THE latest stock assessment of common coral trout (plectromous leopardus) has estimated the spawning biomass of the population to be 59 percent. Biomass estimates are used to determine the status of the stock of coral trout and also the level of fishing required to enable stocks to reach the Sustainable Fisheries Strategy target of 60 percent unfished spawning biomass. The …

IN a boost for both recreational fishing and the environment, new UNSW research shows that artificial reef domes can increase fish abundance in estuaries with little natural reef. Researchers installed six manmade reefs per estuary studied and found overall fish abundance increased up to 20 times in each reef across a two-year period. The study, published in the Journal of …

Where is your nearest frame drop-off location? NSW DPI Fisheries currently has 31 Research Angler Program locations from the Tweed Fisheries office in the north to the Eden Fisheries office in the south, making it easy for you to contribute to this important citizen science program. Many local tackle outlets – such as the Nambucca Heads Boatshed and Cafe (pictured) …

NSW’s newest offshore artificial reef will feature a specially designed 10m high “fish grotto” as well as innovative “arrowhead” reef modules boasting unique habitat features to attract and hold key sportfish including Spanish and spotted mackerel, cobia, kingfish, amberjack and samsonfish. DPI has awarded a contract for Pacific Marine Group to construct and install the new reef off Tweed Heads. …

An illegal fisher has been apprehended during a weekend near Warren, following a joint operation between NSW Department of Primary Industries’ Fisheries officers and NSW Police Rural Crime Unit, Acting Director NSWDPI Fisheries Compliance, Dr Andrew Moriarty said. Two men, a 49-year-old man from Dubbo and a 58-year-old man from Wongarbon, were apprehended on Saturday 27 June 2020 on the …

Snapper and pearl perch will be no-take species in Queensland waters for one month starting July 15 (from 12.01am). Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries Mark Furner said this new closure would apply to all fishers – commercial, charter and recreational. “This seasonal closure is similar to spawning closures for barramundi and reef fin fish species, which have been …

AS a charter operator, mess and disorganisation seriously get under my skin. Now, if you know me personally I am one of the messiest people about, and the console of my boat is a clear indication of many moments of mayhem. Lures with rusty hooks stacked on top of each other and hidden underneath is a pair of line clippers that …

Specialist marine insurers such as Nautilus Marine Insurance are the ones to be with when it comes to vessel write-offs and considering what is and what is not, ‘damage beyond economic repair’. Why? Because specialist marine insurers know the value of boats and equally as importantly, they know today’s costs of replacing them. That’s a critical factor for the boat …

WHILE most of us are snuggling up at home this winter, commercial fishers have already commenced fishing in the ocean beach net fishing season that runs from April to August each year. A small number of fishers hold licences for the ocean beach net fishery which limits when and where they can fish, what fish they can catch, the size …

WINTER has set in at Somerset Dam. With all the anticipation and excitement of the past couple of months of the lakes getting a reprieve from fishers and boaters, we were back out on the lake in May. I must say, Somerset generally has two rough periods for fishing and April is usually one of them, as the bass start …