FISHING NEWS
30 | fishingworld.com.au | March 2015
Marine park
fishing bans
finally lifted
Fishing is now
allowed at 10
marine park
sites in NSW.AFTER an exhaustive study, the
NSW Government will permanently
allow recreational line fishing at
10 mainland marine park
sanctuary sites.
Another 20 areas studied under
an amnesty program will revert to
no fishing status.
The 10 areas now permanently
open to fishing were assessed as
being “low risk”.
This decision could mean that
other lock-out zones could also be
reassessed with some forms of
fishing – for example, surface
trolling in a deep reef sanctuary
zone – being allowed.
It’s understood green groups are
vehemently opposed to such moves.
The areas now permanently open
to recreational line fishing are: (Cape
Byron Marine Park) Tyagarah
Beach, East Cape Byron; (Solitary
Islands Marine Park) Minnie Water
back beach, Bar Bluff to Diggers
Point; (Port Stephens Great Lakes
Marine Park) Celito South, Fiona
Beach Moonee Beach; and
(Batemans Marine Park) North
Head, Congo Point South Beach,
Mullimburra Point to Bingie Beach,
Brou Beach, Bullengella Lake-
Corunna Lake.SNIPPETS
VALE VIC
MCCRISTAL
EARLIER this year,
Australia lost one of
its most influential
fishing and outdoor
writers with the
passing of Vic
McCristal at age 86.
Vic was a legendary
fishing writer who
through his magazine
articles, columns,
and books popular-
ised modern
sportfishing and
conservation in this
country. Vic’s skill as
a fishing journalist
remains unrivalled.
“McSea”, as he was
nicknamed by late
Fisho founder Ron
Calcut t, wrote the
popular column
“Slack Lines” and
was a prolific feature
writer in Australian
fishing and outdoor
publications since
the 1950s. His most
famous publication
was The Rivers & The
Sea, first published
in 1974.NSW ANGLING
ELECTION GUIDE
FISHO has compiled
a voting guide for
the NSW state
election, to be held
on March 28. Both
major parties, and
the Greens and the
Shooters & Fishers,
have been sent
questions relating to
their rec fishing
policies. Detailed
responses will be
posted at fishing-
world.com.au.➁
➂
THE Marina Industry Association has
announced the successful accreditation
of four more marinas in NSW as
“Fish Friendly Marinas”, bringing the
total now to 14. The new inclusions to
the program are d’Albora Marinas
Nelson Bay, The Anchorage Port
Stephens, Coffs Harbour International
Marina and Gladesville Bridge Marina,
a significant first in the western reach
of Sydney Harbour.
Fish Friendly accreditation is an
information campaign and
accreditation system focusing onmarina fish habits and developed by the
Department of Primary Industries
(DPI) in collaboration with the Marina
Industries Association (MIA) and the
NSW Boating Industry Association
(BIA). MIA president Andrew
Chapman CMM said: “Marinas can
provide important habitat for fish and
the ‘Fish Friendly Marinas’ program
has been developed to inform marina
managers on how to maximise the
benefits for fish and recognise those
operators actively working to improve
fish habitat.”Fish Friendly marinas
Fish friendly – (From lef t) Andrew Chapman, MIA president,
Mat t Hundleby and Colin Bransgrove.AUSTR ALIAN Recreational Fishing
Foundation managing director Allan
Hansard has welcomed Government
steps towards delivering the long-
awaited national survey on the social
and economic benefits of recreational
fishing, as promised at the last
election. “A national workshop recently
by the Australian Bureau of
Agricultural and Resource Economics
and Sciences (ABARES) was a huge
step forward as our sector provided
input into the first nationwide survey
of this kind,” Hansard said. This
workshop followed a national policy
summit held in Canberra at which
ARFF set a forward-looking agenda
for recreational fishing in Australia.
“The policy summit was a coming of
age for ARFF. We now have anorganisation that is built on a
foundation of all state peak bodies,
national fishing associations and
industry groups, which truly represents
the broad interests of recreational
fishing in this country. We also have
an organisation that has a proven
record in delivering real outcomes for
recreational fishers.” Hansard said.
More at fishingworld.com.auRec fishing survey a step closer
IMAGE: MICK FLETORIDIS