Fishing Victoria Forum

Hi all. We have started an online petition on change.org.au, to the Minister for Agriculture Jaala Pulford. We believe the current plan to increase the 400 metre ban on commercial netting of fish at river mouths into the lakes by 50% does not go far enough. The Gippsland Lakes have suffered a decline in fish stocks over the last three decades. Much of this decline can be attributed to commercial netting.

:water: :water:
Thanks Warrship

Whats the alternative to supply seafood to the public? Do we want Tassal Style salmon farms all over Tassie.

http://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/pm ... ns/9203416

The total catch of the last few fishers is 283 tonnes per annum, down from it's peak in the 1980 of over 1000 tonnes. Of the 283 tonnes just 33 tonne were bream, down from a peak of over 400 tonne. There are just 11 commercial operators left due to buy outs and retirements.
To be quite honest it will make no difference what so ever if the remaining commercials are removed. The shags eat many times more and the recreational fishers catch many times more.
If you want to get rid of the last 11 please feel free to put you hand in your pockets and buy their licences. Their right to fish commercially ( access licence) is not transferable so when they retire they are not replaced. It will not change what you catch. If you want to catch more learn how to catch them and put your efforts into improving the environment of the lakes.
Key issues are.
Too many housing developments along the shoreline.
Destruction of the intertidal zone by the construction of retaining walls and back filling mostly for housing and foreshore development.
Dirty grubs dumping their rubbish in the catchment.
Swans and shags cause a huge amount of damage due to their uncontrolled breading.
Before Europeans invaded this country the locals would have feasted each year on swan and shag eggs and eaten many young swans. Now they just breed till the sky is black with them.
I get very tired of listening to the commercial fishing bashing. Why should the only people who can have a feed of Australian fish be recreational fishers. If your grandmother wants a feed of Bream she should be able to go to the market and buy some.

re-tyred wrote:The total catch of the last few fishers is 283 tonnes per annum, down from it's peak in the 1980 of over 1000 tonnes. Of the 283 tonnes just 33 tonne were bream, down from a peak of over 400 tonne. There are just 11 commercial operators left due to buy outs and retirements.
To be quite honest it will make no difference what so ever if the remaining commercials are removed. The shags eat many times more and the recreational fishers catch many times more.
If you want to get rid of the last 11 please feel free to put you hand in your pockets and buy their licences. Their right to fish commercially ( access licence) is not transferable so when they retire they are not replaced. It will not change what you catch. If you want to catch more learn how to catch them and put your efforts into improving the environment of the lakes.
Key issues are.
Too many housing developments along the shoreline.
Destruction of the intertidal zone by the construction of retaining walls and back filling mostly for housing and foreshore development.
Dirty grubs dumping their rubbish in the catchment.
Swans and shags cause a huge amount of damage due to their uncontrolled breading.
Before Europeans invaded this country the locals would have feasted each year on swan and shag eggs and eaten many young swans. Now they just breed till the sky is black with them.
I get very tired of listening to the commercial fishing bashing. Why should the only people who can have a feed of Australian fish be recreational fishers. If your grandmother wants a feed of Bream she should be able to go to the market and buy some.

:notworthy: :notworthy:

Couldn't have put it any better myself. The cormorants are a MASSIVE problem when combined with the land manipulation that's gone on forever

rb85 wrote:Whats the alternative to supply seafood to the public? Do we want Tassal Style salmon farms all over Tassie.

http://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/pm ... ns/9203416

Just import more Vietnamese sewerage fish: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basa_fish
Half the 'flake' sold in the state is probably that **** anyway

4liters wrote:

rb85 wrote:Whats the alternative to supply seafood to the public? Do we want Tassal Style salmon farms all over Tassie.

http://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/pm ... ns/9203416

Just import more Vietnamese sewerage fish: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basa_fish
Half the 'flake' sold in the state is probably that sh*t anyway

Think id prefer that to damaging fish farms.

Signed

Well said re-tyred!

The biggest single factor in the decline of the fish populations in the lakes is the construction of the permanent opening to the sea at Lakes Entrance in 1889. A detailed study published in 1945 concluded that this caused a 95% decline in bream catches - which has never recovered:

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/64172154

In terms of bream the impact of the professionals on the lakes today is minor and the fishery appears sustainable. There have been concerns raised in the past on the netting of estuary perch/bass leading up to spawning. Provided the perch are adequately protected I don't have a problem with a small commercial fishery continuing.

As others have pointed out if we get rid of the commercial fishermen altogether where are we going to get out seafood from. I don't think bream are a viable aquaculture proposition as their growth is too slow. The alternative is importing more seafood, further harming our balance of payments and growing debt.

If you really wanted to improve the lakes fishery start a petition to get rid of the permanent entrance!

Best Wishes

Truedogz

Truedogz wrote:The biggest single factor in the decline of the fish populations in the lakes is the construction of the permanent opening to the sea at Lakes Entrance in 1889. A detailed study published in 1945 concluded that this caused a 95% decline in bream catches - which has never recovered:

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/64172154

In terms of bream the impact of the professionals on the lakes today is minor and the fishery appears sustainable. There have been concerns raised in the past on the netting of estuary perch/bass leading up to spawning. Provided the perch are adequately protected I don't have a problem with a small commercial fishery continuing.

As others have pointed out if we get rid of the commercial fishermen altogether where are we going to get out seafood from. I don't think bream are a viable aquaculture proposition as their growth is too slow. The alternative is importing more seafood, further harming our balance of payments and growing debt.

If you really wanted to improve the lakes fishery start a petition to get rid of the permanent entrance!
Best Wishes

Truedogz

The offshore and game fishing community will riot if they returned the lakes to their natural state.