Funds obtained to start reef project in Pumicestone Passage

[Ben D]

Funding has been obtained from Moreton Bay Regional Council and Unity Water to match those raised by the Pumicestone Passage restocking Association to begin the process of surveys and permitting for research into shellfish reef restoration in Pumicestone Passage. For more information see reports at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oih1gajfaO0 and

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-03-1...assage/7257694

[Gon Fishun]

That's all well and good, but, what are they doing about the Asians that are absolutely raping the oyster beds out from Oxley park (near Cooks Rocks) Sandstone Point. They are carrying out bucket loads
I personally know people that have reported this to the fisheries and yet" nothing". The perpetrators have been warned time and time again by the public, yet continue to illegally take what they like.

[Fillet`n`Release]

I've heard rumors of this for a while, and I saw another article on the news a few weeks ago mentioning that it might happen. So this is more encouraging again. I fish quite a bit around the southern end of the passage, and the structure that is the "old" oyster beds etc. I'm looking forward to seeing improvement, can only be better than doing nothing.

On the note of illegal fishing, there was a big customs/fisheries boat anchored out off Sandstone Point a few weeks ago, and I heard they were checking every boat coming and going from the passage. Not sure about shoreline landbased people though. It is disheartening.

[Feral]

Good on them for cracking some funding.
Almost impossible these days of tight wad governments.

[Ben D]

That's all well and good, but, what are they doing about the Asians that are absolutely raping the oyster beds out from Oxley park (near Cooks Rocks) Sandstone Point. They are carrying out bucket loads
I personally know people that have reported this to the fisheries and yet" nothing". The perpetrators have been warned time and time again by the public, yet continue to illegally take what they like.

This is happening elsewhere too. The shellfish reefs we are planning to research are subtidal, they are for environmental rehabilitation so the shellfish in them are not for eating and would/should not be fished - anyone who tries to plunder a research reef would need diving gear and/or dredges and should expect to be watched very carefully and we would hopefully expect them to bear the full weight of the law (e.g. losing boats and other equipment) once caught.