closed season Bream

[pellipeeli11 0]

Gidday all,I am interested to find out whether I can (try 2) catch and release bream in the onkaparinga river,upstream of the south road bridge during the closed season, or is it illegal to fish there at all during same. can anyone advise thanks peelipeeli11

[Ranger 48]

Now this one is a really tough question, and one which has often riled me up in the past. I've discussed this a few times with a few different blokes on a few different websites and I believe at the end of the day it comes down to the "morals" of each individual fisherman!The closed season has been imposed so that the Bream can move upstream and spawn unmolested. Yet there are those out there who say well the ban is on "taking" fish, not catching fish, so I'm still gonna catch them and relese them afterwards, coz if I dont kill them or take them away I cant be busted for it.And that is true, but the problem is, this still interupts the fishes breeding patterns when the sole reason for the closed season is because they're meant to be left alone to spawn!I've discussed this one with fisheries, and fisheries believe that NO-ONE should be fishing for Bream FULL STOP, but fisheries cant actually enforce the law, because if they catch anyone fishing there during the ban, the fisho will just say he's fishing for species other than Bream (Mulloway, Mullet, etc).Hence the only option left to fisheries is to ban fishing "totally" from the Onk during this period, and fisheries do not wish to take such drastic action at this stage.My own view is for EVERYONE to just leave the poor bl**dy Bream alone. It's one small area of the Onk. Let them spawn for future generations and for the period of the closure go fish elsewhere, coz there's plenty of other places around to catch a Bream, but if ya cant do that, then at least move to the other side of the bridge or fish for something else for a few weeks and respect the laws, so that the laws dont get tightened on all of us!

[pellipeeli11 0]

thanks for the reply rangerIn light of the fact I am new to this Bream fishing i had to pose the question,even so by the reply you give ranger i can see you feel very strongly about this subject.I apreciate its a tough question and from your answer i can see that fisheries dont veary? much from state to state on this issue. I posed the same question to the two NSW fisheries officers we had in Broken Hill last year in reguards to murray cod during the closed season 1/sep till30/nov( even though we dont have a section of river that gets closed as you guys do for bream ).I recieved two different answers ,#1 "if i catch you using large lures ie:#1 stumpjumpers,etc I will deem you to be attempting to take M cod,likewise if you are using large yabbies or chunks of kangaroo meat on set lines (the latter i do not practice or condone)I will issue you with the biggest infringment notice I can". "But you can use smaller lures to target goldern perch and thats ok". #2says to me "if you dont have any M cod in your camp thats fine with me" .Now back to bream fishing in SA the question was put (probably not in the best way)simply from an interest point of view, since i have purchased a bream outfit of sorts designed for small lures down to about 1gm, light line catch and release only in mind,and combined with the fact it will only get used probably 2-3 times a year until I land a decent bream and move onto my next target species ,I'm hardly out to rape and pillage the breeding stock of SA,I have purely set a goal to land and release a quality bream,obviously I need to reconcider my plan of attack if i'm to be welcomed into this family of bream fishos.somthing I hope to be doing in the near future.reguards peelipeeli11

[Guest dabilda]

Quote Fish Facts Issue 15, August 08

Fishers are reminded of the upcoming closed season for bream fishing in the Onkaparinga River, upstream of the Main South Road Bridge, which commences on Monday 1 September and continues until Sunday 30 November inclusive. PIRSA Fisheries Executive Director, Mr Will Zacharin said the annual closure was put in place to protect bream during their important breeding season. “Restricting and preventing fishing activities that target fish during breeding seasons in particular areas is a common fisheries management tool designed to ensure the long-term sustainability of the stocks,†Mr Zacharin said. “New signs, reminding fishers of the closed season have been installed at key fishing locations along the River. Fisheries Officers will also conduct regular patrols of the area.†Any bream caught within the closed area and during the closed season must be returned to the water immediately.

It is not illegal to fish the area, only illegal to KEEP any bream caught as a bycatch while fishing for other species.

[Leethal 1]

May not be illegal but I think the point ranger is trying to put accross is that you shouldnt fish there in case you do catch a few bream and upset there breeding patterns and you could just move further down stream and not have so much of a effect.

[pellipeeli11 0]

thanks leethal,its all been taken on board.question answered,Also thanks DaBilba for info :icon_e_smile: .I can live with that.cheers peelipeeli11

[Ranger 48]

In light of the fact I am new to this Bream fishing i had to pose the question,even so by the reply you give ranger i can see you feel very strongly about this subject........I'm hardly out to rape and pillage the breeding stock of SA,I have purely set a goal to land and release a quality bream,obviously I need to reconcider my plan of attack if i'm to be welcomed into this family of bream fishos.

Please dont get me wrong bloke, it IS a very good question you've posed, and I'm glad you brought it up, coz it gives me the chance to rant and rave about protecting the Bream once again, and possibly it's opened a few more eyes around the traps, from fishos who hadn't considered all this before!Look me up when you're coming to Adelaide and I'll try to make some time available to get the boat out and find a few Bream for ya!

[Ranger 48]

It is not illegal to fish the area, only illegal to KEEP any bream caught as a bycatch while fishing for other species.

Absolutely correct

I've discussed this one with fisheries, and fisheries believe that NO-ONE should be fishing for Bream FULL STOP, but fisheries cant actually enforce the law, because if they catch anyone fishing there during the ban, the fisho will just say he's fishing for species other than Bream (Mulloway, Mullet, etc).Hence the only option left to fisheries is to ban fishing "totally" from the Onk during this period, and fisheries do not wish to take such drastic action at this stage.

What I cant understand is why some still choose to practice C&R BREAM fishing during this closed period claiming they're doing no wrong, when it's made quite clear:

Fishers are reminded of the upcoming closed season for bream fishing in the Onkaparinga River, upstream of the Main South Road Bridge, which commences on Monday 1 September and continues until Sunday 30 November inclusive. PIRSA Fisheries Executive Director, Mr Will Zacharin said the annual closure was put in place to protect bream during their important breeding season. “Restricting and preventing fishing activities that target fish during breeding seasons in particular areas is a common fisheries management tool designed to ensure the long-term sustainability of the stocks,” Mr Zacharin said. “New signs, reminding fishers of the closed season have been installed at key fishing locations along the River. Fisheries Officers will also conduct regular patrols of the area.” Any bream caught within the closed area and during the closed season must be returned to the water immediately.

This doesn't mean that you can target Bream to release them again! It means NO BREAM FISHING, and if you catch a Bream whilst fishing for and targetting OTHER species the Bream must be released immediately!

[Ranger 48]

May not be illegal but I think the point ranger is trying to put accross is that you shouldnt fish there in case you do catch a few bream and upset there breeding patterns and you could just move further down stream and not have so much of a effect.

Not exactly Lee. what I was trying to say is that if you must still fish the area, then don't intentionally target C&R Bream. Use larger lures and target Mulloway instead, so that you have a much lower chance of hooking a Bream, but if you still wanna fish for Bream, do it elsewhere, rather than fishing the area during a closed season and hiding behind the banner that "C&R is ok" coz you aren't TAKING any fish!

[crocka79 0]

Yeah its a good idea to stay away from the area if ya bream fishing all together. i have read that spawning fish can actually not spawn or drop there load through the stress of bein caught. wether dis is true or not ile leave to someone else to hopefully elaborate. Theres plenty of people that still go there to catch these bream on purpose as well as undersized mullys they have no respect for the laws or future genarations. the government should employ more fisheries officers.... ive never seen one ???

[tonyb 1,017]

First time I've read this thread and it certainly makes you think a bit more deeply about it. The SAFWAA" President holds bream fly fishing sessions above the bridge every year and always checks with Fisheries before the event in case of policy changes. All of his replies, every year, have been that its OK as long as the Bream are released with due haste and care.Ranger makes a very good point that it really is the Breams space and time. These fish are still prolific before and after closure and my bet is that most fishos are only there for the sport anyway and not too many fish are taken for the table. I feel that as long as the flag of C&R flys we will have a good head of bream well into the future. Incidentally guys,fish kills have been a massive issue here in the past due to the pollution from the old metro meat works. Thankfully now closed. However how many know that there was another massive fish kill there due to low oxygen levels at summers end.Huge mullet and tens of hundreds of all sized bream. I reported to the Council that the cement ford across the river which had been put in to allow better vehicle access had trapped thuosands of fish upstream of it.This should be addressed for this season hopefully.

[Leethal 1]

Not exactly Lee. what I was trying to say is that if you must still fish the area, then don't intentionally target C&R Bream. Use larger lures and target Mulloway instead, so that you have a much lower chance of hooking a Bream, but if you still wanna fish for Bream, do it elsewhere, rather than fishing the area during a closed season and hiding behind the banner that "C&R is ok" coz you aren't TAKING any fish!

Well I was close ;D

However how many know that there was another massive fish kill there due to low oxygen levels at summers end.Huge mullet and tens of hundreds of all sized bream. I reported to the Council that the cement ford across the river which had been put in to allow better vehicle access had trapped thuosands of fish upstream of it.This should be addressed for this season hopefully.

I never heard about that, was that end of the summer just gone?? Hopefully they do fix the problem before it happens again or then that could have a big effect on the bream and other species that regularly visit the upper onk. Leethal

[crocka79 0]

Dont think i heard about that either tony, its a shame when fish die due to poorly designed man made structures.

[Ranger 48]

These fish are still prolific before and after closure and my bet is that most fishos are only there for the sport anyway and not too many fish are taken for the table. I feel that as long as the flag of C&R flys we will have a good head of bream well into the future.

Agreed! I believe that over the past few years attitudes have really changed towards Bream. From a kid I was brought up as a bait fisher, and my family could be found each weekend around the Port fishing for Bream and taking them for the table. We never once considered the AGE of the fish we were taking, or the impact we were having!Luckily these days fisho's are more switched on and environmentally aware, and we now take into account the age of fish we're taking, numbers of fish we are taking, and conservation of what's available to us!I still enjoy my Bream fishing, but these days I've switched to lures, and it's solely C&R on this species! I have no need to eat a 20-30 year old fish which has spent the majority of it's life in a toxic cesspool, when just off the coast I can grab a bag full of 18 month old KG whiting, which taste a damn site betterer!

[David Ciaravolo 34]

Not exactly Lee. what I was trying to say is that if you must still fish the area, then don't intentionally target C&R Bream. Use larger lures and target Mulloway instead, so that you have a much lower chance of hooking a Bream, but if you still wanna fish for Bream, do it elsewhere, rather than fishing the area during a closed season and hiding behind the banner that "C&R is ok" coz you aren't TAKING any fish!

Well I was close ;D

I thought so too!! but yull neva win ;)Oh well, opinions of this nature might be morally valid, BUT if you catch a bream and release it quickly unharmed you have committed no crime and broken no law as it stands. There are more fish in there than just Bream and big mulloway, there are Salmon Trout, Many Mullet, Flathead, and a host of others, so suggesting no small hooks or bait is unreasonable and that fishers who do so are somehow morally deficient is outrageous, most are simple family people.If fisheries thought it necessary to ban fishing then that is what they'll do. If this is what individuals believe, they should loby fisheries (i hope it comes from regular river users). I can not see any reason for this, as the Onkaparina River is one of, if not the most healthy bream fisheries in metro adealide. As Tonyb mentioned other things such as fish kills due to water polution and also illegal netting are far more of a problem. Also decreased flows are a significant consideration.Catch a bream (legal of course), take it home and stick it in a tank; its fine in 2 days (even if its in fresh water) and that is in a GLASS BOX. They are strong hardy fish, that recover well. It WOULD BE A DISASTER FOR FAMILIES IF THE RIVER WAS CLOSED TO FISHING! IT IS THE MOST POPULAR, PROTECTED PLACE FOR FAMILIES TO FISH IN THE SOUTHERN SUBURBS. It would also be a disaster for local fishing tackle shops. The protection of bream needs to be balance with ecpectations of river uses. I believe it has been, and that the current regs are fair.Thats my 2 cents im not tring to stir the pot, we all know this comes up from the same people every september, i just want to present a balanced view, from someone who has been a regular onk fisher, a worker in a southern tackle shop, a person who has spent 8 years taking to fishermen for a living, and as one who respects bream and loves fishing for them.

[tonyb 1,017]

It is a tribute to the resilience of the Bream that it keeps coming back in numbers from the enormous punishment it gets from us humans, the greatest polluters of all things natural. One feel good story to come out of this is the completion of the Old Noarlunga sewage system which has done away with the septic tanks which have caused major problems in the past around Old Noarlunga. Another issue is increased vigilancs of the Fisheries dept. with the help of the public, in apprehending illegal nocturnal netters here.The already mentioned closure of the Metro Meat works raised the survival status of the bream and mullet 100%!Another massive improvement will be the impending closure and redevelopement at a cost of $2000,000, of the S. A. Water owned Sludge Treatment Works along River Road.I am very proud to be involved with the environmental Consultant on the design of this fantastic for the environment/ River, project from a "Birders" view point through my long association with the friends of the Onkaparinga Parks. The existing wetland up from Perry's Bend was installed in the 1990's by concerned environmental groups who obtained millions of dollars from Local, State and Federal Governments. The friends group raised enough money from National Parks to build an Island in there and acheived overflows from the rock mats into the River for the first time! (unfortunately the droughts of the last few years saw no water in the wetlands)A cleaner and greener outcome for the Onka river will bring massive benefits to every one, not just the fish. Long may it be so.