netting bream

[Cortinaboy]

I subscribe to the 'Around the Jetties' newsletter put out by Lynton Barr (thanks to Ice Man Dude for putting me onto this publication). They have a series of reports, but I thought people would be especially interested in the follwing editorial. Some might know I support regulation of fisheries, but I do think the stakes are highest (most to gain, most to lose) in regulating commercial fishing. This account, if true, seems like its an obvious area to regulate.

Quoted from 'Around the Jetties' Number 39 (October 2010)

" I have just had an unconfirmed report that in the recent Mitchell River flood commercial fishermen netting at the mouth of the river and in other areas affected by the flood took over 300 25kg bins of black bream forced from the Mitchell by the fresh water flow. This was over 9 tonnes of black bream taken as a result of a natural event, and most of these fish would be spawning bream so the effect would be to reduce the recovery potential of this species. My informant also indicated that the effect of this massive quantity of black bream hitting the market was to cause the price for black bream to plummet from $11.00 to $4.50. In issue 36 July of Around the Jetties I provided evidence from a research paper of how black bream left the Nicholson River at the time of the 2007 a flood event, and all black bream exiting the river in two hours. It was generally accepted that the increase in the commercial black bream catch for 2007/8 was due to netting at the mouth of rivers during this flood event. As a result of the most recent flood event we can also expect an increase in the commercial catch of black bream for 2010/11 but more importantly black bream brood stocks have been decimated and the result will undoubtedly support a continuing decline of this species.
I urge Fisheries Victoria and the Government to examine this issue and consider putting a moratorium on commercial netting when a flood event is imminent or alternately increase the banned area for commercial netting from the current 400 metres to one kilometre at the mouth of rivers. If there is a will to protect the remaining black bream brood stock this can be done and it was stated by Fisheries Victoria in 1996 when regulations to protect black bream were introduced that “Urgent action is required to protect the small remaining adult bream stocks so that sufficient reproductive capacity is maintained to ensure stock rebuilding occurs when conditions are more favourable.” That statement was made when the commercial catch was 89 tonnes in 1996/7, today the catch is 36 tonnes and the urgency to protect this estuarine species has never been greater. This is a challenge for Fisheries Victoria and the Government to provide urgent regulations to protect the brood stock of black bream."

I'm sure all will be shocked by this, but how many will actually pick up the phone or write an email to make their displeasure known to Fisheries?

Contact points:

customer.service@dpi.vic.gov.au

or ph 136186 (or 03 5332 5000).

[nick88]

that's really DohDohDohDoh and annoying
something should be done about it
that's a massive amount of bream, especially around spawing time

[The G factor]

300 25kg bins....absolutely speechless...

[BloodWorm]

Grrrrrrrr

[spoonta66]

I just sent in a letter to the email address you provided, I urge everyone on this site to do the same if you want to continue to enjoy this fantastic fishery we all fish.

No excuses everyone, get an email in to them, 2 minutes of your life is all you need to sacrifice.

You could even copy and paste the info above and with a few small changes put forward a concise educated opinion of your own

[***dingo***]

Herd about this, big talking point with the locals at the moment, what is worth more to the economy a hand full of people making $$$$$ buy killing this fantastic sport fish or the thousands of rec anglers spending millions a year chasing them. when will the local/state/federal goverenment wake up to themselfs, the mitchell is my backyard and a great place to chase bream i am so angry (had to re-write this a few times as we can not swear on this site)

[Stealth]

And people wonder why theres no fish!!, not only that, they try ( greenies ) and use us rec fishers (who on this site are mainly Catch and Release), as the reason theres no fish, and ban us out of or own damn rivers. when anyone with half a brain knows that commercial fishers are the main problem. theres so many thing that pis me of atm this is one more. Rant ova

[DCA]

I am still in shock.
I thought this sort of thing would be a thing of the past.
Victoria has been avid in there research on black bream in the past, and should have put policies in place for this.

I think this commercial fisherman should be given a warning, and in the event a similar thing occurs a huge fine and licence revoked.

He may well be in his rights to net the area, but I am also sure there is rules against population netting, that means only small amounts are allowed to be taken from and area at any given time to prevent loss of genetic families.

If this is the case in Vic then he would be in breach of his licence anway.

Well i have emailed my opinion onto the email address provided.

It is time they deal with these problems.

I personally dont think we need netting in any of our river mouths, this is just a spawning ground for most of the commercial species.

IMO

Regards

Dan

[Bear]

Hey, in WA we still stock rivers with bream that have active pros. Go figure.

[ben k]

Originally Posted by Bear

Hey, in WA we still stock rivers with bream that have active pros. Go figure.

confused over that one bear.
im glad theres no comercial fishery for bream over here.

[nick88]

Originally Posted by ben k

confused over that one bear.
im glad theres no comercial fishery for bream over here.

that's why you have horse bream

[Bear]

The Blackwood River here in WA is commercially netted and yet also stocked with bream due to issues with the Blackwood Bream population.

Got me stuffed how it can be allowed to happen.

JMO.

[ben k]

Originally Posted by nick88

that's why you have horse bream

true

Originally Posted by bear

The Blackwood River here in WA is commercially netted and yet also stocked with bream due to issues with the Blackwood Bream population.

Got me stuffed how it can be allowed to happen.

JMO.

all thats doing is giving rec fishers funding directly to the comercial guys

[Bear]

Yep

I sent an email, i suggest everyone takes a few minutes to voice there disgust!