Hi all,

Have been asked by PIRSA to post a copy of this media announcement for your infromation/perusal.


‘REEL’ STATS ON RECREATIONAL FISHING

Who’s fishing these days in South Australia? Where are they fishing? What, and how many, are they catching and how are they catching it?

Answers to these questions, and more, are outlined in the results of SA’s most comprehensive Recreational Fishing Survey, which has been released today by Fisheries Minister Paul Caica.

More than 10,000 recreational fishers took part in the survey in the 12 months to November 2008 and Mr Caica says it provides detailed statistics on state wide recreational fishing activities and boosts our knowledge of local fish populations.

“The State Government is committed to supporting our recreational fishing sector,” he said.

“Getting a good handle on their fishing effort will enable us to include recreational fishing in the State’s regional planning and help us to ensure SA continues to have well-managed and sustainable fisheries.

Mr Caica says the survey shows the State’s recreational fishers are releasing more fish back into our waterways including Blue Swimmer Crab, Southern Rocklobster and Murray Cod.

“This is very heartening as it shows the sustainable fishing message is hitting the mark, with growing numbers of recreational fishers returning undersize fish and berried (pregnant) females to the water.”

Other results show:
· 16.2% of South Australians take part in recreational fishing, representing 236,463 people;
· Eyre Peninsula has the most recreational fishers as a proportion of its population, followed by the Yorke Peninsula/Mid North region.
· While most recreational fishers live in metropolitan Adelaide, our capital city has the lowest proportion of its population engaged in recreational fishing compared with other regions around the State;
· There is equal participation in boat-based and shore-based fishing;
· The most popular region for recreational fishing (in terms of days spent fishing) is the Gulf St Vincent/Kangaroo Island region, followed by the Spencer Gulf;
· The most important species for the recreational sector (in terms of estimated tonnage harvested) is King George Whiting, Blue Swimmer Crabs, Southern Calamari and Snapper.
The survey includes:
· What species recreational anglers are taking in the state’s coastal waters and the River Murray;
· Information on fishing activities and catch rates for popular fish species caught throughout metro and regional areas using various types of gear from lines to diving, pots and nets;
· Data on more than 100 species of finfish, shellfish and crustaceans, including the 12 key species - King George Whiting, Snapper, Southern Garfish, Southern Calamari, Mulloway, Blue Swimmer Crabs, Southern Rock lobster, Greenlip Abalone, Blacklip Abalone, Pipi, Golden Perch and Murray Cod.

“Understanding the people who engage in recreational fishing in SA and their impact on our fisheries resources is vital to ensure that management arrangements are sustainable, and that there are equitable opportunities for people to catch fish,” Mr Caica said.

“It also ensures that recreational fishers are informed about and engaged in making those management decisions.

Mr Caica says the State Government has just established a Recreational Fishing Champions Group.

“We are bringing together effective and influential recreation fishing identities, and through quarterly meetings brief them on, and discuss, issues relating to the recreational fishing sector.

“The aim is to provide members with the opportunity to discuss issues and become more deeply informed and act as communications agents to the recreational fishing sector.”

An interactive Recreational Fishing Atlas has also been developed using the survey data.

The online tool provides anglers, students and other members of the public with easy to search information relevant to their own individual fishing habits.

A copy of the full survey report and access to the Recreational Fishing Atlas is available on the PIRSA Fisheries website at: www.pir.sa.gov.au/fisheries.


Also the rec Fishing Champions Group FYI are -

Shane Murton Wildcoast Fishing SA
Shane Mensforth SA Angler
Jon Huie Fishing writer
Greg Irving Fishing writer
Greg James ABC 891 fishing contact
John Cockshell Riverland contact
Mark Mills Tackle-shop employee On line fishing writer, Wildcoast writer
Nigel Hunt Journalist
Trevor Watts SARFAC







Mark

Nice one Mark Plenty of knowledgeable people on that panel! good to see there are gonna be people(including yourself) being listened to by pirsa that are heavily into recreational fishing!

Nice to have some locals on there to give the people a voice

Good work mate..

Good to see that there is people representing the recreational fisher in this group. But i do not trust governments with our information on fish catches and where.Call me a synic but i feel our info given up so freely will probably end up biting us on the backside when they decide to close certain areas for their percieved conservation.An area which they have failed miserably and closing areas to fishing would make it be seen to the wider community that they are doing something .Spin at our expense.Drawing lines on a map is alot cheaper and easier than stopping stormwater entering our gulf.The government allows this to happen while at the same time crying conservation.They are the ones responsable for receeding sea grasses ,this must be addressed first everything else is a waste of time untill this is fixed.

Just thought I would bring this back to air as it's been a while.

There certainly seem to be some development from the Champions group which will no doubt have postive ramifications for us all in the future. There's been a few refeences lately popping up.

We all seem to like attacking issues here but the one's that are going to hit home in the next couple of years are being dealt with by these guys now. Lets give them our support

I guarantee none of them get shot dowwn for bringing and idea to the table !!

Love your approach on Rec. fishers Waterboy, is there any updates on the survey as this link is outdated, www.pir.sa.gov.au/fisheries.

Cheers Moggy