Peel recreational fishing guide November 2014 Primefact 989 Second edition Recreational and Indigenous Fisheries Unit Recreational Fishing Fee Introduction When fishing in NSW waters, both freshwater and saltwater, you are required by law to pay the Our State's fisheries are a community-owned NSW recreational fishing fee and carry a receipt resource. We all have a responsibility to protect showing the payment of the fee. This applies and safeguard this natural asset for present and when spear fishing, hand lining, hand gathering, future generations. trapping, bait collecting and prawn netting or Fishing regulations are in place to protect and when in possession of fishing gear in, on or conserve our fish stocks and aquatic habitats to adjacent to waters. ensure that fishing activities remain sustainable. All money raised by the NSW recreational fishing The Peel District boasts a tremendous variety of fee is spent on improving recreational fishing in waterways from which to choose. Situated mostly NSW. Some projects include: on a sub-alpine plateau, typically over 600 m in • Angler facilities such as fish cleaning tables elevation, the waterways range from large dams and fishing platforms. and fast running mountain streams to slower lowland rivers in the valleys. • Stocking of freshwater fish in dams and rivers. Situated in the district are the large dams of Keepit, Chaffey, Splitrock and Glenbawn. These • Essential research on popular recreational dams provide excellent fishing and are regularly fish species. stocked with Murray cod, and golden and silver • Enhancing compliance with fishing rules. perch. • Restoring important fish habitat. Fisheries Officers from NSW Department of Primary Industries (NSWDPI) routinely patrol • Research stocking of mulloway and prawns waterways, boat ramps and impoundments in estuaries. advising anglers about responsible fishing • The installation of fish aggregating devices practices and ensuring compliance with NSW (FADs) to enhance fishing opportunities for fishing regulations. dolphin fish or even tuna and marlin. Information on bag and size limits, fishing • Creation of Recreational Fishing Havens. closures and legal fishing gear can be obtained free of charge from the NSW DPI website • Angler education and advisory programs www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fisheries, by calling 1300 such as the Fishcare Volunteer Program, 550 474, or by visiting your local NSW DPI fishing workshops and fishing guides. fisheries office. • Building artificial reefs in Lake Macquarie, To report illegal fishing activity, call your local Botany Bay, St Georges Basin and Lake fisheries office or the Fishers Watch Phoneline Conjola. More reefs in other estuaries are on 1800 043 536. All calls will be treated as planned. confidential and you can remain anonymous. • Investigating the building of artificial reefs in offshore areas. Peel recreational fishing guide You can pay the NSW recreational fishing fee at The following methods are permitted during the hundreds of agents throughout NSW, such as fishing season: a) one attended rod and line with over the counter at most fishing tackle shops. not more than 2 hooks attached and with not You can also pay the fee at some caravan parks, more than 3 treble hooks, or 3 double hooks, local shops and service stations, many Kmart attached to any lure; and b) a landing net used as stores, online at www.licence.nsw.gov.au or by an ancillary for retrieval of fish lawfully taken. Bait calling 1300 369 365. fishing is permitted. If you pay for a one year or three year period When taking Atlantic salmon, brook trout, brown online, over the phone or at a Touch agent, or if trout and rainbow trout in general trout streams you renew your licence using your renewal letter, the maximum quantity that a person may take on you will receive a plastic receipt in the post. any one day is 5 and the maximum quantity that Evidence of payment is your receipt number a person may have in their possession is 10, which you must be able to produce if requested consisting of any single species or a combination by an authorised officer (until you receive your of species. receipt in the post). Apsley River. The following waters are general Note: If you pay for a 3 day or 1 month period, no trout waters: the whole of the waters of the additional receipt will be posted. Apsley River, its creeks and tributaries upstream from its junction with, and including, the Tia Some exemptions apply to paying the fishing fee, River. including people under the age of 18 and holders of pensioner concession cards. For further Barnard River. The following waters are general information on exemptions visit the NSW DPI trout waters: the whole of the waters of the website or your local fisheries office. Barnard River, its creeks and tributaries upstream from its junction with, and including, You may not need to pay the NSW recreational Gulf Creek. fishing fee if you are fishing on a charter boat under the supervision of a fishing guide. Please Barrington River. The following waters are check with the charter operator, or guide, before general trout waters: the whole of the waters of you go fishing. If they do not hold a Recreational the Barrington River, its creeks and tributaries Fishing Fee Exemption Certificate you will need upstream from its junction with, and including, the to pay the NSW recreational fishing fee. Moppy River. Cobark River. The following waters are general Recreational Fishing Closures trout waters: the whole of the waters of the Cobark River, its creeks and tributaries upstream Weir closures from its junction with, and including, the Dilgry Manilla Weir. The following waters are closed to River. the taking of all species of fish by all methods of Cooplacurripa River. The following waters are fishing: the Namoi River within 50 m upstream general trout waters: the whole of the waters of and 50 m downstream of the weir face of the the Cooplacurripa River, its creeks and tributaries upper Manilla Weir (at Chaffey Park). upstream from its junction with, and including, the Keepit Dam. The following waters are closed to Mummel River. the taking of all species of fish by all methods of Dungowan Creek (Figure 1). The following fishing: the Namoi River within 150 m waters are general trout waters: the whole of the downstream of the weir face at Keepit Dam waters of Dungowan Creek and its tributaries Seasonal closures – trout waters upstream from the road crossing near Ogunbil Station. General trout streams The following waters are general trout streams and are closed to the taking of all species of fish by any method, from the Tuesday after the June (Queen’s Birthday) long weekend until midnight on the last Friday before the start of the October (Labour Day) long weekend (inclusive) in each year. 2 NSW Department of Primary Industries, January 2015 Peel recreational fishing guide Figure 1. Dungowan creek trout waters Figure 3. Gwydir River trout waters Gloucester River. The following waters are Horton River. The following waters are general general trout waters: the whole of the waters of trout waters: the whole of the waters of the the Gloucester River, its creeks and tributaries Horton River, its creeks and tributaries upstream upstream from its junction with, and including, from its junction with, and including, Cut Road Sharpes Creek. Creek. Gwydir River (Figure 2). The following waters Hunter River (Figure 4). The following waters are general trout waters: the whole of the waters are general trout waters: the whole of the waters of the Gwydir River, its creeks and tributaries of the Hunter River, its creeks and tributaries upstream of the road bridge at Torryburn. upstream from its junction with, but not including, Pages Creek. Figure 2. Gwydir River trout waters Figure 4. Hunter River trout waters Gwydir River (Figure 3). The following waters are general trout waters: the whole of the waters Macdonald River (Figure 5). The following of the Gwydir River, its creeks and tributaries waters are general trout waters: the whole of the downstream of Copeton Dam and upstream of its waters of the Macdonald River, its creeks and junction with, but not including, Dingo Creek. tributaries upstream of the New England Highway road bridge at Bendemeer. 3 NSW Department of Primary Industries, January 2015 Peel recreational fishing guide Creek and its tributaries upstream from its junction with, and including, Tuggolo Creek. Nowendoc River (figure 7). The following waters are general trout waters: the whole of the waters of the Nowendoc River, its creeks and tributaries upstream from Nowendoc Falls. Omadale Brook. The following waters are general trout waters: the whole of the waters of Omadale Brook and its tributaries upstream from its junction with, and including, Polblue Creek. Figure 5. Macdonald River trout waters Manning River (Figure 6). The following waters are general trout waters: the whole of the waters of the Manning River, its creeks and tributaries upstream from the Gummi Trail crossing. Moonan Brook. The following waters are general trout waters: the whole of the waters of Moonan Brook and its tributaries upstream from its junction with, but not including, the Hunter River. Figure 7. Nowendoc River trout waters General trout dams The following waters are general trout dams. These waters are open to fishing all year round. When fishing in general trout dams, up to two attended rods each with a line may be used with not more than 2 hooks per line or up to 3 hooks per line, where those hooks are artificial flies or lures. An artificial fly or lure is considered to be a single hook. Bait fishing is permitted. A landing net may be used as an ancillary for retrieval of fish lawfully taken. Note. The bag and size limits for general trout dams are the same as the bag and size limits for general Dam Town Figure 6.