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 in these structures that will attract sportfish species including mahi mahi (dolphinfish), cobia and wahoo,” he said. “Fishing is one of the hundreds of reasons people come to the Sunshine Coast. More fish means more tourists, which means more tourism jobs. In December last year we installed FADs in 10 locations from Double Island Point to the Gold Coast. They’ve been very popular.

“One charter boat operator even reported catching 80 mahi mahi in one trip, with the majority released to fight another day. We want to ensure more people experience this and that is why another 15 devices are being deployed from Fraser Island to the Gold Coast.”

Mr Furner said the FADs have also taken some of the pressure off snapper and pearl perch, which are currently overfished and stocks are very low.

“We are building a legacy of a sustainable fishery for our children and grandchildren,” Mr Furner said. “This initiative will help to strengthen world-class recreational fishing in Queensland, while giving snapper and pearl perch stocks an opportunity to rebuild. By encouraging recreational fishers to target species other than snapper and pearl perch, we can ensure our kids and grandkids will be able to enjoy fishing for these iconic Queensland species in the future.”

Mr Furner said the Queensland Government wants to see fishers elsewhere in the state have access to this world-class experience thanks to the FAD program.

“When we launched the program last year, we asked fishers to have their say on the proposed locations and suggestions for other places to install these FADs,” he said. “We’ve listened and over the next few months we’ll deploy these devices in north Queensland so our state truly becomes a global offshore fishing destination.”

GPS locations of the FADs are available at fisheries.qld.gov.au and will be promoted through Fisheries Queensland social media.

FADs are for the benefit and enjoyment of all and we remind people not to moor on the FADs and to be courteous to other people fishing in the area.