Latest news with #RecfishSA
ABC News
03-08-2025
- Business
- ABC News
Algal bloom recreational fishing response includes plans for artificial reef and reservoirs
A new artificial reef will be created off the South Australian coast to help the state's recreational fishing sector battle the ongoing impacts of the algal bloom "disaster", the state government says. The government said it was also looking to open more of the state's reservoirs for freshwater fishing "where consistent with public health advice", and boost fish stocks in reservoirs and lakes to take pressure off the marine environment. The bloom is devastating some of the state's commercial and recreational fisheries, as well as hitting parts of the economy that rely on them, such as regional tourism. The government today unveiled measures to support recreational fishers, with short-term funding of $200,000 for Recfish SA to bolster community participation initiatives, such as fishing lessons and competitions. Recfish SA's executive officer Asher Dezsery said fishing and tackle shops were desperately in need of stimulus. "They've had sales collapse by up to 70 per cent so they really need not handouts but feet through the door, they need boots on the ground, they need customers," Mr Dezsery said. The funding forms part of the state and federal governments' $28 million support package, with $300,000 to be spent on installing an artificial reef somewhere in Gulf St Vincent. "The idea of re-establishing reefs as soon as we see this bloom pass is a really important one," SA Environment Minister Susan Close said. "The faster we can help nature restore, the faster we can accelerate that recovery, the faster we'll all be able to move past the experience of this bloom and also make ourselves more resilient in the event that it returns." SA Premier Peter Malinauskas said recreational fishers were feeling the economic effects of the bloom — which he described as a "natural disaster" — even in regions that had avoided environmental impact. "The algal bloom has impacted around about 27 per cent of our coastline, which means 73 per cent of our coastline remains completely unaffected," Mr Malinauskas said. "There are whole regional communities that are underpinned by recreational fishers who book an Airbnb and go to the pub and go to the cafe and restaurant, buy equipment from the local fishing tackle shop. South Australia has several artificial reefs, and it is understood a precise location for the new one has not yet been decided. Recfish SA has strongly backed the proposal, and the government believes it will boost fish stocks and allow "real-time monitoring" of the environment by researchers and citizen scientists. "We know that artificial reefs, from interstate projects, 100 per cent assist fish stocks in recovering. They also create biodiversity," Mr Dezsery said. According to the Department of Primary Industries and Regions, recreational fishing is already permitted in several of the state's reservoirs. Recfish SA said the government was looking to expand that further, including in regional areas. "Wherever there's water, wherever there's reservoirs, council stormwater catchments — any body of water, we're trying to create freshwater fishing opportunities so people can keep fishing without putting pressure on that marine environment." Speaking before the announcement, SA Opposition Leader Vincent Tarzia said that what had been offered to recreational fishers so far had been "completely inadequate", and he issued his own call for reservoir fishing. "There are a number of things that the government could be doing to help the recreational fishing space — one of them, for example, is the government could be doing things like stocking fish and allowing some of our reservoirs, where it's safe to be done, to be fished in," Mr Tarzia said. "That would add significant value in the recreational space." Mr Tarzia has also suggested tourism vouchers, like those that were made available in the wake of the 2023 River Murray floods, could be handed out to encourage regional travel. "Any sort of stimulus that could be allowed for that sort of area would certainly be welcome."
ABC News
09-05-2025
- General
- ABC News
Murray cod introduced to volcanic crater lake to boost tourism and eat carp
Hundreds of kilograms of Murray cod have been introduced into a lake in a volcanic crater, creating an instant tourism attraction and helping control pest fish. The pond-grown fish were driven from Griffith, New South Wales, to Mount Gambier, South Australia, and released into the Valley Lake this week. Recfish SA executive officer Asher Dezsery said the fishery was the state's first with cod up to a metre long, making the lake an instant "trophy fishery". The group has previously released cod fingerlings in South Australian reservoirs, but this time opted for more mature fish. "These fish will grow up to 20-30 kilograms ultimately," Mr Dezsery said. "People go to the Riverland to catch big fish, they go to Victoria to catch big fish, and now they can come to Mount Gambier to catch big Murray cod that they're proud of. "If people can come here and bring their boats, and bring the family, have a barbecue, that's fantastic." Beyond the tourism benefits, the cod will also help control the invasive European carp in the lake. "Carp ruin the environment by digging up the bottom," Mr Dezsery said. "They increase turbidity, which is cloudiness in the water, and they also have a real impact on native fish by eating juveniles and eggs." Mr Dezsery said the cod would eat juvenile carp and had helped limit the carp population in reservoirs. "As it warms up, those carp will continue to spawn, but those cod will just continue to chip away at those juveniles," he said. Murray Cod Australia's Rachel Guest was on board as the fish were transported to their new home. "They're lucky that they're going to be able to spend the rest of their days living in this beautiful lake," she said. "It's such a suitable environment for them. "They're going to thrive and they're going to adapt very quickly." Ms Guest said the company released about 1 million cod each year into public waterways. "South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland — we've all got problems with carp," she said. Mr Dezsery said with recent algal blooms in water off SA's coast it was important to provide options for freshwater fishing. "We want to be providing other options so we're not pressuring those fish stocks over and over," he said. Due to Murray cod being a threatened species, the Valley Lake fishery will be restricted to catch and release fishing. "We want to leave them in the water as much as possible, and use lures instead of bait, with barbless hooks where [fishers] can," Mr Dezsery said.
Yahoo
07-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Fisherman shocked by 'unfathomable' scene at Aussie beaches: 'We're talking millions'
Millions of shellfish have died and floated to the surface of the sand over the weekend, with an expert warning the incident is of an 'unprecedented scale'. A series of pictures by a local fisherman highlight the scale of the die-off at Goolwa Beach in South Australia, which investigators believe could be linked to an outbreak of marine algae. "It's a pretty grim scene,' Asher Dezsery from recreational fishers' peak-body Recfish SA told Yahoo News. 'Pipis [also known as cockles] have a strong probing foot that they dig down in the sand. So it's very rare that they'll sit on the surface unless they're sick, dying, or injured.' Mass fish kills have been reported along the Fleurieu Peninsula, south of Adelaide, since mid-March, and surfers who have ventured onto the same beaches have also reported feeling ill. Dozens of kangaroos were also found dead and dying west of Goolwa in the town of Tunkalilla, and there have been widespread marine life kills around Kangaroo Island. On March 23, testing confirmed the presence of a toxic algae, Karenia mikimotoi, which causes thick sea foam on beaches. When it becomes overabundant, the species can prevent shellfish and fish from breathing and cause allergic reactions in people. What's caused the bloom is yet to be determined, but experts believe it could be linked to high water temperatures or agricultural runoff. Testing is yet to confirm the source of the latest kill at Goolwa Beach. Worryingly, Recfish SA confirmed thick sea foam was discovered at Kingston in the southeast on Monday morning. It predicts close to 200km of coastline will be impacted by the latest die-off, and members of the group are taking samples of dead fish and pipis. 'It's really disappointing. I think it's safe to assume the entire cockle coast between the Murray Mouth and Kingston will be impacted by this, and more widespread deaths will occur,' Dezsery said. 'We're talking millions, unfathomable amounts.' Due to the scale of the event, Recfish SA believes catch limits will need to be rethought. 'It's really important that we get this right, and we don't continue harvesting at the same level if the biomass has been cut down through that mortality event… There have been some events in the past, but nothing on this scale. It's unprecedented,' Dezsery said. 🌟 Hidden treasure found on public beach: 'No one knows' 🥚 Fragile sea creature sucked inside ship begins spawning eggs 😳 Entire Aussie street living in fear of 55-kilo wild bird's 'bold behaviour' The department of primary industries (PIRSA) confirmed with Yahoo on Monday that it has officers on the ground today, collecting shellfish and water for testing. It is liaising with multiple agencies to keep the public informed and isolate the cause of the deaths. 'While it is too early to confirm if there are any links to this weekend's event with the recent large-scale fish kill that occurred on the Fleurieu Peninsula, PIRSA does continue to liaise with Department for Environment and Water (DEW), EPA and SA Health,' it said. Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? 🐊🦘😳 Get our new newsletter showcasing the week's best stories.
