NSW Have Your Say on Fishing Rule Changes.

[Gad]

Taken from Fishing World email newsletter 3-6-13

09 May 2013

FISHOS in NSW are being urged to provide feedback on proposals to change a range of recreational fishing rules including bag limits, size limits and fishing methods.

Department of Primary Industries (DPI) Director Recreational & Indigenous Fisheries, Peter Turnell, said a discussion paper has now been released for public exhibition.

"Anyone with an interest in our aquatic resources now has the opportunity to comment on options for changes to current fishing rules," Mr Turnell said.

"The options in this paper have been developed based on community feedback made to the NSW Government since the last review of fishing rules completed in 2007, the latest information relating to our fish stocks, as well as advice from expert anglers.

"The periodic review of fishing rules is essential to ensure our fisheries are harvested at sustainable levels and make sure the rules are easy to understand."

Discussion papers and submission forms are widely available at most bait and tackle shops and fisheries offices throughout NSW. Copies of the paper can also be found online atwww.dpi.nsw.gov.au/reviews/fishingrules.

Mr Turnell said the NSW Government is committed to providing an opportunity for everyone to have their say on the proposed management arrangements.

Submissions can be made via the online submission form or by post, email or fax. The closing date for submissions is 31 July 2013.

[kmcrosby78]

I'd love to see them increase their jewfish size limit to at least 60cm. 45cm is a joke!!!

Anyone have any opinions on the 30/35cm size limits for tailor in QLD/NSW? I'd be interested to hear from regular tailor fisherman whether QLD's change to 35cm has made much impact on fish stocks. Are tailor targeted for netting at all? I personally think 30cm is OK for a tailor AND it makes it that much easier to get one to then use for a livie for a jewie (not that I get much of a chance to actually put this into practice - sadly!).

[JarrydA]

I'd love to see them increase their jewfish size limit to at least 60cm. 45cm is a joke!!!

This is because the stocks down there are alot higher than they are here, especially mid nsw/south nsw.

Are tailor targeted for netting at all?

Targeting tailor via netting is prohibited in both NSW and QLD

[rayke1938]

Here is link to the discussion paper

http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/464765/review_discussion_paper_web.pdf

Well worth while having a read with some interesting proposals and the odds are that similar will happen in Qld.

Some increased size limits. Bass closed season extended bu a month,additional restrictions on MRC,an overall restriction of 30 fish per day per angler no matter what species.

Have a read and make a submission with your thoughts.

Cheers

Ray

[Jig_Meister]

I personally think we should get licencing up here only a little more loose just helps out our waterways ie. making artificial reefs reduce bag limits repopulate rivers and get rid of some people who are abusing what left in our estuary's

[Gad]

Here is link to the discussion paper

http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/464765/review_discussion_paper_web.pdf

Well worth while having a read with some interesting proposals and the odds are that similar will happen in Qld.

Some increased size limits. Bass closed season extended bu a month,additional restrictions on MRC,an overall restriction of 30 fish per day per angler no matter what species.

Have a read and make a submission with your thoughts.

Cheers

Ray

Cheers and thanks Ray,it`s obvious I didn`t proof read before I posted the article

[Gad]

Submissions close this Wednesday 31 July 2013

www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_fil...ussion_paper_web.pdf

I borrowed this post from another site, as I am not a paid subscriber to the ‘other site’ I am unable to seek the posters` permission to use his post. I am using this post to highlight an area of interest that those of us who live close to(or within reasonable travelling time of) a boat ramp, would not normally consider when we support or not support, changes to bag limits or other fishing regulation changes that may impact on the ‘average fisho’…. It was posted yesterday 26-7-13

Quote…. [Time is running out to comment on rules discriminating against NSW holiday fishos

Submissions close on 31 July 2013 in relation to the proposed severe tightening of many POSSESSION limits for fish in NSW. In NSW, "bag limits" are defined as "possession limits" so apply to your home fridge/freezer or anywhere else, not just the "bag" you make bring home from a day's fishing. The upcoming review of possession limits is at:

/>http://www.dpi.nsw.g...nal/info/review

I would implore all holiday or country saltwater fishos to visit the site and provide their opinions on the unviably low proposed possession limits. For instance, it will be illegal to have:

* More than 2 kingfish in possession

* More than 5 snapper in possession

* More than 5 mowies in possession

* More than 5 duskies in possession

* More than 10 sand/tiger flathead in possession

*More than 20 of any type of fish in possession, including species which only grow to small sizes, like school whiting

While many coastal fishos look at these numbers and think "why would anybody need more than 5 snapper a day" they fail to see that most fishos who like to catch and eat their own fish and can only make it to the coast once or twice a year would not bother with the major expense of boats, tow vehicles, fuel, accommodation and tackle if they can only bring home 5 snapper for a whole trip after spending weeks out on the water.

Who has more impact on a stock? A person who goes fishing every two weeks and catches 3-5 snapper an outing (78-130 snapper per year) or a fisho who can only make it to the coast once a year for a couple of weeks and brings home 10 frozen snapper under the existing rules?

In states like Victoria, bag limits are defined as fish in possession "on or near water". This IS NOT the case in NSW. Possession applies anywhere. Yet the discussion document continues to use misleading terms like "daily bag limit" to dupe fishos into agreeing with the changes.

The existing rules already discriminate against holiday or country fishos. The proposed changes will increase the discrimination to the point where going fishing to eat the fish you catch will be a complete waste of time.

At the same time as announcing this review, the NSW fisheries minister moved to allow commercial fishos to net UNLIMITED QUANTITIES of flathead and other species such as mowies. Rec fishos were ropable and the stink caused a backflip, for now. The government has also expanded netting of salmon in circumstances where commercial fishermen are lobbying to "supply large columes of low-cost Australian salmon and yellow-tail mackerel for the Chinese market". In other words, local Australians who want to enjoy and eat their own clean wild caught fish in sustainable ways with their own efforts need to make way for corporate interests who want to sell a product to foreigners who number in the billions. Unbelievable!

The general proposed limit of 20 fish total (there is no such limit at the moment) is another kick in the teeth for holiday fishos. It also makes no ecological/environmental sense either.

Specific limits should apply to specific stocks based on scientific management.

If a 20 fish total possession limit is in place, it will be impossible to go on holiday and have a family feed of small delicacy fish such as:

* Eastern school whiting (which we export frozen by the boxload to Japan)

* Garfish

Who is going to take home 20 school whiting or garfish (which would only be one meal for a family) if it is then illegal to possess a single other fish! These fish are PROLIFIC and sustainable for reccos to eat.

It will be illegal to take 20 school whiting and 2 flathead home frozen for a feed, in circumstances where both species are readily caught, but if you have a big enough boat to get to the shelf it will be legal to catch 2 x 15kg blue eye and still catch another 18 large fish of other species. So what's the management message? Target rarer blue eye rather than sustainable bread and butter fish. STUPID, STUPID, STUPID.

If species need management, manage the species scientifically. Arbitrary combined limits do not achieve any sensible conservation outcome, and as demonstrated, may have the opposite effect and make people target bigger more important breeding fish.

Generally, fisheries management should be on the basis of SCIENCE and not survey. For instance, what is the point in surveying a land based fisho about the possession limit on leatherjackets found in inshore and offshore waters. These fish are in plague proportions, but you would only know that if you had a boat, so what relevance would a non-boat fishos opinion be of the fishery? Indeed, how many members of PETA will be visiting the survey site and pretending to be fishos?

Anyway, rant over. If, like me, you find these proposals offensive and just another big hit on top of all the blows rec fishos are copping like marine parks and supertrawlers get to the review site in the next few days and let them know what (and why) these changes mean to you. But spare a thought for those of us who do not have the luxury of living 10 minutes away from a boat ramp and want to eat fish we catch ourselves as rec fishos have been doing sustainably for the past couple of hundred years. It's our culture under attack]…. End quote

Whether you or I agree with or do not agree with all, some or any of the writers views is not the point of my posting this post… BUT, it does make you think about the fact(if only briefly by some)that through no fault of their own, some may get the rough end of the pineapple inserted deeper than others may, when any regulations are changed.

[rayke1938]

One persons point of view.

I think he has his blinkers on and has read it differently to my take.

"

Review of NSW recreational

saltwater and freshwater

fishing rules

Discussion paper

Contents

Contents.......................................................................................................................

..................... ii

Overview of recreational fishing in NSW...........................................................................................1

Indigenous fishing .............................................................................................................

................1

Commercial fishing............................................................................................................................2

Making a submission............................................................................................................

.............2

1. Saltwater fishing bag limits............................................................................................................3

1.1

Proposals to reduce the recreational bag limit from 20 to 10 for specified species or

groups of species ..............................................................................................................

....3

1.2

Proposals to reduce the recreational bag limit from 10 to 5 for specified species.................4

1.3

Proposals to reduce the recreational bag limit from 5 to 2 for specified species or groups

of species .....................................................................................................................

.........5

1.4

Other recreational bag limit options/proposals for specified species or groups of species ...7

1.5

Miscellaneous bag limit options.............................................................................................9

2. Saltwater fishing size limit ...........................................................................................................10

3. Freshwater fishing bag limits,

size limits and spawning closures ...............................................11

4. Recreational fishing gear and methods.......................................................................................

12

Relevant literature ...........................................................................................................................16

Publ

ished by the NSW Departm

ent of Primary Industries

Review of NSW recreational saltwater and freshwater fishing rules

F

irst published May 2013

Web ISBN 978 1 74256 490 6

Print ISBN 978 1 74256 491 3

More information

www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fisheries

Recre

ational and Indigenous Fisheries Unit, Newington, (02) 9741 4722

Cover images:

Photograph (left): Clint Wright, Port Macquarie

Sean’s PB Bream; Yellowfin Bream

Photograph (right): Amanda Becconsall

Letting out some line

Reference number BN12/4111 11949

© State of New South Wales through the Department of Trade and

Investment, Regional Infrastructure and Services, 2013. You may

copy, distribute

and otherwise freely deal with this publication for any purpose, pr

ovided that you attribute the NSW Department of Primary Indu

stries as the owner.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this publication is based on knowledge and understanding at the time of writing (April

2013). However,

because of advances in knowledge, users are reminded of the need to

ensure that information upon wh

ich they rely is up to date

and to check currency

of the information with the appropriate officer of the Depar

tment of Primary Industries or the user’s independent adviser.

Privacy

The personal information you provide as pa

rt of this review is subject to the

Privacy & Personal Information Protection Act 1989

and will not be

disclosed to anybody else unless authorised by law. It is bei

ng collected by the Depar

tment of Primary I

ndustries (DPI) for pur

poses related to the

development of regulatory strategies for recreational fishing. Th

e provision of this information

is voluntary, however, if you

choose not to provide the

requested information we may refuse to acce

pt your submission. You have the right to request access to, and correct details of,

your personal

information held by the Department. Further

information regarding privacy can be obtained

from the NSW Trade & Investment websi

te at

www.trade.nsw.gov.au/legal/privacy

.

Review of NSW recreational saltwater and freshwater fishing rules

Overview of recreational fishing in NSW

Recreational fishing is one of our most popular leisure activities and about one million people

enjoy this healthy, outdoors sport every year. (i.e. around 14% of the population in NSW).

Recreational fishing generates valuable social and economic benefits for the whole State, and is

particularly important for regional communities of NSW.

The NSW Government is committed to the sustainable use of our aquatic resources and

promoting quality recreational fishing opportunities. The fisheries resources of NSW are very

diverse and many different species are highly regarded by recreational fishers for sport and

food. As custodian of the resource, NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) has the

responsibility to manage fish stocks on behalf of the community for current and future

generations.

Recreational fishers are not permitted to sell their catch or barter fish for in-kind services.

Fishers are always encouraged to act responsibly and to only catch sufficient fish for their

immediate needs. The focus of recreational fishing should be on the quality of the experience

and enjoying being able to catch and eat fresh fish.

The proposals and options discussed in th

is paper have been developed in light of:

ï‚·

ensuring the sustainability of NSW’s fisheries resources;

ï‚·

community feedback received in response to previous reviews indicating general support for

more conservative bag limits;

ï‚·

ongoing concerns about illegal fishing and black marketing of fish;

ï‚·

submissions made by anglers and the general public

to the Government since the last review

of fishing rules to conserve our fisheries resources;

ï‚·

an ongoing need to fairly share aquatic resources between recreational fishers;

ï‚·

available research information;

ï‚·

the need to ensure that fishing rules are reasonably easy to understand and simplified where

possible; and

ï‚·

advice provided by expert committees

(note these committees provided feedback on

potential options and were not requested to endorse the options in this paper).

Indigenous fishing

The

Fisheries Management Act 1994

formally recognises the spiritual, social and customary

significance of fisheries resources to Aboriginal persons. To protect and promote Aboriginal

cultural fishing, DPI is working with the Aborig

inal Fishing Advisory Council (AFAC) and others to

implement management and policy arrangements that

will allow for limits, including bag and

possession limits and/or other management options, to balance sustainability and conservation

issues with the needs of Aboriginal cultural fishers, as well as recreational fishers and the

commercial fishing industry. Such arrangements are being developed through a process

separate to this review. However, it is acknowledged that many of the species considered in this

discussion paper are culturally significant.

1

NSW Department of Primary Industries, May 2013

Review of NSW recreational saltwater and freshwater fishing rules

Commercial fishing

The government recently announced significant refo

rms of the commercial fishing industry,

which have been developed in response to the Independent Report into NSW Commercial

Fisheries Policy, Management and Administration. The reforms are designed to ensure the long-

term viability and sustainability of the State’s fisheries resources.

Note: The size limit proposal for Mahi Mahi presented in this discussion paper also applies to

commercial fishing.

Making a submission

Public comment is now invited on the options in this discussion paper.

Submit the Review of NSW recreational saltwater and freshwater fishing rules submission form:

Online

www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/reviews/fishingrules

Post

NSW Fishing Rules Review

NSW Department of Primary Industries

PO Box 7526 SILVERWATER NSW 1811

Email

fish.review@dpi.nsw.gov.au (as a scanned attachment)

Fax

(02) 9741 4893

Closing date: 31 July 2013

2

NSW Department of Primary Industries, May 2013

Review of NSW recreational saltwater and freshwater fishing rules

1. Saltwater fishing bag limits

This section presents options and proposals for changes to the bag limit for specified saltwater

fish species or groups of species that may be caught by recreational fishers in NSW.

1.1 Proposals to reduce the recreatio

nal bag limit from 20 to 10 for

specified species or

groups of species

Since the last major review of fishing rules completed in 2007, there has been increasing

community concern that the current recreational

fishing bag limit of 20 fish per person per day

for many of our popular “bread and butter†fish

species in NSW is excessive and that the

introduction of more effective limits should be consi

dered. The latest scientific surveys indicate

that the bag limits for these commonly caught species are rarely reached by most recreational

fishers (less than 1% of fishing trips).

The proposals below aim to reduce the daily bag limit

from 20 to 10 for each of the species or

groups of species outlined.

Flathead species

(all

flathead species other than

Dusky Flathead)

Proposal:

Reduce bag limit from 20 to 10 in total (all flathead

other than Dusky Flathead)

Yellowfin Bream

(

Acanthopagrus australis

),

Black Bream

(

Acanthopagrus butcheri

) and

Tarwhine

(

Rhabdosargus

sarba

)

Proposal:

Reduce bag limit from 20 to 10 in total

Tailor

(

Pomatomus saltatrix

)

Proposal:

Reduce bag limit from 20 to 10

Blue Swimmer Crab

(

Portunus armatus

)

Proposal:

Reduce bag limit from 20 to 10

Trevallies

(all species)

Proposal:

Reduce bag limit from 20 to 10 in total

Luderick

(

Girella

tricuspidata

)

Proposal:

Reduce bag limit from 20 to 10

3

NSW Department of Primary Industries, May 2013

Review of NSW recreational saltwater and freshwater fishing rules

1.2 Proposals to reduce the recreatio

nal bag limit from 10 to 5 for

specified species

It is considered the current recreational fishing bag limit of 10 fish per person per day for some of

our more popular and highly valued species is too high. DPI promotes catching only sufficient

fish for your immediate needs. A reduction in a

number of bag limits would provide for fairer

sharing of the catch between recreational fishers and

restrict opportunities for the potential illegal

sale/barter of these species.

The proposals below aim to reduce the daily bag lim

it from 10 to 5 for each of the species

outlined.

Dusky Flathead

(

Platycephalus fuscus

)

Proposal:

Reduce bag limit from 10 to 5

A proposal to increase the minimum legal length (MLL) of Dusky

Flathead from 36cm to 40cm has been considered in previous

reviews. A key issue is the different size at maturity for males and

females (male fish mature at around 20cm and females at 55cm).

An increase to the minimum size limit for this species is not being

proposed in this review as it could result in higher numbers of

breeding size female fish being harvested.

Snapper

(

Pagrus auratus

)

Proposal:

Reduce bag limit from 10 to 5

There are some concerns regarding the current level of fishing on

the stock of snapper in some localised areas and a reduction in

the bag limit is designed to lessen the impact of recreational

fishing on this species. The rules for Snapper in Queensland are

a bag limit of 4, with only 1 fish over 70cm.

Mahi Mahi

(Dolphinfish)

(

Coryphaena hippurus

)

Proposal:

Reduce bag limit from 10 to 5

Mahi Mahi (or Dolphinfish) are r

egularly targeted at the DPI Fish

Aggregating Devices (FADs) by recreational fishers due to their

excellent sporting and eating qualities. Large schools can be

encountered at FADs, which can result in high catches. This

option aims to reduce the bag limit to provide for fairer sharing of

the catch between recreational fishers, who mostly target this

species. Note: there is also a proposal to remove the size limits of

Mahi Mahi (see section 2 for further details).

Grey

(Rubberlip)

Morwong

(

Nemadactylus douglasii

) and

Jackass Morwong

(

Nemadactylus macropterus

)

Proposal:

Reduce bag limit from 10 to 5 for each species

4

NSW Department of Primary Industries, May 2013

Review of NSW recreational saltwater and freshwater fishing rules

1.3 Proposals to reduce the recreational

bag limit from 5 to 2 for specified

species or groups of species

The current recreational fishing bag limit of 5 fish per person per day is considered excessive for

many of the large growing species in NSW. A reduction in the bag limit for some of these

species would help to limit the overall catch by recreational fishers and restrict opportunities for

illegal sale/black marketing of many of these popular and highly sought after species.

The proposals below generally aim to reduce the

daily bag limit from 5 to 2 for each of the

species or groups of species outlined.

Yellowtail Kingfish

(

Seriola

lalandi

)

Proposal:

Reduce bag limit from 5 to 2

Yellowtail Kingfish can

reach a total length of about 190cm and

weigh up to 70kg.

The bag limit for Kingfish in Queensland is 2.

Cobia

(

Rachycentron

canadum

)

Proposal:

Reduce bag limit from 5 to 2

Cobia grow to a maximum length of 200cm and weight of

approximately 65kg. Representations from some charter fishing

operators and anglers on the north coast have recommended that

a bag limit of 2 Cobia per person per day is an adequate quantity

of this large growing species. The bag limit for Cobia in

Queensland is 2.

Deep Sea Species:

Blue-eye Trevalla

(

Hyperoglyphe antarctica

),

Banded Rockcod

(Bar Cod)

(

Epinephelus ergastularius

),

Hapuku

(Hapuka) (

Polyprion

oxygenios

),

Bass Groper

(

Polyprion

americanus

) and

Gemfish

(

Rexea solandri

)

Proposal:

Reduce the combined deep sea species group bag

limit from 5 to 2 for Blue-eye Trevalla, Banded Rockcod, Hapuku

and Bass Groper; and retain a separate species bag limit of 2

Gemfish and recreational boat limit of 10 Gemfish

The use of technology such as electric reels, GPS and sounders

has significantly increased the capa

city for recreational fishers to

target offshore species and the use of these technologies

appears to be increasing in popularity. Existing bag and size

limits, including those for deep sea fish species, were developed

based on traditional harvest methods of manual rod and reel and

deck/hand winches, not power assisted fishing methods. The use

of an electric reel greatly reduces the personal effort of using

‘manual’ line methods that are traditionally associated with the

sport of recreational fishing and increases the efficiency of deep

sea fishing.

The Review of Illegal Fishing for Commercial Gain or Profit in

NSW (2004) found that the present bag limit for high value

species, such as Hapuku, Banded Rockcod, Bass Groper,

Gemfish and Blue-eye Trevalla, creates opportunity for illegal

sale/barter of these fish.

There have been no changes to the rules for deep sea fish since

the review of fishing rules in 2000 and recreational fishers have

maintained the capacity to land large amounts of deep sea fish

given the relatively large size of these species – most are

commonly caught by anglers at weights greater than 5kg – whilst

5

NSW Department of Primary Industries, May 2013

Review of NSW recreational saltwater and freshwater fishing rules

adhering to the daily bag limit of 5 fish per person per day. The

banning of electric reels is not considered feasible given the

current popularity of this gear type. However, this option will

reduce the opportunities for illegal sale of these species whilst

still providing for fishers to take adequate amounts of fish for

consumption.

Spanish Mackerel

(

Scomberomorus

commerson

) and

Spotted

Mackerel

(

Scomberomorus

munroi

)

Proposal:

Change bag limit to 5 in total with a maximum of 2

Spanish Mackerel

The current bag limit is 5 comprised of any single species or a

combination of these species. Spanish Mackerel reach a

maximum length of over 200cm and around 70kg in weight.

Spotted Mackerel grow to a maximum size of approximately

105cm. Under this option, anglers may still retain up to 5 Spotted

Mackerel if they do not catch any Spanish Mackerel, or retain up

to 3 Spotted Mackerel if they catch 2 Spanish Mackerel.

Wahoo

(

Acanthocybium

solandri

)

Proposal:

Reduce bag limit from 5 to 2

Wahoo grows to a maximum length of 210cm and weight of

approximately 70kg in NSW, but typically individuals attain a size

of 100-150cm.

Mangrove Jack

(

Lutjanus

argentimaculatus

)

Proposal:

Reduce bag limit from 5 to 2

The Mangrove Jack is an iconic sports fish and a highly sought

after recreational species for dedicated fishers. Although they are

considered by many to be a good quality eating fish, they are also

a popular catch and release species due to their fighting abilities.

Teraglin

(

Atractoscion

aequidens

)

Proposal:

Reduce bag limit from 5 to 2

Teraglin is a schooling species and can be susceptible to line

fishing methods. Available data indicates there has been a long-

term decline in this stock although the species appears to have a

fast growth rate and may be subject to large variations in natural

recruitment. Survey data suggests that landings of Teraglin by

recreational fishers are greater than the commercial catch in

NSW.

6

NSW Department of Primary Industries, May 2013

Review of NSW recreational saltwater and freshwater fishing rules

1.4 Other recreational bag limit options

/proposals for spec

ified species or

groups of species

This section outlines bag limit options and proposals for a number of other important species or

group of species in NSW.

Tunas

–

Yellowfin

(

Thunnus

albacares

),

Longtail

(

Thunnus tonggol

),

Albacore

(

Thunnus alalunga

) and

Bigeye

(

Thunnus obesus

)

Option 1:

Reduce the combined species group bag limit for

specified tuna species to 5 with only 1 fish over 90 cm

Option 2:

Reduce the combined species group bag limit for

specified tuna species to 2

The recreational bag limit for the group of tuna species is currently

7, comprised of any single species or combination of species, with

no more than 2 fish 90cm or over and 5 fish less than 90cm. A bag

limit of 7 tuna species is considered excessive. Also, no other fish

species has a bag limit of seven, therefore to simplify fishing rules

it is proposed to reduce the bag limit to five or two, which are limits

shared by other fish species. A reduction in the bag limit would

also provide for fairer sharing of the catch between recreational

fishers for these relatively large growing species.

Note: The rules for Southern Bluefin Tuna (

Thunnus maccoyii

) are

also being reviewed separately as part of the development of a

species impact statement for the species.

Billfish

–

Marlin

(

Striped

,

Blue

and

Black

),

Sailfish

,

Spearfish

and

Swordfish

(Species of family

Xiphiidae

and

Istiophoridae

)

Option 1:

Introduce a combined species group bag limit of 1

(i.e. 1 billfish per person/day)

Option 2:

Introduce a combined species group bag limit of 1 and

boat limit of 2

Option 3:

Introduce a combined species group bag limit of 1 and

boat limit of 1

The current bag limit for Black, Striped and Blue Marlin, Sailfish,

Spearfish and Swordfish (collectively referred to as billfish –

species of families

Xiphiidae

and

Istiophoridae

) is 1 of each

species per person per day.

There have been some community representations to reduce the

bag limit of billfish species to limit the recreational catch of these

large, iconic fish. Concerns have also been raised regarding

excessive boat catches by recreational fishers when billfish,

especially Striped and Black Marlin, are locally abundant. All game

fishing tournaments affiliated to the Game Fishing Association of

Australia have catch and release sections to facilitate tag and

release by recreational fishers, with some marlin weighed in from

time to time. Around 85% of billfish are released during game

fishing tournaments (based on the latest available research).

A stock assessment for striped marlin in the south-west Pacific

7

NSW Department of Primary Industries, May 2013

Review of NSW recreational saltwater and freshwater fishing rules

Ocean has recently reported that the current catch levels in the

south-west Pacific Ocean are approaching the maximum

sustainable yield (i.e. the largest yield (or catch) that can be taken

sustainably from a species’ stock) given the recent (low) levels of

recruitment estimated in the last four decades. Overfishing is not

currently occurring, however, noting the recent trend in spawning

biomass it is concluded that striped marlin may be approaching an

overfished state. However, there remains some uncertainty about

the biomass status of the overall stock.

Sharks

and

rays

The current bag limit for sharks and rays is 5, comprised wholly of

any single species or a combination of species but with no more

than one of each of the following large growing sharks:

(a) Tiger Shark (

Galeocerdo cuvier

),

( Mako Sharks

(

Isurus

spp),

© Whaler Sharks, Blue Shark (

Carcharhinidae

family),

(d) Smooth Hammerhead Shark

(

Sphyrna zygaena

).

In general, shark species are more vulnerable to fishing impacts

than bony fish, as they tend to be slow growing, mature at a later

age and have few young. Shark stocks can be slow to recover

from the effects of fishing due to these life history characteristics,

which make most shark species susceptible to overfishing. These

characteristics imply that a precautionary approach is particularly

applicable to this group of fish.

As a consequence, DPI has adopted a precautionary approach for

the commercial ocean trap and line fishery, with the OTL shark

fishery heavily restricted using catch caps and weekly limits. It is

considered that current recreational fishing rules relating to sharks

are excessive given the concerns and uncertainty around current

stock levels of various species.

Tiger, Mako, Smooth

Hammerhead, Porbeagle,

Blue, Thresher

and

Whaler

shark

species

Option 1:

Reduce bag limit from 5 in total to a combined bag limit

of 1 and a boat limit of 2 of these shark species

Option 2:

Reduce bag limit from 5 in total to a combined bag limit

of 1 and a boat limit of 1 of these shark species

All other shark

and

ray

species

Option 1:

Reduce bag limit from 5 (all other sharks and rays) to a

combined bag limit of 2

Option 2:

Reduce bag limit from 5 (all other sharks and rays) to a

combined bag limit of 1

8

NSW Department of Primary Industries, May 2013

Review of NSW recreational saltwater and freshwater fishing rules

Baitfish species

Proposal:

Change bag limit of small baitfish to 100 combined for

the following group of species – Australian Anchovy, Australian

Sardine (Pilchard), Blue Sprat (Bluebait), Sandy Sprat (Whitebait),

Maray (Round Herring) and Southern Herring

Changes to baitfish rules were made in 2007. Since then, some

recreational fishers have indicated that a bag limit of 50 baitfish of

each specified species – Australian Anchovy, Australian Sardine

(Pilchard), Blue Sprat (Bluebait), Sandy Sprat (Whitebait), Maray

(Round Herring) and Southern Herring – does not allow anglers to

collect a sufficient supply for bait and that a combined bag limit of

100 for this specified group of small baitfish species would provide

a sufficient supply of bait for an angler’s fishing trip.

Note: If there is a change to the existing bag limit of this specified

group of baitfish, it is proposed to exclude Blue Mackerel (Slimy

Mackerel) from the small baitfish group and move this species into

the existing combined baitfish bag limit of 50 Yellowtail Scad and

Jack Mackerel, comprised of any single species or a combination

of species, per person per day.

1.5

Miscellaneous bag limit options

I do not see any proposed change from a daily bag limit to an in possession limit.

Have a read of the proposals yourself.

Cheers

Ray

[Gad]

Ray, I can only imagine the writer has obtained his ‘in possessions’ from

/>http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fisheries/recreational/info/review/faqs

Why is it important to consider a combined saltwater finfish bag/possession limit?

The total number of recreational fishers in NSW is likely to increase over time due to the growing population size and participation rates in fishing remains quite high (around 14 percent of the population). A combined saltwater finfish bag/possession limit is one method of capping the daily overall catch of fishers and the recreational fishing sector as a whole.

[rayke1938]

Here is another take on it from Fishing World mag, The important thing is that people are being given the opportunity to have their say.

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COMMENT: NSW Bag & Size Review: options to consider

25 Jul 2013

By Jim Harnwell

THE bag and size review recently instigated by NSW Fisheries is causing a deal of disquiet in recreational fishing circles. Adding fuel to the fire is the announcement last week of fee increases in the licences we pay for the 'right' to fish. The unfortunate timing of this fee increase has served to exacerbate angler angst about the bag and size issue, leading to protests and calls to reject the proposals out of hand.

All up, this review process has been something of a PR disaster for a government already on the nose due to a series of contentious decisions relating to recreational fishing.

That said, my personal view is some of the changes proposed under the bag and size limit review make a good deal of sense. For instance, there aren't too many anglers who can reasonably oppose reducing bag limits on popular species such as bream and luderick. After all, who really needs to take 20 bream? Surely 10 is enough for anyone?

However, when you get to prestigous species like kingfish, which are proposed to drop from five to just two fish per day, the argument gets more complex and incendiary. Kingie stocks have rebounded substantially from the bad old days of floating fish traps. While the fish have bounced back, there are significant concerns the species is 'growth over fished' – that is, too many immature fish are being taken out of the system. Reducing recreational bag limits, as proposed by Fisheries, is one way to manage this problem.

This approach, however, is a bit of a blunt instrument, especially for a fishery which has so far been lauded as being something of a 'success story'.

A better option by which to ensure the long-term sustainability of the kingie fishery could be to look at increasing the legal size for these fast-growing fish. While I'm no fisheries expert, the science I've seen lately is pretty clear that kingies don't reproduce until at least 75cm. The current size limit is 65cm, which means fish can be taken before they have a chance to breed, hence the 'growth over fished' issue.

I like eating fresh kingfish as much as anyone. I can understand that a fisho travelling from, say, Canberra to Eden to fish for kingies would want to take a decent feed home in order to 'justify' the trip.

So, instead of limiting us to two fish of at least 65cm, why doesn't Fisheries raise the size limit to 75cm and allow us to take three or maybe four fish, with a possession limit of five per angler?

This size increase option would almost certainly result in more kingies reproducing before being taken (by either us or the commercials), thus resulting in a better fishery in regards to fish numbers and size. This option also allows anglers the chance to catch a decent feed and to stock the freezer, if they so desire.

As studies show kingfish handle catch and release very well, letting undersized fish go should not be too much of an issue, for either us or for commercial operators.

I've noted recent calls by angling groups for "proper science" to be used when making decisions about these potential bag and size limit changes. The NSW Government has been vocal about wanting to use 'science' as the core of its fisheries management protocols. Well, as far as kingfish are concerned, the science shows that 65cm fish are, by and large, sexually immature. So that means a size limit increase should be given serious consideration. It is, after all, pretty hard to argue against the scientific facts as currently stated...

Another species that could benefit from a size increase is snapper. Reds have always been a popular angling target and, unfortunately, there is increasing concern that east coast stocks are being hit hard. While catch and release is becoming more and more common for this species, many anglers (myself included) enjoy eating snapper. Personally, I don't let many snapper go but, like any responsible fisho, I want to do my bit to ensure the fishery is sustainable.

The science I've seen indicates snapper breed at fairly small sizes – about 28cm – so why not increase the size limit to, say, 40cm or 45cm to allow more breeding to occur before the fish are harvested? A daily bag limit of five decent sized reds seems sensible – again, how many do you need, especially if you're lucky enough to catch a couple of pannies and maybe a solid 5-6kg fish? That's a couple of great family meals, plus a few fillets for the freezer. Post-release survival of smaller snapper seems reasonable too, especially in shallower water or if using a release weight.

There are a host of other issues relating to the proposed bag and size limit review that I could talk about. For instance, I'm not sold on some of the proposed changes to crabbing. Instead of bans or limits on when we can catch a few muddies or blue swimmers, I'd prefer to see changes to traps or nets in order to alleviate the various concerns Fisheries has highlighted.

Also, I can't see why the 'slot limits' introduced in Queensland for fish such as flathead haven't been considered in NSW. The data I've seen seems to indicate the slot limit concept works extremely well and is helping support a very sustainable fishery for this popular bread and butter species.

Most importantly, I'm not at all keen on having any changes go through before management of the commercial sector is addressed. Making changes, some of which are fairly radical, to how we (recreational anglers) access fish resources doesn't, in my mind, make sense unless done in concert with the commercial netters, trappers and line fishers. I know many other anglers are concerned about this apparent flaw in the government's plans involving bag and size limits. This particular issue is a big fly in the ointment and needs to be addressed.

That said, this bag and size limit review presents us with a rare opportunity to have a proactive discussion on how we want our fisheries managed. Surely we all want the healthiest, most diverse and most sustainable fishery we can get – for us, for our kids and for future generations. It seems to me we need approach this issue with an open mind.

Given that sentiment, it's disappointing to see so many fishos take what I see to be a fairly blinkered and negative view on the bag and size proposals. There is no doubt that some, perhaps many, of the ideas presented aren't workable and, as such, need amendment or complete rejection. Equally, it's clear that other aspects of the review are worth careful consideration, discussion and implementation.

I'd like to think the recreational fishing community in NSW is mature and organised enough to take the lead on these issues. While it's obvious we should engage in rigorous and open debate about the size and bag limit proposals, I feel strongly that we shouldn't necessarily let the politics of negativity dictate how we respond to this particular concern.

It's always easy to just say "no" whenever change is offered. Perhaps, in situations like this, it might be worth looking at things objectively. Instead of automatically responding with anger and opposition, we should instead offer alternative options and fresh ways of thinking.

There are just a couple of days left for us to have our say on these bag and size limit proposals. The next review won't be for several years, at least. The NSW Fisheries proposals aren't perfect. That said, they're not totally without merit.

I urge you to give this important issue careful consideration. It goes without saying, you should feel free to criticise any elements of the proposal about which you have concerns. You should also, in all fairness, make an effort to contribute new and positive ideas.

Jim Harnwell is the editor and publisher of Fishing World.

Cheers

Ray

[Gad]

29 Jul 2013

THE NSW Government has granted a one-month extension for submissions on proposed changes to recreational fishing rules in NSW, including bag and size limits.

The government's discussion paper is on public exhibition until Saturday 31 August 2013. Discussion papers and submission forms are available at most bait and tackle shops and fisheries offices throughout NSW.

It's easy to make a submission on the various options via the online submission form or by post, email or fax... so get onboard and have your say!

Copies of the paper can be found online at www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/reviews/fishingrules

[Gad]

Taken from FW email newsletter 21 Aug 13

Bag limits review draws negative response

21 Aug 2013

THE Sydney Morning Herald reports anglers in NSW have lodged over 3500 submissions for the Department of Primary Industries' review of bag limits.

The review, which has been extended until the end of August, has recommended a 50 per cent reduction in bag limits for popular species such as snapper, flathead, tailor, trevally, luderick and bream and has been widely criticised by rec fishing groups.

President of the Australian National Sportfishing Association NSW branch, Stan Konstantaras, described the review process as ''lazy'' and lacking any solid science.

''The first question you have to ask is, 'Are recreation fishing stocks in danger?' That question hasn't been answered ever,'' he told the Herald.

He said the review ignored community concerns about commercial fishing activities such as the netting of estuaries.

''Instead it has just proposed a broad-brush 50 per cent reduction in recreational fishing bag limits. They have taken the easy option. It's no different to the debate we had around marine parks and the sanctuary zones, there was no science there either.''

The review recommends even tougher bag limits for some deep-water species. A reduction of 60 per cent (five to two) in the daily limit is proposed for blue-eye trevalla, banded rock cod, hapuka and gemfish.

In responding to criticism, NSW Primary Industries rec fisheries manager Bryan van der Walt told the Herald "We've developed the discussion paper in light of a lot of issues.''

''The recreational sector in NSW is a large sector - there are 1 million fishers in NSW - so we do these reviews periodically, the last one was in 2007. Between reviews we get a lot of representations from the community about various things.

''One of those things is the potential reduction in bag limits which provides for greater conservation of our fish stocks but also a fairer sharing of the catch.''

Not all anglers disagree with the proposed blanket reductions. Anthony Stokman, who operates Topcat fishing charters at Batemans Bay, said he liked the fact they were halving the limits.

''A lot of clients are catching and releasing [fish] these days.''

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/environment/animals/anglers-upset-as-bag-limits-halved-20130820-2s9et.html#ixzz2cZ2UsPd1

[Bi_polar]

I personally think we should get licencing up here only a little more loose just helps out our waterways ie. making artificial reefs reduce bag limits repopulate rivers and get rid of some people who are abusing what left in our estuary's

They need to do it better than NSW though. I witnessed the licencing debacle in NSW and it was an absolute joke. The Government had all these glorious plans of using the licencing money to buy all the pro fisho's out, but all that happened was they bought the fishing licences off the trawler operators and the next day the trawler operators went out and bought new cars and houses and whatever with that money..."At our Expense" and bought another licence from someone else and continued business as usual. It was a mess and none of the licencing money even went toward policing....the white bucket brigades were still in the same places every week and fisheries was still understaffed to police any of these activities.

Fisheries are so understaffed in Queensland it borders on being criminal but something needs to be done and if the money from the licences is broken up by a few sectors like more Inspectors,Artificial reefs and restocking and the like, then licencing is a great idea. But all the money raised from these licences needs to be injected straight back into these industry sectors and not for projects outside of this area.

Anyway...that's my say