers

Stage two of the project, (due for completion in 2008) is aimed at the long-term sustainability of the Lake Monduran fishery. MASA releases an average of 100,000 barra and 120,000 bass fingerlings into the lake each year so to reduce cannibalisation and allow a higher percentage of the fingerlings a chance to reach maturity, they encourage anglers to consider taking home a percentage of any large barramundi landed (observing size and bag limits). Alternativly anglers will have the opportunity to donate large barra back to MASA by placing them in a holding cage that will be permanently moored across from the ramp. Once installed the cage will be regularly cleared and the barra tranquillised before being transported to the purging tanks also located in the club's new building. The seven day purging process is designed to improve the fishes eating qualities prior to being processed and cooked by the Bundaberg Meals on Wheels for some of their 300 elderly and disabled clients.
MASA also has a DPI permit to release a limited number of large barra each year into freshwater parts of the lower Kolan River. These fish should then be able to migrate downstream and boost the local population of breeding barramundi.

Mike,

As part of MASA, and pretty much have a good idea of what goes on. I can tell you, no fish have been released in the Kolan (since 2007) and no fish have gone to the pensioners plates. I think 3 fish have been placed in the trap (or ski jump as its affectionally known) and all died prior to purging.

Stocking numbers are pretty much as quoted, although I think bass are a bit less....about 100,000 barra a year 80,000 odd bass.

For letting big barra go in the salt?? I like the idea, but the logistics are impossible...or damn hard at best to get big fish safely (and alive) to a river...need a big livewell

Cheers Steve

[gladbream]

steve
i wacked 12,000 in south kolan this year at 100mm, is this the same river system? (dunno about this, as i am not familiar with the system).. bass have been released each year by the bundy sportfishing group. nice guys them people (as like most restocking group). hope you can clear this system up steve cause im keen to check it out one day, what is the salt like for other species down stream?

cheers
kh

[Mike Delisser]

Mike,

As part of MASA, and pretty much have a good idea of what goes on. I can tell you, no fish have been released in the Kolan (since 2007) and no fish have gone to the pensioners plates. I think 3 fish have been placed in the trap (or ski jump as its affectionally known) and all died prior to purging.

Stocking numbers are pretty much as quoted, although I think bass are a bit less....about 100,000 barra a year 80,000 odd bass.

For letting big barra go in the salt?? I like the idea, but the logistics are impossible...or damn hard at best to get big fish safely (and alive) to a river...need a big livewell

Cheers Steve

Thanks Steve, I can only go by what MASA told me, and like I said those were their plans back in Aug 2007 and I wasn't aware if the later part was still running or even ever came to fruition. It's old news now, but here's the whole article if anyone is interested. Maybe parts of their project were a bit ambitious but again, the thing that impressed me most about MASA was how proactive they were and the effort they were making to conect with not only other anglers but their whole community.
Cheers
Mike Delisser

Back in the July issue of BushnBeach I reported on the great time I had bass fishing at Lake Monduran just north of Gin Gin. I also briefly mentioned the innovative project that's being developed by the Monduran Anglers and Stocking Association (MASA). Well I returned a few weeks later for another crack at the bass and managed to drag myself away from the water just long enough to chat with MASA members Ian Jensen and Chris Lupton.
These guys along with the other members are truly passionate about fish stocking and the benefits it can bring to their local community. They took the time to explain some of the concepts behind the project and show me around the club's impressive new building located just behind the camping ground kiosk.
The first stage of this ambitious project involves several displays of live Australian native and introduced noxious fish. It's almost complete and should be open for free public viewing seven days a week from early November. Each tank has been set up with multiple viewing windows positioned at various heights to accommodate adults, children, even persons in wheelchairs. Two large 16,000ltr fibreglass tanks will contain a selection of large barramundi, bass, silver perch, Barcoo grunter, sleepy and Mary River cod while a 8,000ltr tank will house a collection of smaller local natives such as rainbows, fly speckled hardyheads and gudgeons. A fourth tank will house a display of introduced noxious fish, this should assist the public with the identification of undesirables such as European carp and tilapia.
In addition to the live fish displays the interior walls of the building are already decked out with a range of informative posters. These detail the identification, biology and habitat requirements of the local fish species as well as information and handouts on how and where to target some of Monduran's famous metre plus barramundi, a must for visiting anglers.

One of MASA's main aims is to enhance the public's knowledge of the fishery and I have no doubts this facility will play a huge part in achieving this. Already regional schools have indicated considerable interest in using the viewing tanks as a learning tool.

Stage two of the project, (due for completion in 2008) is aimed at the long-term sustainability of the Lake Monduran fishery. MASA releases an average of 100,000 barra and 120,000 bass fingerlings into the lake each year so to reduce cannibalisation and allow a higher percentage of the fingerlings a chance to reach maturity, they encourage anglers to consider taking home a percentage of any large barramundi landed (observing size and bag limits). Alternativly anglers will have the opportunity to donate large barra back to MASA by placing them in a holding cage that will be permanently moored across from the ramp. Once installed the cage will be regularly cleared and the barra tranquillised before being transported to the purging tanks also located in the club's new building. The seven day purging process is designed to improve the fishes eating qualities prior to being processed and cooked by the Bundaberg Meals on Wheels for some of their 300 elderly and disabled clients.
MASA also has a DPI permit to release a limited number of large barra each year into freshwater parts of the lower Kolan River. These fish should then be able to migrate downstream and boost the local population of breeding barramundi.

This ambitious plan is now turning into reality thanks to a Federal Recreational Fishing Grant and assistance from Qld DPI & Fisheries, Nylex, Clipsal Australia, Pierlite, J & R McCracken, Kolan & District Electric, the Kolan Shire Council and the countless hours of hard work by members. When completed the project should enhance the wider community's relationship with the stocking group and the fishery, and that's got to be a good thing.
You can also help support MASA and enjoy a great weekend at the same time by entering the Win TV Monduran Family Fishing Classic. It's one of the most popular and best run freshwater comps in Qld and this year's event will be on the 13-14th of October. There are heaps of prizes up for grabs including some great gear from Bundaberg Tackle World and an $8000 Stacer boat, motor, trailer package put together by Adrian's Marine. For more information phone John Finlay on #### ####.

[Kev_McC]

There are 5 different stocking groups (maybe 4 now?) putting barra in to the Fitzroy River system, at Clermont, Emerald, Blackwater, Moura, and Rocky. Earlier this year there were reasonable numbers of tag recaptures of fish from Theresa Creek Dam near Clermont, from both pro and rec fishers in the estuarine reaches of the Fitzroy below Rocky. These fish made their way about 600km by river over about a month during the flood events in Jan and Feb.
In previous years there have been significant numbers of recaptures downstream from Rocky resulting from stockings in the Dawson R above the weir at Moura as well.

There's no doubt that freshwater stocking group activities can and do contribute to wild fisheries. It's a shame though that so many of them make the massive journey and then run into nets as soon as they get to the salt.

[Lovey80]

Wow some great feedback there lads thanks. It seems the biggest hurdle would be getting Commercial Free systems to release fish into. I just had a second thought about my salt licence comment. I suppose it was a redundant comment anyway as the costs involved in spending Salt Angler funds on relocating big barra from Salt to fresh (at fairly low numbers I guess) would not be justifiable when you consider the costs of actually stocking of fingerlings into the systems that you have made Rec Fishing Havens. So I guess that sounded pretty stupid when I read it a second time.. I thought to myself " Why would you spend considerable amounts of time and money moving tens to possibly 100 fish a year from the fresh to the salt so they "may" breed (after making it a RFH) when you could spend the same amount and simply purchase a heap more fingerlings and introduced them"?

Thanks for the input lads it was a good discussion.

It would be cool though (RFH) spotted up the QLD coast? I'd like to see the first one start in the Noosa River and the beaches up to and including Fraser island to help bring back the tailor numbers in that area.

I bet Slider would love that too

Cheers

Chris

[Steve B]

steve
i wacked 12,000 in south kolan this year at 100mm, is this the same river system? (dunno about this, as i am not familiar with the system).. bass have been released each year by the bundy sportfishing group. nice guys them people (as like most restocking group). hope you can clear this system up steve cause im keen to check it out one day, what is the salt like for other species down stream?

cheers
kh

Kurt,

I think you put the 12,000 in the Burnett river at Ceders Crossing?? for the Bundy sports fishing assoc. They have been stocking it for a while I am told.. They also stock Isis with bass, and its now one of the best bass fisheries in QLD, IMHO. They are a good bunch too, and work hard putting fish in here and there.

Mike, It was a plan and still is I suppose to relocate, they are permitted to do so, and I would like to see it happen too.. Hardest thing is getting fish alive and healthy back to the purging tanks. The facility the MASA guys set up (viewing tanks etc) is absoultey spectacular and should be visited if anyone goes to Monduran. Chris Lupton especially plays a massive role in the science side of the project. The MASA viewing tanks and shed facility has all been named after Chris for the hard work and effort he, and the rest of the MASA mob then put into setting it all up. The stocking keeps rolling on, I think we have another 50,000 barra or so to stock in November...not sure about bass numbers.

Anyway, look forward to catching up with you at sommerset this weekend if your still going.

Cheers Steve

[warrior]

None that are in power in QLD. North Queensland's local members are all spineless bastards that refuse to take notice on any form of illegal fishing in Cape York.

The amount of illegal fishing practices that take part in remote areas of Cape York every day is terrible, and the QLD Fisheries monitoring (or lack of it) this fishery makes me embarrassed to be a Queenslander.

Nick Stock

nick a similar thing happens here in the bay illegal fish taking is rife in a lot of areas seems there is blind eyes everywhere we lose lots of barra here to netting too