Fishers Working and Caring for the Hawkesbury River

Volume December 2011 A Hawkesbury Trawl Fisher Community Information Newsletter. Fishers working and Caring For the Hawkesbury River Photos: (Metapenaeus Macleayi) SCHOOL PRAWN Editor: Mary Howard GAICD phone 0245664317 Mary Howard Email: [email protected]

Recreational Fishing Only Areas (RFA’s) are Decades of Restructure for commercial fisheries. declared fishing areas in waterways that in most The NSW Government has allocated 16 million cases totally remove commercial fishing access, dollars to the outcomes and deliverables of the there are more than 30 across the state of NSW. Review into Commercial Fishing Management and Previously most of these areas historically supplied Policy: Meetings have been held across NSW to hundreds of tonnes of fish species for the tables of talk to fishers about their fisheries and their vision communities who do not or can’t recreational fish. for the future. I have found this process to be Continual recreational fishing lobby RFA group difficult, primarily because Commercial Fishers pressure to remove professional fishers in 2011: collectively cannot have a clear vision for their Pittwater – Recreational fishers are pushing to have Fisheries while ever the Governments policy is to Pittwater declared a Recreational Only Fishing continue to remove access from historic and Area. Professional fishers provide fish for the non traditional professional fishing grounds in favour of recreational fishing community including children exclusive recreational fishing only areas and marine and the elderly. I am advised that their access area parks. Meetings: In Newcastle and Ulladulla fishers is around 10% of this waterway. According to in attendance were clearly tired. NSW commercial NSW Fisheries, 17% of the population of NSW Fisheries have been under an ongoing reduction are recreational fishers. I recently visited the management regime for more than three decades. Pittwater area; there are more than 5,000 boat Professional fishers are being locked into smaller moorings there. The daily movement of boats is and smaller areas, which subsequently impact their constant, yet recreational fishers continue to name sustainability and viability. and blame commercial fishers for their inability to Marine Parks: The Marine parks and aquatic catch a fish. Reports to hand from the professionals reserves process, is driven from the environmental indicate there is an abundance of migratory fish arm of government. Australian consumers of wild such as Salmon and Trevally in the estuary at the harvest fish, are totally unaware of the constant multiple reduction of area access to grounds for the moment. Similarly in the Hawkesbury River the Professional Fishing Fleet. It is more than six years prawn’s schools are indicating a good season. since commercial fishers documented their on ************************************************* board by-catch exclusion devices in developing environmental impact assessments and management plans, making Australia one of the world leaders of Fisheries Management. There remains this ongoing and constant, remove, reduce and restrict policy aimed specifically at professional fishers. So back to Pittwater – It will be interesting to see if the Government allows the Petition that is being distributed in the local community to be recognised. In 2002,when the Recreational Fishing Only areas were first introduced and Commercial Fishers petitioned each Petition was recognised as Small section of Pittwater foreshores one vote, totally reducing the industries objections.

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\Marine Parks and Aquatic Reserves cont: There ‘are’ several Aquatic reserves within the Hawkesbury Bio Shelf Region. What does this really mean? Essentially if you Bull Rout check the map, specific biodiversity areas have been declared along the East coast in the Hawkesbury Bio Shelf Region, so no, this is not just about the Hawkesbury River, however, there is considerable concern that the Hawkesbury River will be a focus for decision makers because it is identified as a drowned river valley ( One of only three in NSW) The objectives of Aquatic Reserves and Marine Parks is to have representative regions declared within Marine parks to comply with the Governments international agreements. Over four generations of professional fishing families (meshing and trawling)have sustainably fished the Hawkesbury River. This is not a time to be complacent. The Professional fishing Industry Correction: The fish Identified in the July edition will always be outnumbered by environmental of ‘Come Aboard’ is in fact a ‘Bull Rout’ not a lobby groups and recreational fishers. It is ‘Fortescue’ The bull Rout’s markings are not as therefore essential that consumers of locally caught distinct in lines as the Fortescue. Both fish will fish start to understand, take notice and voice their concerns to what is actually occurring to the fishing inflict extremely painful stings if handled. industry. Sustainability of Aquatic resources is a **************************************** whole of community responsibility, it is not just the This Month’s prawn trawler is ‘Kristy Ann’ practices of commercial fishermen that determines sustainable fishing opportunities. *********************************** Prawn Trawler History: ‘PAULINE’

Owned and built by Gary Howard and his father Graham. ‘Kristy Anne’ is a new modern addition to the Hawkesbury Prawn Trawl Fleet. It can be found fishing the Hawkesbury River from below Photo credit: G. Rose Built by: Arthur Rose (senior) and Bill Griffith at Lower Portland Ferry crossing downstream to ‘Park Farm’, for Arthur Rose (junior), he is Broken Bay. Gary is a second generation standing on the front deck. If you look closely, professional fisher. Gary’s cooked prawns can be Geoffrey Rose and his sister Pauline are in this found in butcher shops at Wilberforce, Glenorie photo. Arthur sold it to Italian Fishermen around and Galston when prawns are running and are a 1950. George Cross was commissioned to skipper good size. Prawn Trawl Fishers who sell cooked the boat to Sydney Harbour but the vessel was cut prawns direct to consumers are required to hold Safe Food permits as well as specific permits from in half by a Collier and both lives were lost. Industry and Investment to sell direct to other retailers.

Come Aboard and keep the Hawkesbury River Healthy Page 2