Latest news with #NSWDepartmentofPrimaryIndustriesandRegionalDevelopment
The Advertiser
11-05-2025
- General
- The Advertiser
Stormy conditions do not deter 'the mullet men'
Every year, when the temperature drops at Easter, hordes of mullet migrate out to sea to spawn - this is the mullet run. Greg Tarrant is a fourth-generation angler who, along with his dad and son, spends six weeks catching the fish by the tonne. There's no fancy equipment and no idle hands. The crew, colloquially called the "mullet men", net the fish by hand and haul them onshore with a ute. Tarrant's crew starts at Stockton and follows the migration up to Fingal Bay. They keep a close eye out for dark patches of fish in the water. Mr Tarrant said it was a basic operation that required hard work and patience. The crew battled head-high waves to net thousands of fish at a time and, when the water was choppy, they often get the "shit belted out of them". "If it was nice and calm, it's a lot easier, but you gotta do what you gotta do," he said. Almost 150 millimetres of rain hit the Hunter at the end of April, which flushed fish from the estuaries earlier than usual. Last week, the crew netted 35 tonnes in one day at Fingal Bay beach. During the catch, they had to cut their nets and cage the fish at the edge of the shoreline before the tide rose. Two sharks were spotted lurking around the catch. Mr Tarrant said it was common to see nurse sharks and bronze whalers, but that they had never had any "dramas" with them. "Touch wood, no one's been bitten," he said. A fishing boat off Port Stephens had a near-miss with a five-metre great white shark in February. The job doesn't come without criticism. Mr Tarrant said people often commented that what he was doing was wrong, and that it was being greedy. "We're not hurting the numbers of them," he said. "These fish have been turning up year after year, for hundreds of years," he said. A NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development spokesperson said the mullet run was "one of Australia's most sustainable" fishing practices. About 3000 tonnes of mullet are caught annually in NSW, and, according to the 2023 NSW Stock Status Summary, the sea mullet numbers are sustainable. "None of the catch is wasted and the extensive value adding that occurs contributes to the state economy, regional employment and the viability of the commercial fishing industry," the spokesperson said. Fishers in the mullet run follow rules set out in NSW Fisheries Management legislation. For Mr Tarrant, this season is shaping up to be much better than past years, and he hopes to get a few hundred tonnes before the run finishes at the end of May. Every year, when the temperature drops at Easter, hordes of mullet migrate out to sea to spawn - this is the mullet run. Greg Tarrant is a fourth-generation angler who, along with his dad and son, spends six weeks catching the fish by the tonne. There's no fancy equipment and no idle hands. The crew, colloquially called the "mullet men", net the fish by hand and haul them onshore with a ute. Tarrant's crew starts at Stockton and follows the migration up to Fingal Bay. They keep a close eye out for dark patches of fish in the water. Mr Tarrant said it was a basic operation that required hard work and patience. The crew battled head-high waves to net thousands of fish at a time and, when the water was choppy, they often get the "shit belted out of them". "If it was nice and calm, it's a lot easier, but you gotta do what you gotta do," he said. Almost 150 millimetres of rain hit the Hunter at the end of April, which flushed fish from the estuaries earlier than usual. Last week, the crew netted 35 tonnes in one day at Fingal Bay beach. During the catch, they had to cut their nets and cage the fish at the edge of the shoreline before the tide rose. Two sharks were spotted lurking around the catch. Mr Tarrant said it was common to see nurse sharks and bronze whalers, but that they had never had any "dramas" with them. "Touch wood, no one's been bitten," he said. A fishing boat off Port Stephens had a near-miss with a five-metre great white shark in February. The job doesn't come without criticism. Mr Tarrant said people often commented that what he was doing was wrong, and that it was being greedy. "We're not hurting the numbers of them," he said. "These fish have been turning up year after year, for hundreds of years," he said. A NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development spokesperson said the mullet run was "one of Australia's most sustainable" fishing practices. About 3000 tonnes of mullet are caught annually in NSW, and, according to the 2023 NSW Stock Status Summary, the sea mullet numbers are sustainable. "None of the catch is wasted and the extensive value adding that occurs contributes to the state economy, regional employment and the viability of the commercial fishing industry," the spokesperson said. Fishers in the mullet run follow rules set out in NSW Fisheries Management legislation. For Mr Tarrant, this season is shaping up to be much better than past years, and he hopes to get a few hundred tonnes before the run finishes at the end of May. Every year, when the temperature drops at Easter, hordes of mullet migrate out to sea to spawn - this is the mullet run. Greg Tarrant is a fourth-generation angler who, along with his dad and son, spends six weeks catching the fish by the tonne. There's no fancy equipment and no idle hands. The crew, colloquially called the "mullet men", net the fish by hand and haul them onshore with a ute. Tarrant's crew starts at Stockton and follows the migration up to Fingal Bay. They keep a close eye out for dark patches of fish in the water. Mr Tarrant said it was a basic operation that required hard work and patience. The crew battled head-high waves to net thousands of fish at a time and, when the water was choppy, they often get the "shit belted out of them". "If it was nice and calm, it's a lot easier, but you gotta do what you gotta do," he said. Almost 150 millimetres of rain hit the Hunter at the end of April, which flushed fish from the estuaries earlier than usual. Last week, the crew netted 35 tonnes in one day at Fingal Bay beach. During the catch, they had to cut their nets and cage the fish at the edge of the shoreline before the tide rose. Two sharks were spotted lurking around the catch. Mr Tarrant said it was common to see nurse sharks and bronze whalers, but that they had never had any "dramas" with them. "Touch wood, no one's been bitten," he said. A fishing boat off Port Stephens had a near-miss with a five-metre great white shark in February. The job doesn't come without criticism. Mr Tarrant said people often commented that what he was doing was wrong, and that it was being greedy. "We're not hurting the numbers of them," he said. "These fish have been turning up year after year, for hundreds of years," he said. A NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development spokesperson said the mullet run was "one of Australia's most sustainable" fishing practices. About 3000 tonnes of mullet are caught annually in NSW, and, according to the 2023 NSW Stock Status Summary, the sea mullet numbers are sustainable. "None of the catch is wasted and the extensive value adding that occurs contributes to the state economy, regional employment and the viability of the commercial fishing industry," the spokesperson said. Fishers in the mullet run follow rules set out in NSW Fisheries Management legislation. For Mr Tarrant, this season is shaping up to be much better than past years, and he hopes to get a few hundred tonnes before the run finishes at the end of May. Every year, when the temperature drops at Easter, hordes of mullet migrate out to sea to spawn - this is the mullet run. Greg Tarrant is a fourth-generation angler who, along with his dad and son, spends six weeks catching the fish by the tonne. There's no fancy equipment and no idle hands. The crew, colloquially called the "mullet men", net the fish by hand and haul them onshore with a ute. Tarrant's crew starts at Stockton and follows the migration up to Fingal Bay. They keep a close eye out for dark patches of fish in the water. Mr Tarrant said it was a basic operation that required hard work and patience. The crew battled head-high waves to net thousands of fish at a time and, when the water was choppy, they often get the "shit belted out of them". "If it was nice and calm, it's a lot easier, but you gotta do what you gotta do," he said. Almost 150 millimetres of rain hit the Hunter at the end of April, which flushed fish from the estuaries earlier than usual. Last week, the crew netted 35 tonnes in one day at Fingal Bay beach. During the catch, they had to cut their nets and cage the fish at the edge of the shoreline before the tide rose. Two sharks were spotted lurking around the catch. Mr Tarrant said it was common to see nurse sharks and bronze whalers, but that they had never had any "dramas" with them. "Touch wood, no one's been bitten," he said. A fishing boat off Port Stephens had a near-miss with a five-metre great white shark in February. The job doesn't come without criticism. Mr Tarrant said people often commented that what he was doing was wrong, and that it was being greedy. "We're not hurting the numbers of them," he said. "These fish have been turning up year after year, for hundreds of years," he said. A NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development spokesperson said the mullet run was "one of Australia's most sustainable" fishing practices. About 3000 tonnes of mullet are caught annually in NSW, and, according to the 2023 NSW Stock Status Summary, the sea mullet numbers are sustainable. "None of the catch is wasted and the extensive value adding that occurs contributes to the state economy, regional employment and the viability of the commercial fishing industry," the spokesperson said. Fishers in the mullet run follow rules set out in NSW Fisheries Management legislation. For Mr Tarrant, this season is shaping up to be much better than past years, and he hopes to get a few hundred tonnes before the run finishes at the end of May.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Aussies issued stern warning after family's 'sad' find on beach
An Aussie mum and her kids were taken aback during a recent beach walk after making a "heartbreaking" find. And the unsettling scene, left discarded on the shore, has now prompted a stern reminder from authorities who have called for the behaviour to stop. Bonnie Wright was walking along the New South Wales central coast near Forster with her young children when she spotted something lying on Pebbly Beach last week. "It was situated in the middle of the rocks ... I couldn't identify it, so I used a piece of drift wood to flip it over," Bonnie told Yahoo News. The mystery find was revealed as a perfectly in tact shark head, with its body was nowhere to be found. Bonnie snapped a picture of the animal's discarded head and posted it online, asking others to identify the species and ask why it would have been left in that condition. Aussies quickly responded, with the head believed to be from a Port Jackson shark. "Not sure why you would kill one.. [they] clean up the water," one said, while many commented expressing how "sad" it was to see. "[They're] basically a water puppy that eats shellfish. They don't deserve this," one person said of the sharks, which are harmless to humans. 🦈 Footage captures woman's terrifying shark encounter off Aussie coast 👨 Fisherman's incredible catch set to 'feed whole family' for months 🎣 Fishermen catch fish 'rarely seen' in Aussie waters Recreational fishers are permitted to catch Port Jackson sharks in areas not protected by the Fisheries Management Act 1994, however, they are required to dispose of any offcuts correctly. "[The department] always encourages fishers to dispose of any fish waste responsibly and if facilities are not available, to take them home for disposal rather than discard them at their fishing spot," a NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) spokesperson told Yahoo News. "DPIRD encourages all fishers to ensure they practice responsible fishing at all times. This helps to maintain a positive reputation and social licence for the fishing community... [and] this also extends to considering others and setting a good example in your fishing approach." Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Yahoo
Exotic animal on the loose in major city
Residents have been warned to keep their distance after a boa constrictor was spotted on the loose in Sydney. The uninvited slithering guest was filmed under the Tom's Ugly Bridge in Sylvania, Sydney's south on Friday, with footage uploaded to the suburb's local Facebook page. The snake, believed to be a red-tailed boa constrictor, is an exotic animal not native to Australia, and despite not being venomous, they pose a significant risk to the native wildlife. The animals are typically found in Brazil, and it is believed the reptile is an escaped pet. A NSW Department of Primary Industries spokesman said they were aware of the loose reptile. 'The NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) was recently alerted to a sighting of a Boa constrictor near the Sylvania Boat Ramp,' thespokesman said per 9News. 'NSW DPIRD is calling on the local community to report any suspected sightings of the animal.' The public have been warned to not approach the snake. 'If safe to do so, take a photo and contact us so that we can identify and attempt to capture the snake.'
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
The tide is turning on shark nets at Sydney's famed beaches
Editor's Note: Call to Earth is a CNN editorial series committed to reporting on the environmental challenges facing our planet, together with the solutions. Rolex's Perpetual Planet Initiative has partnered with CNN to drive awareness and education around key sustainability issues and to inspire positive action. In late November, a gaggle of open-water swimmers set out from Sydney's Bondi Beach. About 500 meters (1,600 feet) from shore, they stopped and formed a line 150 meters (about 500 feet) long, treading water above the length of the beach's shark net. They hoped to demonstrate that the length of the net paled in comparison to that of the world-famous kilometer-long beach. And that if they could easily bypass the net, sharks can too. 'It's a bit of a joke for us when we swim over the top of or around the outside of the shark nets … seeing how utterly useless they are,' Kim Miller, an open-water swimmer based in Sydney, told CNN. Miller was out of town the day of the protest, but she's among a growing group of swimmers, surfers, animal welfare advocates, and others vocally opposed to shark nets, which have been used at Sydney's beaches every summer since 1937. Opponents of the nets – which are installed at 51 beaches between Newcastle and Wollongong – argue they are ineffective, outdated, and harmful to the ocean ecosystem. They say nets provide swimmers with a false sense of security. Some academic studies back up claims that the nets are not effective at keeping people safe. From September 2023 to April 2024, 255 marine creatures were entangled in shark nets in New South Wales (NSW). But only 15 of those animals were 'target species' like great white, tiger and bull sharks. The rest were rays, turtles, dolphins, fish like longtail tuna, and sharks not considered dangerous. Marcel Green, the leader of the shark program at the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD), which manages the nets, told CNN via email that whale alarms and dolphin pingers are used to deter those animals from the nets, and that nets aren't used during the winter, because it's the peak of the whale migration season. This year, amid growing opposition to the nets, they were removed on March 31, a month earlier than normal, due to increased turtle activity in April. And in recent months, in response to a survey sent out by the NSW government, asking local authorities to vote on the use of shark nets, none of the eight councils where shark nets are used elected to continue their use next season, according to Humane World for Animals. Now, the state government is set to decide if shark nets have a future in NSW. Going to the beach is a popular pastime in Australia, where almost 90% of the population lives within 50 kilometers (30 miles) of the coast. The country's shoreline is also home to several species of sharks, including tiger, bull, and great white sharks, that are most frequently involved in serious injuries to humans. NSW has a comprehensive shark management program to try to keep beachgoers safe. In addition to nets, authorities use technologies like SMART drumlines, which consist of a buoy and a baited hook. When an animal is caught, authorities are alerted. Non-target animals are released, and sharks of target species are tagged and released farther out to sea. Later, if a tagged shark swims close to shore, the public is alerted via an app and updates to an X account. Drone patrols are also a common sight over the state's beaches. 'If we know that we have more sophisticated measures that are better at protecting sharks, they don't kill non-target species, so why would we keep the nets in that mix?' Jack Boyd, the mayor of Sutherland Shire council, one of the councils that participated in the survey, told CNN. 'It's not something that we considered flippantly, it's not something that's a response to special interests,' he added. 'It is something that is based on science.' Over the last 10 years there were, on average, 2.8 annual fatalities from shark incidents nationally, 20 cases a year where people were injured, and seven a year where the person was uninjured, according to the Taronga Conservation Society Australia, which works on the Australian Shark-Incident Database. For comparison, in 2023, 125 people drowned in the ocean, according to Surf Life Saving Australia, and there were 1,266 fatalities on Australian roads over the same period, according to official data. Since the meshing program began in 1937, there has only been one fatal shark incident at a netted beach, and that was back in 1951, says Green, of NSW DPIRD. He points to a 1997 study that says when they were first introduced, shark nets in NSW, Queensland and South Africa reduced the rate of shark incidents by about 90%. He added that to date, there has not been a shark bite while drones have been monitoring a beach. (Officials have been trialing the use of drones to detect sharks at NSW beaches since 2017). According to some experts, shark nets have become a political hot potato. 'I do not see anyone concerned with the safety of swimmers and surfers. I see people concerned with the next election and with political survival,' Christopher Pepin-Neff, an associate professor in Public Policy at the University of Sydney, told CNN. The tensions over the future of shark nets were on full display in late February at a local council meeting in Randwick, home to Coogee, another popular Sydney beach, just a few kilometers south of Bondi. 'They do not form a barrier, deter, deflect, or stop sharks from swimming at beaches,' Lauren Sandeman, a PhD researcher in human and shark interactions, told the council. 'Their goal is to entangle and kill whatever swims into the net.' For others, the risk of changing tack is too great. 'If these shark nets were removed and some person is getting mauled by a shark and being killed, I couldn't face that person's partner or parent,' said councilor Noel D'Souza, before casting his vote to keep the nets in the water. Another councilor, Carolyn Martin, who supported the nets told CNN that although it was a tough decision for her personally, her community 'just felt safer with the nets in.' In the end, eight councilors voted to do away with shark nets, beating out the seven councilors who want them to stay. The population of grey nurse sharks on Australia's East coast has dwindled to about 2,000 animals making them critically endangered. The sharks, which can grow over to over three meters (almost 10 feet) in length and have long, scraggly teeth visible even when their mouths are closed, are not considered a threat to divers and swimmers. 'They have this ferocious look about them, and yet they're these cute, cuddly Labradors,' says Sarah Han-de-Beaux, a Sydney-based free- and scuba diver, who frequently spots the sharks on her outings. Several years ago, Han-de-Beaux and others started 'Saving Norman,' a campaign to advocate for the removal of the nets. (Many Sydney residents refer to grey nurse sharks as 'Norman,' a name coined by a local drone photographer). In recent months, she's given up most of her weekends to campaign for the removal of the nets, manning booths at local beaches to educate the public. 'People think they stretch the whole beach,' she says, but all shark nets in NSW span 150 meters (about 500 feet) and are just six meters tall. Han-de-Beaux says that it's been a year of progress. This summer, the frequency of net inspections went up to every two days from every three days, to increase the possibility of releasing entangled animals alive. (The previous summer, only 36% of the 255 creatures caught in the nets were released alive). Other measures to protect accidental catch, like installing lights on the nets to deter turtles, were trialed. And in recent weeks, local officials have been posting signs warning the public of the early removal of the nets. Now, a decision is expected from the New South Wales government on if the nets will go back in next September. Pepin-Neff estimates that the decision might be clear when the next state budget is announced, generally around June. The government will consider feedback from the surveys it sent out to coastal councils, and other data as it develops its shark management program for the 2025 to 2026 season, according to Green. 'Our program is evidence-based after many years of trials and research,' he added. In the meantime, swimmers like Miller plan to keep taking to the water, nets or not, accepting the risk of entering a shark's natural habitat. 'Every time I get in the ocean, I assume that there are sharks in there. It's where they live,' she says. 'We'd have to be super unlucky for something to go terribly wrong.'
