FFSAQ News November 2019 Media Officer - Lloyd Willmann [email protected] Ph. 0429 614 892

From the Media Officer's Desk :-

FFSAQ - Charlie Ladd With the report on the National Carp Control Plan (NCCP) due to be handed to the Commonwealth Government in December 2019 by the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC), the FRDC are now releasing issues papers: one, two, three, four, five and six and four reports are now available for your review and comment.  Issues Paper 1 - Why and how did the national Carp Control Plan originate?  Issues Paper 2 - Epidemiology and virus release strategy.  Issues Paper 3 - Non-target species susceptibility and host-switching risk in carp biocontrol.  Issues Paper 4 - Water quality and carp biocontrol using Cyprinid herpes virus 3 (CyHV-3).  Issues Paper 5 - Managing water quality impacts by carcass management/clean up.  Issues Paper 6 - Understanding Potential Social and Economic Impacts of Carp Control.  Report: Ecological Outcomes of Major Carp Population Reductions.  Report: Carp Control via Commercial Exploitation.  Report: Synergistic genetic biocontrol options for common carp.  Report: Water quality risk assessment of carp biocontrol for Australian waterways Please login to register at https://yoursay.carp.gov.au/login to access these papers.

Note: The NCCP "have your say" website will close on December 12. All comments will be provided to the Australian Government as part of their assessment of the next steps for the NCCP. Remaining NCCP research projects will be published on the NCCP website (https://www.carp.gov.au/) during December.

Another month with no substantial rain across most the state and with a number of dams reaching critical levels and some townships now on water restrictions, also a number of rivers and creeks are in a poor condition as well. Some clubs may find themselves in a situation where the native fish stocks in their waterways are under threat due to low or poor quality water. If your club is considering a fish recovery project please contact DAF to discuss options and obtain a Fisheries permit to conduct the recovery.

For those of you who love Facebook, we recommend you check out FFSAQ’s Facebook site: www.facebook.com/ffsaq/

Please visit the FFSAQ website, www.ffsaq.com.au first press F5 on your keypad to update to the new version on your computer. We invite any feedback, good or bad you have on the website.

There have been a number of renewal membership forms coming in from clubs and individuals to renew their FFSAQ memberships but most important of all is the updating of your club’s contact details. “FFSAQ maintains a contact data base of most freshwater fishing and stocking clubs that gives us and Queensland Fisheries (DAF) the ability to disseminate information out to the fishing club network. To keep this data base up to date we need your help, if you have had some changes in your club’s contact details lately, can you please advise the Treasure by completing a membership form with the new details or just email the information to [email protected] so we can update your information on our system. It is very important that we have your current contact details as there is a lot of information that DAF and others send to us to forward on to our network. So help us to be able to help you.”

The FFSAQ native & pest fish display has a rather quite month planned for December; we will be attending one event:  Kingaroy Sportfishing Club Free Open Day - Bjelke-Peterson Dam - Saturday 7th. Hope to catch-up with some of you at the above event, please come and introduce yourself and have a look at the display. As mentioned in previous newsletters, 2020 is not that far away and if your club has an event planned for next year and the FFSAQ native & pest fish display will be helpful to your club’s messaging, please email the Treasurer at [email protected] or mobile 0490 661 445 with the event details and if the display is available we will endeavour to be there. We already have 19 event bookings for 2020 so get in quick so we can assist at your event if we can.

Charlie Ladd President/Treasurer FFSAQ Mob. 0490 661 445 Dept of Agriculture & Fisheries

Milestone reached for Cressbrook Dam fish habitat project (12th Nov 2019) A major milestone has been reached in a project to create habitat to attract fish and improve recreational fishing in ’s Cressbrook Dam. Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries Mark Furner said more than half of the 700 fish attracting structures planned for Cressbrook Dam had been deployed. “A total of 200 fish attractors were deployed in Cressbrook Dam today with an additional 30 to be installed by the end of November to complement the 274 structures already in the dam,” Mr Furner said. “These additional attractors will bring to 504 the total number of structures placed in the dam since the first installations in September 2018. “The different type of attractors, including PVC trees, spiders, brush bundles and georgian cubes, play different roles in the type of fish they attract and work in combination to provide a realistic habitat for a variety of fish. “Anglers are getting a real benefit from the attractors, and sounder equipment located around the installed attractors have recorded plenty of fish marks. “Signage installed at Cressbrook Dam informs anglers where to fish and is updated regularly to reflect new installations.” Mr Furner said an Australian-first design for fish attractors was among the structures being installed in Cressbrook Dam. “Suspended fish attractors are purpose designed to provide fish with year round shelter regardless of the dam water level or variations in the water’s temperature and oxygen levels,” Mr Furner said. “Although the concept of using floating structures to provide shelter is not new, the use in freshwater dams of suspended fish attracting structures constructed from synthetic materials is a first for Australia. “The innovative design and construction of the suspended fish attractors will mimic large branching tree trunks which attract some species of fish. “Marked by distinctive orange floats, the suspended fish attracting structures are designed to sit at a fixed depth below the surface, typically between 2 and 5 metres, regardless of the dam water level.” Toowoomba Regional Council Mayor Paul Antonio said the project is a win for our region and provides a real opportunity to improve the fish habitat of Lake Cressbrook. “This Australian-first project could benefit local anglers and provide extra incentive for visitors to travel to our region, stay in our towns and enjoy some recreational fishing,” Mayor Antonio said. “This Habitat Enhancement Research Project is a wonderful collaboration between the Queensland Government, Toowoomba Regional Council, the Australian Government’s Fisheries Research and Development Corporation and local angling and fish stocking groups. “We can’t wait to see more people visiting our region and enjoying the recreation of our dams and open spaces. “The study has hit the halfway point and the next step will be to promote our dams and encourage anglers come to our region and hopefully go home with fewer stories about the one that got away.” Mr Furner said the fish attractors were part of a $950,000 program to improve recreational angling and regional tourism. “The Habitat Enhancement Research Program is a series of three projects funded by contributions from the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, the Australian Government’s Fisheries Research and Development Corporation, local councils and local angling and fish stocking groups,” Mr Furner said. “Data from sonar surveys, twice yearly electrofishing surveys, targeted angling and monthly creel surveys will help improve knowledge of which structures are working best and this knowledge will be applied to further improve recreational angling and tourism in areas where fish attractors have been installed. “Fish attracting structures have also been installed in Mount Morgan Dam No 7 near Rockhampton and Mackay’s which, like Cressbrook Dam, is part of Queensland’s Stocked Impoundment Permit Scheme (SIPS). “Recreational anglers wishing to fish in Queensland’s 63 stocked impoundments require a SIPS permit to fish with a line.”

PVC trees ready for deployment Suspended PVC trees Georgian cubes

Images: Thanks to the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries

Articles for FFSAQ News Stocking Groups .... if you have an event coming up or have an article that may be of interest to other stocking groups, please send to me with a couple of photos and I will publish in FFSAQ News. Always looking for content. Send to ..... [email protected] Thanks to all those who have helped me out in the past.

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QUEENSLAND Boating and Fisheries Minister for Agriculture Adam Marshall recently visited Patrol has launched an investigation after Menindee and the Lower Darling River where the latest efforts were focused. scores of native wildlife including turtles, “The relocation operations have been hugely successful in fish and even an eagle were found dead in relocating over 1,100 native fish including Murray Cod, illegal fishing nets in the Logan River. Golden Perch and Silver Perch,” Mr Marshall said. Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and “This is a great result but I am also aware there is a long Fisheries Mark Furner said the four nets were discovered summer ahead and unfortunately our teams will not be by the QBFP in the river at Jimboomba. “As many as able to remove every fish from every pool along the river 120 turtles, a water dragon, freshwater bullrouts and system. Australian bass were found dead in these nets,” he said. “This massive relocation effort is taking place to ensure “Most of these creatures were decomposing, suggesting the survival of the State’s key native fish species while these nets have been there for some time. Officers even NSW continues to battle through one of the worst found a white-bellied sea eagle that had somehow got droughts on record.” caught in these nets and unfortunately perished. As part of his visit to the area, Mr Marshall also Fortunately our QBFP officers managed to free two announced an aerator will be installed in the Lower turtles that were still alive. I am appalled and sickened Darling later this month. by these wanton acts of destruction because they cause “Last summer we used aerators to provide relief for great damage to local native wildlife populations as well struggling native fish and the preliminary scientific as fish stocks.” analysis found they were successful in that endeavour,” Mr Furner said the QBFP had now launched an Mr Marshall said. investigation into who left the illegal fishing nets in the “We realise the best solution is more water however until river. it rains we’re looking to options such as aerators to help save key fish species.” The rescue operation is part of the NSW Government’s $10 million Fish Rescue Strategy, which includes: targeted rescue operations, the State’s largest ever breeding program of native fish, expansion of the Government’s flagship fish hatchery as well as working with recreational fishing clubs and private hatcheries across the State.

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Streambank Rehabilitation Projects Celebrated The banks of the Mary River at Kenilworth were a hive of activity on Tuesday afternoon when BMRG hosted a VIP lunch and community day. The day provided a perfect opportunity to see first-hand the major streambank rehabilitation projects being undertaken by BMRG and our partner organisations. The projects are “The use of these types of nets is not allowed in funded under the Australian Government's Regional freshwater,” he said. “Those found responsible for putting Land Partnerships program and it was great to have these types of nets in the river could face fines of up to Keith Armstrong and David Weir from the Department $131,000. “I would like to thank members of the public of Environment come all the way from Canberra for the who reported these nets using our Fishwatch hotline. day. Queensland’s native wildlife and fisheries resources are owned by the community and everyone is responsible for A big thank you to the Mary River Catchment ensuring they’re managed and fished sustainably for future Coordinating Committee, Alluvium, Noosa and District generations.” Landcare, SEQ Water and Sunshine Coast Regional To report suspected illegal fishing activity, call the 24- Council for your ongoing support and hard work in hour, toll-free Fishwatch hotline on 1800 017 116. preventing the ongoing erosion of our precious riparian lands. We are also grateful to Steve and Ruth Carter for More than one thousand native fish opening up their beautiful riverside property for the day. rescued in Lower Darling operation ********

The NSW Government has successfully relocated more than 1100 native fish as part of a targeted fish rescue from e-update operation in the Lower Darling, where drying pools and warming temperatures pose an imminent threat to fish Low lake levels – current recreation closures survival. As the water level in many of our lakes decrease, recreation activities may be restricted and recreation areas closed temporarily. The lack of substantial rain in many areas around South Fishing the stocked lakes around East Queensland has resulted in the following closures Bundaberg due to low water levels (current as at 20 November 2019): Lake Atkinson – closed to all water-based activities LAKE GREGORY Lake Clarendon – closed to all water-based activities Before the sun rises high in the sky and it gets too hot to Lake Dyer – closed to all water-based activities fish, get out early and cast a few spinnerbaits around the Lake Moogerah – swimming area closed edges of this little dam, or go up into the timber. This Lake Wivenhoe – Hamon Cove boat ramp closed should produce a few good reaction bites to get some Lake Wivenhoe – O'Sheas Crossing paddle craft launch quality bass. Once the bite slows around the edges, area closed move out into the deeper water to find those school fish. Some shallow water hazards – particularly at Lake Casting a soft plastic or blade lure and slowly retrieving Somerset and Lake Moogerah – have begun to emerge back through the school should pick you up a few more as dam levels drop. fish. Visitors are urged to take care and remain vigilant. Submerged hazards including debris and natural hazards may be present. Conditions may not be suitable for all Lenthalls Dam is approximately just over an hour’s watercraft activities. drive south of Bundaberg. What a great little dam to Please follow the direction of onsite signage and stay catch a barra! Just off the highway and into the forestry, alert. If unsure, slow down. this top little lake is all weed edges and lilies. Catching barra in Lenthalls Dam is the same as any other lake – follow the wind to find that warmer water. Casting 4” What do some lakes have soft plastics, jerkbaits and lipless crankbaits will get you in common with well-trained dogs? bites. To get onto this lake you can not have any more than a 60HP four-stroke or E-Tec motor and the speed They roll over...... no, seriously they do. limit on the dam is 6 knots. The gate opens from 6.00am and closes at 6.00pm. Limited short-stay In South East Queensland our warm weather camping is available and pre-booking of a camp site is means that the top section of the dam, usually the essential top 10 to 15 metres of the water column is warmed by the sun. Along with warm summer winds, this LAKE MONDURAN causes the surface waters to become disconnected With the water level dropping, the water temperature from the cooler bottom waters, in a process called rising and the barra getting bigger, now is the time to get stratification. The surface waters are warmer and out on this dam and get your barra fix. Good reports of high in oxygen and the bottom waters are cooler in fish in the 90cm range are coming in fast. If you follow temperature and become oxygen deprived (starved the rules and follow the wind, casting suspending hard of oxygen). When this oxygen starvation process bodies around timber snags and off points, you will takes place, it forces many fish up into the catch a barra. Most importantly, persistence is the key. shallower oxygenated waters and can result in anoxic sediments delivering metals and sulphides Freshwater Fishing Comps into the bottom waters. Stratification is a natural process however climate change is resulting in Lake Monduran - Bundaberg Toyota Golden Barra longer periods of stratification with warmer surface Competition waters and higher amounts of blue green algae. Be aware that barramundi are now off-limits in tidal When the lake destratifies or rolls over, the surface waters along the east coast of Queensland until waters become so cool from the cold night air that February 1, 2020. Instead of chasing these fish in the the stratification can break down and mix through salt, head to one of our awesome impoundments which the water column. In extreme events, the cold are open to barra fishing year-round! Lake Monduran is water on the bottom becomes more buoyant and' playing host to the Golden Barra Comp for the next 'flips' the water in the dam, moving to the top, few months and you'd be mad not to get along to where its temperature and oxygen level equilibrate Monduran to see if you can pick up a tagged barra and a and the lake mixes thoroughly. Sometimes this can swag of epic prizes. be observed due to a change in colour (how tea stained is it) or turbidity (how much suspended dirt Yellowbelly Family Fishing is in the water) of the lake. Mixing settles over a Competition - Feb 8th - 9th, 2020 few days. Impact on fish and fish behaviour is (Celebrating 30 years) variable depending on the lake. See Flyer next page

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Lloyd Willmann FFSAQ Media Officer