12 minute read
Hobart
Up and coming fishery
HOBART Andrew Large
June sees Tasmania slip into a little bit of winter dormancy, with warmer water species having moved away over the last month or so. That being said, many summer species such as tailor, bream swordfish, SBT side of the Huon River, an Inland Fishing Licence will be required.
The vast array of tuna we had only a few weeks back has dispersed, and where they had been in full swing over summer the action has slowed for variety and choice. The following areas continue to fish well for SBT: Storm Bay, Eagle Hawk Neck, autumn and will continue to do so into the foreseeable weeks of early winter as they spawn around our coastlines. The East Coast has really started to produce fantasticsized squid recently, and the bays around Southern Maria have been the standout. Storm Bay close to Hobart and Northern Bruny Island have provided good catches.
Slimy mackerel have all but disappeared with the retreating EAC, but jack and yellowtail mackerel continue to be caught under lights around coastal jetties across the state.
Although the season showed glimpses of promise a few weeks back, with a few fish being caught in quick succession, swordfish have also slowed, but only in recent weeks. Many anglers have been really trying their luck on the swords, with some fish landed and missed. This year has been one of the best seasons yet.
Freshwater anglers are hanging up their rods for the year and taking solace in the slower pace as our season winds down. The month of May realistically saw 90% of Tasmanian trout waters close for the season, leaving only a handful, including our rainbow waters (closing end of May) open until 31 July. Sea-run trout anglers wishing to fish the two major southern waters (the Derwent and Huon rivers) can do so right to the townships of New Norfolk and Huonville respectively. This option has only been in place for the last few seasons. As with all 12-month open waters, a current Inland Fishing Licence is required.
The Bradys Chain, which includes such waters as Bronte, Bradys, Binney and Tungatinah, fished well right up to close.
The fishing really came alive over the last week, with healthy rainbow and brown trout being taken by anglers both trolling and drift spinning these waters. Bait fishers got good results on the humble garden worm and wattle grubs.
As some trout action winds down, other action ramps up – in particular, the southern rivers with the Derwent and Huon rivers seeing the start of the sea run-trout activity that realistically won’t stop until mid-November. Trout aren’t chasing bait at the moment, but instead 20% of the population is preoccupied with running upstream to spawn, giving anglers plenty of opportunity to chase these fish from the many tidal rocky points lining these rivers. The other 80% of seatrout are quite happily still searching for bait and waiting for the August and September runs of whitebait.
Open for 12 months of the year (1 Aug – 31 July), Lake Pedder has been turning on the weather lately. This is due mainly to the easterly weather patterns we have been experiencing in recent times, pushing back the predominantly wet West Coast weather this lake is famous for.
Great Lake, also a ‘12-month open water’, has been a tad chilly, with reports already of -11°C nights and ice pushing up onto the shorelines of a morning. Surprisingly, it has been producing good brown and rainbow trout to 2kg. Brown trout are nearing spawning but rainbow trout are 6-8 weeks away and in prime condition.
Tasmania can be notoriously cold during winter, but milder days at sea and at altitude in the highlands can still be found. Keen anglers who make the most of milder winter conditions will enjoy some quality fishing over the next few months.
Good luck, and rug up!The author’s father with a school sized (approx. 18kg) SBT off Bruny Island in Storm Bay close to the Hobart CBD.
FISHING NEWS
Two Halco Laser Pro 190 XDDs or Crazy Deeps in custom R19 (Spot On psychedelic pink head) and H80 (dorado) are working well on Storm Bay SBT recently.
remain while others such as seatrout, greenback flounder and garfish become more prominent.
Let’s take a look at what’s happening in the salt around the state.
Large bait schools and estuary shrimp are livening up bream action for the moment. These fish continue to be caught above the Bridgewater in the Derwent estuary (anglers will require an Inland Fishing Licence to fish above the Bridgewater Bridge). Further downstream, the action is really heating up with bream taking lures, bait and fly around the rocky edges of Lindisfarne, Cornelian and Prince of Wales Bays.
The Huon River has also been producing good fish around Castle Forbes Bay. Please remember this too is the cut-off for salt and inland waters. If you plan to fish any further upstream of the southern end to this bay, on either and Cape Raoul and the wider Tasman Peninsula in and around Fortescue Bay, Hippolyte Rocks and Tasman Island.
Some good albacore are still being caught in places although there is no rhyme or reason to these fish at the moment, with larger specimens seeming to resist cooling waters.
Larger Australian salmon have been widely reported, particularly along the east coast surf beaches, with smaller fish scattered throughout the Derwent estuary, South Arm and Cremorne areas.
In recent weeks, good numbers of smaller snapper and a few good models from 50-60cm have been caught on the reefs and rocks off Betsy Island. At this time of year the snapper will start to move to deeper water, so the opportunity of catching in other areas may improve.
Southern calamari have been building throughout
Tackling plastic pollution
A number of inventors around the world are trilling different ways of addressing the problem of plastic waste in our oceans. One of the novel approaches being trialled to extract plastic pollution from rivers and harbours, before it can reach the ocean, is the Bubble Barrier. This device generates a wall of bubbles that pushes plastic waste to one side and towards the surface where it can then be collected. Fish can move easily through the bubbles, so this method does not impact on fish passage.
Another approach is the Trash Wheel, a conveyor-belt system powered by currents and solar energy. It uses long booms with submerged skirts to funnel waste into a central hub where autonomous rakes
scoop the collected waste onto a conveyor belt that deposits it all on a barge.
Another more high-tech invention is the WasteShark, an electronically controlled boat-drone that preys on plastic – up to 350kg at a time. The WasteShark moves around the waterway, and then back to its docking station autonomously, where it can deposit the collected plastic and recharge its battery.
Of course, it could be argued that the best solution to plastic pollution is to drastically reduce plastic production and consumption around the world. Unfortunately, that doesn’t look like happening any time soon. In the meantime, scooping up our aquatic rubbish seems to be a worthwhile endeavour. - FMG
VRFish is your Peak Body
I often get asked if VRFish is part of the government when recreational fishers confuse us with Victorian Fisheries Authority or Better Boating Victoria.
The Victorian Recreational Fishing Peak Body (VRFish) is an independent, not for profit, Peak Body that was formed to represent the views of recreational fishers. While we work very closely with all three levels of government, particularly our State fisheries manager (Victorian Fisheries Authority), VRFish is not part of the government. VRFish is a part of our recreational fishing history.
How is VRFish Different?
In December 1989, then Minister for Conservation, Forest and Lands directed an inquiry into the allocation of fish resources in Victorian bays and inlets be referred to a parliamentary committee, with one final report recommendation to establish a general recreational fishing licence. At this time, it was not accepted by Government. By 1995, recreational fishers were again raising serious concerns raised about the sustainability of Victoria’s bay and inlets fisheries, particularly the impact of commercial net fishing and scallop dredging. Recreational fishers were concerned about the health of the bays, the poor quality of recreational fishing and called on the State Government to do more to manage recreational fisheries effectively. At this time, there were substantial reforms taking place within recreational fisheries management and consultation, including the creation of the Fisheries Act 1995, Fisheries Co-management and the Recreational Fishing Peak Body Working Group. VRFish was formed in 1995, from a coalition of 19 foundation and affiliated members from across the recreational fishing spectrum. Many of these clubs and associations are still foundation members of VRFish today. While Victoria had an inland recreational fishing licence, the concept for a recreational license to cover all waters was advocated for and in 1997 the Fisheries Co-Management Council made its recommendations on the form of a recreational fishing licence for Victoria. It proposed a universal recreational fishing licence (RFL). Victoria introduced an ‘all waters’ or general RFL on 15 July 1999 and was the first Australian State to do so. An annual Recreational Fishing Licence cost $20; a 28-day licence costs $10 and a 48-hour licence costs $5. During the first 18 months of the licence’s operation, major initiatives were funded by the new Recreational Fishing Licence (RFL) revenue. The buyback of over 100 commercial fishery access licences was one initiative.
OUR 12 PURPOSES
The purposes for which the Victorian Recreational Fishing Peak Body is established are to: 1. Encourage, develop and promote
Recreational Fishing in Victoria; 2. Represent and advocate the interests and rights of members and Recreational Fishers on any issues affecting the participation, development, quality and sustainability of
Recreational Fishing; 3. Educate and engage the Recreational Fishing
Community on sustainable Recreational
Fishing, adoption of ethical and best practices, safety and any other issues or matters that affect Recreational Fishing; 4. Provide membership support, coordination, advocacy and representation, and research and policy development services for all
Recreational Fishers; 5. Facilitate, assist and lead research that supports Recreational Fishing access, improved habitat and water quality; 6. Encourage and support Recreational Fishers
to participate in and lead activities that benefits Recreational Fishing; 7. Maintain a high level of liaison and co-operation as may be necessary for the fulfilment of the other objects of the Peak Body with National and State Government departments, agencies and authorities and with other organisations; 8. Encourage community health and welfare by ensuring Recreational Fishing is accessible to all; 9. Recognise the heritage, culture and contribution of our nation’s first people, and to give practical support to the issue of indigenous reconciliation through Recreational Fishing; 10. Facilitate co-operation between members of the Peak Body and external organisations, bodies and individuals; 11. Encourage membership of Recreational
Fishing clubs and associations and encourage networking to lead activities that benefit Recreational Fishing; and 12. Implement activities for the mutual and collective benefit of all Recreational Fishers.
In November 2000, the Government amended the Fisheries Act 1995 to allow for the establishment of a formal Trust Account for RFL revenue. This is where our operational funding comes from. VRFish is funded under a notional portion of every one-year recreational fishing licence sold (approximately 5%). While VRFish runs on the sniff of an oily rag, everything we do is governed by a constitution and the ‘12 Purposes’ for which VRFish was established. VRFish is ultimately here to provide a trusted voice for recreational fishers.
Victorian Fisheries Authority
Fisheries management has a long and rich history in Victoria. In 2015, the Andrews Labor government’s Target One Million plan committed to establishing a ‘focused, dedicated authority for the management of this precious resource’. Formerly known as Fisheries Victoria, which sat within the Department of Agriculture, the Victorian Fisheries Authority (VFA) was established by an act of parliament as an independent statutory authority, in 2016. Ably led by CEO Travis Dowling under an expertise based board, the VFA continues to shepherd the best recreational fisheries in the country.
Better Boating Victoria
The Andrews Labor ‘Better Boating Promise’ before the 2018 Victorian State election was a dream come true for boat based recreational fishers. The promise has been delivered, with Better Boating Victoria being formed under the Department of Transport in 2019, the appointment of the Fishing and Boating Minister in the same year and most importantly, the passage of an act of parliament in 2020 to quarantine and return every cent of recreational boating licence and vessel registration fees to a stated purpose. The Better Boating Fund (Trust Account) came into effect on July 1st 2021 and all fees must be fully collected and spent on the following: a) for the purposes of provision and maintenance of boating facilities and services for the public; and b) for the purposes of provision of boating safety, boating education and boating promotion programs for the public; and c) for the purposes of safe use of recreational vessels; and d) for the purposes of safe use of State waters Best of all, Better Boating Victoria moved from the Department of Transport to sit within the Victorian Fisheries Authority in 2021. The powerhouse team of VFA chief Travis Dowling and Better Boating Victoria’s Katherine Grech are delivering on making both recreational fishing and boating better than ever. 3 Brownlow votes right there.
Ben Scullin - Executive Officer
Here are the priorities VRFish are working on to make fishing better, for everyone: ACCESS
Fixing our boat ramps and defending your fishing rights to access our waterways.
HABITAT
Improving our vital fish habitats through protection, restoration and enhancement.
WATER
Keeping our rivers flowing and defending recreational and environmental water allocations
PROMOTE
Promoting fishing in Victoria, creating new and vibrant fisheries and supporting the next generation of fishers.
BEST PRACTICE
Supporting our fishers to take a lead role in the stewardship of our fish and waterways, fish responsibly and promote fish for the future.
VICTORIA'S RECREATIONAL FISHING PEAK BODY
HABITAT WATER ACCESS BEST PRACTICE PROMOTE
Visit the VRFish website www.vrfish.com.au
