OVERWHELMING RESPONSE TO PLAN REVIEW
Thank you to everyone who provided input to the Fisheries (Freshwater) Management Plan review. The QFS received close to 300 responses, all of which will be taken into consideration when the Freshwater MAC reviews the responses in October. Further updates will follow in the next Stocking Snippets. Anita Wohlsen

GROUPS NOTIFIED OF FUNDS FOR STOCKING
Stocking groups eligible to receive funds from the Recreational Fishing Enhancement Program base funds have now been notified of their allocations. Stocking groups will now receive a monetary grant to purchase fingerlings or to help with the production/growout of fingerlings.
I would like to remind you that to receive a monetary grant from DPI, your stocking group must be incorporated and needs an ABN. We have recently sent your group a letter to check these details (Incorporation number, ABN). Please return these details as soon as possible, to enable processing of grants to continue. Michelle Hollaway

MULLET GROWTH IN THE CABOOLTURE RIVER
A number of stocking groups have expressed interest in stocking mullet. A recent survey on the Caboolture River provides some idea of the growth of mullet in the 'wild’. The Caboolture Shire Fish Stocking Group have been the first group to stock sea mullet. They purchased 5,300 mullet from the Gladstone Area Water Board (GAWB) hatchery as 50 mm to 60 mm fingerlings. These were released on the 28th of November 2000.
An electrofishing survey on the 30th May 2001 collected 11 of these fish. The smallest was 190 mm and the largest 219 mm - excellent growth considering that they had been in the river for only 6 months. Compare this with bass, stocked a couple of weeks after the mullet, which ranged from 130 mm to 140 mm.
Availability of mullet is a problem as they are not an easy species to produce and the GAWB hatchery has been the only one, up to now, selling to the public. Alex Hamlyn

ENFORCEMENT OF PERMITS BEGINS
In July, the Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol (QBFP) commenced enforcement action with regard to the requirement to hold a Stocked Impoundment Permit. It is illegal to fish in any of the 25 impoundments on the scheme without possessing a current permit and offenders may be prosecuted. Anita Wohlsen

FISHWAY EXPERTS GET TOGETHER IN QLD
The Third Australian Technical Workshop on Fishways is being held on the Sunshine Coast this week. Over 80 biologists, engineers, fisheries and water managers are expected to attend with delegates coming from most Australian states as well as New Zealand and Canada.
Workshop presentations will cover a range of topics including the use of fishways to control carp, fishway design innovations, a number of Australian and NZ case studies and fishways catering for particular species such as juvenile eels.
Queensland fishway design innovations will also be on show during a field trip to the Burnett and Mary river fishways.
Qld fishway work over the last 4 years has resulted in eight dams and weirs installed with successful fishways. Fishways are vital for the ongoing survival of our native fish, such as barramundi and bass as it allows them to move downstream to spawn. Claire Peterken

Past editions of Stocking Snippets are online at : http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/fishweb/6229.html