F_W_2015_02_

FISHING NEWS

30 | fishingworld.com.au | February 2015

THE annual Sofala Carp Blitz, held in

the NSW Central Tablelands, was

once again a resounding success.

The event was held over two days

to enable participants to camp on

the banks of the Turon River and

do their part in removing the highly

invasive European carp (Cyprinus

carpio) from the Turon and

Crudine Rivers. Hundreds of people

attended the event and the live

entertainment at the historic Royal

Hotel on Saturday night. There were

officially 279 carp caught and

removed as well as two redfin and

several native fish caught and

released; these were Murray cod and

golden perch. One of the cod ate a

bread crust meant for a carp and

another went for a prawn! The total

weight of carp removed was in excess

of 750 kgs; a small dent in the total

population of this highly invasive

species that now dominates the fish

biomass of the Murray Darling

Basin. All fish were kept for

liquid fertiliser.

By Ken Smith

Big turnout for Carp Blitz

Rec fishing

tops survey

A STATEWIDE survey in

Queensland has revealed that

639,000 of the state’s residents enjoy

recreational fishing, crabbing or

prawning. Agriculture, Fisheries and

Forestry Minister John McVeigh

said the survey showed fishing

remained an enormously popular

recreational activity in Queensland.

“The number of rec fishers

represents 15 per cent of all

Queenslanders aged five or older, far

higher than other popular outdoor

sports such as cycling, swimming

and golf,” the Minister said. “It’s a

great result for the fishing sector

given the wide range of pastime

choices people now have.” The

two-part survey started in August

2013 with more than 15,000

randomly selected Queensland

households called to ask whether

they had fished recreationally in the

previous 12 months.

Mr McVeigh said more than 90

per cent of rec fishers surveyed

volunteered to take part in a further

12-month telephone diary survey

which collects information on the

individual’s fishing trips including

such things as fishing location and

number and species of fish caught,

kept or released.

SNIPPETS

FISHCARE HITS 20

SA’s Fishcare

program has

celebrated 20 years

as a volunteer

program aimed at

raising community

awareness of

sustainable fishing

practices and the

importance of

protecting the

state’s fish stocks.

The program has

over 90 volunteers

who give their time

to help anglers

understand the rules

and regulations that

apply to recreational

fishing in SA. Nine

FISHCARE groups

operate across the

state, patrolling

coastal and riverine

areas on the

Limestone Coast,

Victor Harbor,

Southern/Northern

Metro, Yorke

Peninsula, Port Pirie,

Whyalla, Port

Lincoln and the

Riverland. JN

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