Shades Fishing News

The Minister for Primary Industries and Water, David Llewellyn, today launched the first Fishcare Volunteer’s fish identification and measuring stations at McGees Bridge, Midway Point.

“The new Fishcare Volunteer’s fish identification and measuring stations will become an iconic and visually attractive part of Tasmania’s maritime environment as well as providing recreational fishers and visitors with the knowledge and tools to fish sustainably,” Mr Llewellyn said.

“The fish identification and measuring stations, with their unmistakable fish-shaped signposts, include full-colour illustrations to help fishers correctly identify Tasmania’s marine scalefish species, as well as information on size and possession limits and a ruler to allow fishers to measure their catch accurately.

“They also include information on Tasmania’s marine protected species, fishing licence types, local fishing area restrictions such as shark refuges, marine reserves and research areas; how to correctly handle your catch for a successful release; where to get more fishing information; and the Fishwatch 24-hour hotline to report any suspected illegal fishing activities.”

The Minister said the installation of 60 fish identification and measuring stations at popular fishing sites has the potential to provide information to more than 30,000 interstate and international visitors and 330,000 recreational fishers each year.

“These fish identification and measuring stations provide the information fishers need to know exactly when they need to know it – when the fish is on the line, not when it is dispatched and filleted and can no longer be successfully returned to the water,” Mr Llewellyn said.

“I was pleased to lend the Tasmanian Government’s support to this important project following the Fishcare Volunteer’s application for more than $60,000 in project funding through the Fishwise Community Grants program.

“I would also like to acknowledge the support of the Australian Government’s Recreational Fishing Community Grants Programme which is recognition of the significant challenges Tasmania faces in establishing education signage around a 4,882km coastline – greater than the coastlines of New South Wales and Victoria combined.

“This is truly a whole-of-Government project with Tasmanian local councils also playing a significant role by installing the stations at jetties and boat ramps around the state.

“With these new Fishcare Volunteer’s fish identification and measuring stations and more than 100 Fishcare Volunteers spreading the Fish for the Future message we can be confident that our fishing resources will be maintained for our future and our children’s future,” he said.

The fish identification and measuring stations were manufactured by the Tasmanian business, Eye Spy Signs, based on a design by the Department of Primary Industries and Water, and using fish illustrations by Tasmanian artist, Peter Gouldthorpe.

A million dollars worth of salmon has escaped from a fish farm on the Tasman Peninsula in Tasmania.

The Department of Primary Industries and Water believes a net torn open, allowing up to 25,000 salmon to escape from a Nubeena farm.

Spokesman Wes Ford says it is a boon for recreational fishers, but is causing big problems for commercial anglers, who are banned from selling salmon which escape from fish farms.

“As I understand it, some of the commercial fishermen who are fishing in the area are going about their daily business of trying to catch particularly fish like banded morwong,” he says.

“They are finding their nets are full of salmon, or have got large quantities of salmon, and that means they are getting less morwong in their nets, so they are catching less of the target species, so it’s affecting their income”.

Source: ABC Rural

A coroner investigating the deaths of three Tasmanian fishermen last year has stressed the need for strict rules for fishing competitions.

Three men from one Nubeena family died when the boat they were in capsized off the Tasman Peninsula in April last year.

The three men and two others planned to take part in a tuna fishing competition, but decided to head back when the weather turned bad.

Their five-point-eight metre boat was hit by a wave, capsized and eventually sank.

Two of the men were saved, but the other three could not be revived.

The Coroner, Stephen Carey, said it was unsafe to have five people on board in the conditions, even though the boat was registered for six people in smooth waters.

Mr Carey stressed the need for organisers to have clear guidelines for calling off fishing events due to weather.

He said organisers need to be aware that the competitive nature of such events might influence some to keep fishing in unfavourable conditions.

Source: ABC Tasmania

A man has been washed away by a giant wave while fishing on rocks on Tasmania’s east coast.

The man was fishing alongside another man at Cosy Corner near Binalong when a wave swept him off the rocks at about 12.40pm (AEDT) on Friday.

“One of the pair had his fishing line caught in some kelp and went to the water’s edge in an attempt to retrieve his line,” said Tasmania Police’s Inspector Shane LeFevre.

“Bystanders were in the area at the time and witnessed the person struggling in the strong surf after being knocked off his feet by waves.

The Westpac rescue helicopter, marine police, SES volunteers and a rescue aircraft from Victoria searched for the man, but he could not be found.

“Police and SES have been deployed overnight in the immediate vicinity with further resources to be deployed at daybreak,” Inspector LeFevre said.

“Police divers have arrived at St Helens and will be ready to deploy as soon as weather conditions allow on Saturday morning.”

A full-scale rescue operation will continue on Saturday.

Saturday’s weather conditions are expected to change, with 25-knot winds and a 1.5 metre swell before a southerly change.

Source: The Age

Rock fishing enthusiasts will approach the Tasmanian Government about funding for life-saving ‘angel rings.’

The National Sports Fishing Association wants to install the buoyancy devices at popular fishing spots, to be used when a person is swept or falls into, the ocean.

The State president, Nick Crawford says several popular spots have already been nominated for angel rings.

“One up at Marrawah, one down near Pirates Bay, possibly one at Stanley at the Breakwater there,” he said.

“So we’re sure there’ll be a lot more, once you get one or two of them out there, there’s usually quite a bit of interest from the public and you end up with a good coverage of the state.”

The association held its annual general meeting last night and Mr Crawford says the project received overwhelming support.

“All the members that were there were very receptive to angel rings, they’ve all got a very good understanding of how it works,” he said.

“The angel rings have been rolled out in a couple of states already and the national organisation is quite keen to see it going down here.”

Source: ABC