The Redland City Local Disaster Management Group and Redland City Council are encouraging people to reconsider their need for non-essential travel to the Redlands Coast islands. This includes North Stradbroke Island (Minjerribah), Coochiemudlo Island (Goochie mudlo), and the four Southern Moreton Bay islands of Russell (Canaipa), Lamb (Ngudooroo), Macleay (Jencoomercha) and Karragarra. The request comes as Chair of the Redland …
Read More »Bucket list fishing trip in far north Queensland
I RECENTLY had the pleasure of taking a keen angler on a bucket list fishing trip in tropical north Queensland. He had set himself up with a couple of trips arranged through Fishing Cairns, one out to the reef to chase GTs and the other up the river with me to chase jungle perch and sooty grunter. The trips were …
Read More »Coronavirus changes tropical rock lobster fishery
Coronavirus changes tropical rock lobster fishery area – Temporary expansion of tropical rock lobster fishery area Due to the impacts of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, the tropical rock lobster fishery area has been temporarily expanded south to 18°S (just north of Cardwell) for three months – this temporary expansion will be in place until, and including, 9 June 2020. This …
Read More »Recreational fishers furious at Queensland government
FOLLOWING a state-wide telephone conference last week, a network of concerned recreational fishing activists issued the following statement: The Sustainable Fisheries Strategy reforms Queensland Labor PROMISED us to improve our fish stocks appear to have been canned! Reforms that would have seen fish stock level ultimately raised to those already existing in the Net Free Zones were supposed to be …
Read More »Illegal fishers cop $63,000 in fines after Operation Turbo Reef
MORE than 6251 marine invertebrates have been seized, 337 offences detected and $63,000 in fines issued in an operation designed to target illegal shellfish collection in the Sydney metropolitan region. The issuing of fines has completed Operation Turbo Reef, an initiative of NSW Department of Primary Industries Fisheries Compliance Unit. Acting Director Fisheries Compliance Brett Andrew said the operation is …
Read More »Drought-breaking rain changes the game
WELL the drought’s over on the Northern Rivers! Twenty-four inches of drought-breaking rain in four days will do that. All those fish that were above Mullumbimby in the Brunswick River aren’t there anymore. We really needed a good flush of the system like this to get things moving both in the river and offshore. Offshore was stagnant, with cold water …
Read More »Expanded FAD program reeling in fish and fishers
A PROJECT to boost the world-class fishing experience in southeast Queensland waters has been expanded with the installation of 15 new fish-attracting devices off the coast in early March. Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries Mark Furner said the FAD program involved floating buoys tethered offshore to attract fish. “We’re creating a world-class fishing experience by investing $1 million …
Read More »Fishing the western watershed streams
WHILE penning this piece relating to fishing the western watershed streams during the grip of one of the most prolonged droughts in living memory, just for contrast, rain is falling across the region concerned. Here too in the southeastern corner of the sunshine state we’ve been blessed with liquid sunshine, albeit in lesser amounts than those of us in rural …
Read More »East coast black jewfish fishery closed
East coast black jewfish fishery CLOSED The annual catch limit for the east coast has been reached. Black jewfish is a no-take species on the east coast for all fishers for the rest of the 2020 calendar year. Penalties apply to any fisher caught taking black jewfish on the east coast during this closure. Penalties of up to $400 000 or 3 years imprisonment apply to any …
Read More »Dirty water in southern bay makes fishing tricky
WE had a reasonable run of weather for the start of the year and then it turned and we’ve copped heaps of rain and subsequent dirty water. We’ve had fewer days on the water and unfortunately my dud back has decided to play up again. For some reason it seems to do it at this time of year. One recent …
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