SATURDAY EVENT IN BRIEF | Overview

PROJECT AND TILAPIA ‘STOP THE SPREAD’ 19 FUNDING: Australian Government Reef Programme (System Repair) SEPTEMBER REEF CATCHMENTS ACTIVITY: FAMILY FISHING FUN DAY AND BARRAMUNDI FINGERLING RELEASE FAMILY FISHING FUN DAY OBJECTIVE: Community awareness, engagement and education A community eduction event | DESCRIPTION: Families and the local community were invited to Reef Catchments’ Family Fishing Fun Day (Saturday 19 September) to take part in a wide range of activities specifically designed to raise levels of community education and awareness around the value of long-term waterway health and aquatic pest management (tilapia).

Children participated in a free interactive angling and pest fish education event, helping release 1000 tagged barramundi fingerlings as part of on-going predatory control trial focused on the noxious pest fish, tilapia.

MACKAY GOOSEPONDS Local community groups (e.g. Landcare) and others had information displays and stands on site, with several education sessions run over the course of the morning:

9:00 Public arrive; register and commence Kid’s fishing session CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO VIEW FOOTAGE FROM THE DAY (TAGGING 10:15 Electrofishing information session AND RESEARCH DEMONSTRATION 10:45 Fishway/habitat improvement session SESSION) 11:15 Tagging and research demonstration 11:45 Conclude Kid’s Fishing Session 12:00 Prize draws 12:20 Release of barra fingerlings

From prize donations to on-ground support and fish tagging - this event had a high level of community involvement, and demonstrates successful collaboration between diverse groups and industries.

ENGAGEMENT OUTCOME: THIS HIGHLY ENGAGING EVENT WAS A FANTASTIC TEAM EFFORT THAT SAW MORE THAN 140 CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES REGISTERED, WITH AN ESTIMATED TOTAL OF 250 PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE.

Children involved demonstrated a real understanding of pest awareness, tilapia and waterway health and were very eager to learn more in an interactive hands-on environment. COMMUNITY This event involved a wide range of organisations, coordinated by Reef Catchments. INVOLVEMENT: With thanks to: Catchment Solutions, Mackay Recreational Fishers Alliance, Mackay Area Fish Stocking Association, Conservation Volunteers Australia, Mackay Regional Council, Debbie’s Seafood, Tackle World Mackay, Nashy’s Compleat Angler, Lake Proserpine Fishing Charters and Pioneer Catchment Landcare. MEDIA: Media coverage was strong and the event was featured widely, including through all local Mackay media outlets - ABC Tropical North (radio), Channel 7 (TV) and the Daily Mercury (print). Above average media coverage is believed to be a driving factor in strong attendance levels. The story was also syndicated to wider regions, resulting in a broader reach of key educational messages, a major target of the event. In addition to local media, the news was featured via Queensland Rural Weekly (Central Queensland), ABC Rural online, Queensland Country Hour, ABC Southern Queensland (Toowoomba) and ABC Wide Bay (Bundaberg). ABC ONLINE: www.abc.net.au/news/2015-09-18/baby-barramundi-to-attack-mackay-tilapia/6786180 DAILY MERCURY GALLERY: http://www.dailymercury.com.au/photos/barramundi-fun-day/34159/#/6

Kids and barra both make a splash at “JUST A SHORT NOTE Reef Catchments Family Fishing Fun Day TO CONGRATULATE More than 140 eager young anglers and their families enjoyed a day of fish focused fun at YOU ON A FANTASTIC, the Reef Catchments Family Fishing Fun Day, Saturday 19 September. WELL MANAGED, Kids took part in hands-on pest fish education and angling event, learning more as they WELL OILED helped release 1000 tagged barramundi fingerlings into the Mackay Gooseponds. FAMILY DAY AT THE Event coordinator, Trent Power, said the barramundi release was part of on-going GOOSEPOND’S predatory control trial focused on the noxious pest fish, tilapia. But he said the major benefit of the day was raising community awareness. YESTERDAY (19/9/15) “Mackay is an avid fishing community and we want the next generation to have a good AS PART OF REEF awareness about how to keep our fish and waterways healthy,” Mr Power said. CATCHMENTS “As well as being a fun day out, this event will help kids learn more about what they can COMMUNITY do to protect our waterways and fish habitat, the kinds of fish to avoid, and the benefits of TILAPIA EDUCATION looking after our local native species, like barramundi.” PROGRAM. I WOULD The barramundi release is the second phase of a research trial to investigate the potential GIVE IT 20 OUT OF 10. of using native predatory fish to help control tilapia, a classified invasive pest species posing a significant threat to Queensland waterways and aquatic ecosystems. Mr Power said the fish release and Reef Catchments Family Fishing Fun Day were both IF YOU CONDUCT collaborative events and would not be possible without significant support from the local THIS EVENT AGAIN community. PLEASE COUNT US IN!” “In particular, we would like to thank the Mackay Recreational Fishers Alliance Inc for Lance Murray, President assisting with coordination of the fishing day and Mackay Area Fish Stocking Association Mackay Recreational (MAFSA) for providing the group’s hatchery to hold the fingerlings prior to the release”, he Fishers Alliance said. Michael Wynn from Mackay Recreational Fishers Alliance Inc. said the day would be a great chance for young anglers to learn first-hand from the experts. “We are proud to utilise our angler education team and teach junior fishers the finer points on how to land that prize catch,” he said. Kieron Galletly from Mackay Area Fish Stocking Alliance said the initiative was an important one for the Mackay community. “MAFSA is proud to assist again in the release of the fingerlings and to be able to use our recently upgraded hatchery facilities for housing and tagging of the barra prior to their release,” he said. Congratulations to the major lucky prize winner of the day, Malachai Davidson, who was very excited to win a fishing charter donated by Lake Proserpine Fishing Charters. With thanks to all involved: Reef Catchments, Mackay Recreational Fishers Alliance, Mackay Area Fish Stocking Association, Catchment Solutions, Conservation Volunteers Australia, Mackay Regional Council, Debbie’s Seafood, Tackle World Mackay, Nashy’s Compleat Angler, Lake Proserpine Fishing Charters and Pioneer Catchment Landcare.

REEF CATCHMENTS (MACKAY WHITSUNDAY ISAAC) LIMITED PHONE (07) 4968 4200 EMAIL [email protected] WEB www.reefcatchments.com.au