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The Northern Territory boasts tens of thousands of kilometres of gloriously remote, uninhabited waterways where the fishing is sensational - and you can have it all to yourself! Little wonder then that recreational fishers spend more time in these spots than almost anyone else.
But there is a downside. Illegal incursions, exotic infestations and serious fishing and boating infringements frequently occur in such areas and often go undetected, despite the best efforts of enforcement and environment protection agencies with limited resources to cover such a vast territory.
As the unofficial eyes and ears along our secluded coast and waterways, you are ideally placed to see and hear things that might otherwise go unnoticed. You are on the spot to help protect our country’s vulnerable marine resources, primary industries and environmental health — and that makes you a very precious resource!
The Amateur Fisherman’s Association of the Northern Territory (AFANT), with funding support from the Commonwealth Government’s Recreational Fishing Community Grants Program has devised an easy way for you to participate in an important reporting project geared specifically at recreational fishers —Your Eyes on the Water.
How this project works and how you can participate
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Your Eyes on the Water provides the information and tools you’ll need to become part of the project’s coordinated approach to recognising and reporting illegal, dangerous, and environmentally damaging activities on our waterways.
The initiative compliments and expands on the Northern Territory Government’s River Watch Program, set up in 2002 to encourage the public to report on fishing and boating infringements, noxious weed infestations and aquatic environmental issues like fish kills, on seven major rivers. Your Eyes on the Water extends the awareness and reporting opportunities into remote riparian and coastal areas not covered by River Watch.
AFANT is setting up convenient reporting places, such as tackle shops and tourism outlets in prime fishing areas, and will maintain a free1800 hotline, email address and website so it can coordinate reports and pass them to appropriate authorities when necessary.
As well as reporting to the appropriate authorities, we are asking you to also contact AFANT so we can keep track of reports, follow them up when necessary and, most importantly, ensure you receive feedback on the results.
Contact AFANT
on 1800 456 410
or via the
online reporting form
Who needs your help?
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A number of national and Northern Territory enforcement and resource
protection agencies share responsibility for protecting our fisheries
and maintaining Australia’s envied status as a country free
of most of the world’s dreaded pests and diseases. With your
help in secluded Territory fishing spots, their mammoth task can
be made a lot easier. Extreme vigilance is the key to keeping potential
problems at bay — and that’s where alert and keen-eyed
recreational fishers can play a part.
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