Afant News

Eel Wanted!

WANTED!

Note – the eel pictured here is a pacific long finned eel
Have you caught an eel in the Daly River?

The Indian short finned eel (Anguilla bicolor) has only been recorded once in the NT but anecdotal evidence suggests it occurs in the Daly River. If you catch any type of eel while fishing or catch one in your bait traps, it would be an important addition to our knowledge of the fish of the river.

You can help in two ways. Photographs of eels can be sent to:
Dr Brad Pusey, Australian Rivers Institute,
Griffith University, QLD
or emailed to bpusey@westnet.com.au

Whole specimens can be frozen and delivered to Dr Helen Larson, NT Museum and Art Gallery in Darwin (08 89998201).

A reward of an Australian Rivers Institute stubby cooler and t-shirt is offered to the first person providing evidence of this fish in the Daly River of the Northern Territory!

Daly River Fish & Flows Project

Click Here for details

Howard River Catchment Project

Click Here for details

Recfish Australia calls for commitments to a way of life

Media Release

Recfish Australia calls for commitments to a way of life

“As one of the nation’s favourite pastimes recreational fishing needs both sides of politics to commit to the future of this Australian way of life” Bruce Schumacher, Chair of Recfish Australia, said today.

With the two main parties promising billions of dollars in various inducements to the voting public the request by the recreational fishing sector is, relatively speaking, very small.

“With 3.5 millions Australians considered regular fishers the soon to be elected new government has to show some leadership for this important aspect of our culture.”

Generating expenditure of $2 billion per annum recreational fishing is a vital component of hundreds of local economies. Many communities rely on the angling public who converge to these areas and generate jobs and profits for local business.

One of the roles of the Australian Government is stewardship and we are seeking the following commitments to bring some certainty for our sector into the future.

“Continuing the successful recreational fishing community grant program; the current program finishes in June 2008 and has provided $5m per year for three years to community groups to improve recreational fishing in their local areas. This has been resoundingly successful and has enabled community groups to build some long needed infrastructure, run fishing clinics, establish monitoring programs, and a range of other great projects.”

“The current national policy on recreational fishing was launched in 1995 and is in need of a comprehensive review. All State/Territory and the Australian governments are signatories to the policy and with the changes to recreational fishing in the past decade it is time for this document to be reviewed.”

“In 1996 the blue and black marlin were declared as recreational only species – it is now time that the striped marlin was afforded the same protection. With about 95% of marlin caught by the recreational sector released to be caught again these fish are too valuable to be caught once.”

“For the future of the recreational fishing sector a people development program is essential if we are to improve and grow the capability of the sector at all levels to represent the interests of our constituents. Some initiatives have commenced in this area but more is needed and for succession planning and increased capacity an assurance of funding support for our people program is called for.”

“An effective peak national body that delivers to governments, its members and the wider recreational fishing community warrants financial support from the Commonwealth Government and we are seeking a pledge from both sides for this support.” Mr Schumacher concluded.

End

Media enquiries to Bruce Schumacher 0418 499322

High sea - Low life

Hi to all respectable and responsible fishermen and women and boat owners of the NT,

I write as a visitor to your beautiful part of the world; a beautiful part of the world that can so easily turn sour due to the foul mouthed arrogant, drunken expert who tried to lecture my son on Saturday morning at the Dinah boat ramp. The ‘drunk’, for that is what he was, had just brought a tinnie to the ramp in company with a male and female passenger as my son was about to launch his 19.5ft bowrider when he began berating my son for the fact, because he apparently knows all facts, that he had no licence and had no experience. My son had never seen this ‘bloody idiot’, yes he was drunk with stubby in hand at 10.30am, before in his life. He stated that he was the holder of a fishing licence and in 30 years of experience he had saved countless numbers of idiots out at sea just like my son. Yes, I did say that my son had never set eyes on this drunk before. ‘Black beard’, as I shall call him, is a swarthy, lean bloke with a huge chip on his shoulder, a chip that, if he had been sober, he would have seen, could have been knocked off along with his head by my 6’3”, 17 stone son. My son, however, would never use his size against a person like ‘Black beard’ because he would not fit under the rock where he dwells. His use of the ‘F’ word in the presence of women and children was another of his more endearing characteristics.

Q. Is there any check made by police of these public facilities; especially on weekends. This person must be known to locals who I think would have a vested interest in tourism and therefore a reason to keep this walking advertisement for everything that is ugly in the eyes of the NT community and its visitors who have to suffer this public pest.

My son has been some years in the NT now as a CEO/Manager of a large turnover manufacturing plant and loves the place just as we now do. It would be easy for me to now label all Territorians as foul mouthed drunks who dislike and ridicule outsiders, and I’m sure that has happened, but knowing the boating fraternity, as I do from other places, I know the likes of ‘Black beard’ are generally seen for what they are. He would not be the first of his type to gets a tap on the shoulder from his mates, if he has any, and told a few home truths. He deserves at least that much from you in the interest of your members and visitors.

The sad part is that, when I return home, I will now remember Darwin for this one episode.

My most sincere regards,

Rusty