Fishers for Fish Habitat

Forum 2009 - Ballina

On 18-19 June 2009 eighty participants converged on Ballina, north coast NSW, for the first ever Fishers for Fish Habitat Forum.

Recreational fishers from across NSW and interstate joined Department staff, natural resource managers and scientists to learn more about the importance of healthy habitat for the sport they enjoy.

The 2 day event included formal presentations, poster sessions, interactive discussions, a field visit to the lower Richmond catchment and a dinner with national fishing identity, Steve “Starlo” Starling.

The enthusiasm for the Fishers for Fish Habitat project was shared by all participants and there was strong support for a similar event in the future. This passion is highlighted in the editorial of the Hastings Fly Fishers newsletter (July 2009 edition):

‘On June 18th and 19th I attended the inaugural Fishers for Fish Habitat Forum held in Ballina. I thought I knew a little about fish habitat and I was right. I knew a little. I now know a lot more. The persons behind the organisation of the conference are to be congratulated and I hope that there will be subsequent conferences. If there are then I recommend attendance by all who can manage it. Government depts cop a great deal of criticism which sometimes it could be argued is warranted. However, in this case the government departments behind the fish habitat conference receive a deserved pat on the back.’ (Bob Dove, editor)

And in the fishing section of the Northern Star (26 June 2009): ‘The Fishers for Fish Habitat Forum at Ballina late last week was such a success that next year’s event promises to be bigger and even better. It was a bold step to try to convey to the general angling public how important a healthy ecosystem is to fish numbers – would your average fishos really give a hoot? Looks like they do.’ Tony Zann, journalist.

• More info, including links to the presentations and reports.

Forum 2010 - Lake Macquarie

Over 100 recreational fishers met to talk about fish habitat at the Fishers for Fish Habitat Forum at Lake Macquarie. Over a full and productive 2 days they caught up on recent habitat research, heard from habitat heroes about their work and experiences, braved the wild weather and got their hands dirty, planting close to 100 trees in about 20 minutes. They also identified habitat issues in catchments across the State. Tom Sadler, a keen fisher and conservationist from the USA, provided valuable insight into how they have got fish habitat onto the political agenda and demonstrated the level of on-ground commitment to habitat activities that many recreational anglers have in the USA. ABC Radio’s The Big Fish interviewed participants, including Tom Sadler, Rodney Tonkin about his ongoing war on willows and Christian Gough about his group’s Ledgecare initiative.

The forum was a great success and the annual event continues to provide an essential arena for recreational fisher engagement in habitat. The enthusiasm of forum participants is highlighted in a Report to the Recreational Fishing Saltwater Trust Expenditure Committee

‘I found the forum to be excellent. It was very well organised with the right mix of presentations, field trip and interactive sessions. After nearly forty years of working on and under the sea it certainly opened my eyes to the importance of habitat.’ Geoffrey Shelton, RFSTEC member

• ABC Big Fish interviews 1 and 2

• More info, including links to the presentations

Forum 2011 - Tamworth

Following the success of the 2009  and 2010 Forums the Fishers for Fish Habitat program hosted the 2011 Forum in Tamworth on the 20-21 May. Nearly 70 recreational fishers from across NSW attended.

The Forum included formal presentations, interactive discussions and a relaxed dinner with local fishing personality Dave Hodge - The Barefoot Fisherman. International guest speaker, renowned Irish Fisheries Scientist Dr Martin O’Grady, presented at the event and provided an insight into fisheries management in Ireland and Europe.  Participants enjoyed a bus and walking tour around the local Peel River; checking out fish habitat issues, successful rehabilitation projects and had a chance to try out a long-stem tubestock planting technique for river bank rehabilitation.

During the Peel River walk participants were split into groups and provided fish habitat scenarios which they may come across when out and about on their local rivers and creeks. Each group was asked to identify the fish habitat issues in each scenario and answer a series of questions relating to how they would address these issues. These questions form the basis of many environmental grant funding applications. Each group presented their answers to the Forum.

• More info, including links to the presentations, survey and scenarios

 

 

Native Fish Awareness Week

Every year in early November fishers and communities across the Murray Darling Basin celebrate Native Fish Awareness Week, run as part of the Native Fish Strategy. Activities and events are held from Cunnamulla to Benalla, from the Upper Murrumbidgee to the Coorong and Lower Lakes.

• More info

 

Awards

Banksia - Water Award 2010 for Bringing Back the Fish

The Bringing Back the Fish program won the prestigious 2010 Banksia Foundation Water Award.  This was quite a coup as fish and fish habitat don’t fit neatly into any of the award categories.  This sort of recognition will help raise the profile of fish habitat rehabilitation – good news for fish and for fishers!

The Bringing Back the Fish program is the largest fish passage program of its kind in Australia and involved more than $9 million for in-stream works to make the State’s rivers more fish friendly. Over 1,200 kilometres of habitat at nearly100 sites was opened up for fish. The program was funded by the Commonwealth Government.  You can access the project reports here.