North Australian FISH FINDER TM forums

The current system of commercial Barra fishing management that does not have a catch quota or bag limit is not only unsustainable but also a slap in the face of NT recreational anglers.

People who over decades lobbied and spoke with politicians and bureaucrats that resulted in the worth of recreational fishing being accepted as an important part of living in the top end.
The economic, social and environment values far outweighed the commercial fishing values at every level.

Its 2022 and we tolerate that a commercial harvesting of wild fish has no bag limit, taking many hundreds of tons of barra from easily accessed fishing areas. Yet we recreational anglers are limited by number and size of fish in our possession.

The AFANT AGM could be the only chance you have to voice your position and direct the peak representatives of all NT anglers (AFANT) to advocate for an immediate change of commercial fishing management. Your kids will thank you in the future.

Spot on!!

Barramundi are the principal attraction to the Daly River and have a significant influence on the culture of the NT.

The recreational and tourist fishery has been developed over years, starting with active lobbying by NT anglers in the 1980’s seeking the stopping of the netting of fish within the river, coupled with the buyback of commercial netting licensees.

By the early 1990’s the river became a healthy and sustainable recreational and tourism Barramundi fishery.
Government was aware that sustainable fishing tourism economics far outweighed the economic values of commercial netting of barramundi.
This in turn facilitated the rapid growth of fishing tourism development and infrastructure, including the number and size of recreational fishing competitions held on the Daly River.
Buy the late 1990’ the river became known across Australia and branded as the premier Barramundi fishing location in Australia. Anglers experienced the improvement of fishing during that time frame.

Improvement driven by recreational anglers, not commercial netters.

It is without doubt that the fishery is degrading. There are less fish now. Barramundi were deemed by an NT fisheries commercial biased management to be a resource that must be shared between the recreational anglers and the commercial netters.

The imbalance of this resource sharing is not equitable or sustainable.

Recreational anglers with bag limits and limited abilities in the form of travel and access opportunities as well as the equipment and techniques to capture Barramundi have little impact on the biomass of fish.
Commercial netters however do not have bag limits or limited travel opportunities and use equipment and techniques to capture Barramundi that do have proven high impacts on the biomass of fish.

The domination of the commercial barramundi netting by one company that have introduced a factory system of netting and processing with concentrated effort in locations until the catch rate is low then move to the next location to strip mine the biomass.

This method is not sustainable.

We understand that wet seasons have an effect on Barramundi numbers. However, there is no adjustment on the netting harvest system in those years of below average rain falls and fish recruitment. The unlimited quota of barramundi netting continues regardless.

Taking fish from a biomass that is already stressed has only one outcome, less fish in the river.

We cannot wait for the result of a three-year NT fisheries review currently being conducted. Leaked information from NT Fisheries indicates that in all likelihood the recommendations of the review will be biased toward the commercial netters.

All the people who live at Daly River, the local stakeholders, the traditional owners, indigenous residents and Territorian families who own land and have invested in their homes and businesses agree that there are less fish in the river.

We have all experienced the effect of a degrading fishery biomass, economically, socially and as a food source.
We are all deeply concerned about the outcome of this resource sharing policy that clearly favors the commercial netters.

Anglers must address this issue and seek an introduction of a quota for commercial netters including a variable limit based on seasonal river heights and flows that have an overwhelming effect on fish biomass.

Have your say and attend the Afant AGM on the Thursday the 17th November, listen to the update on the NT fisheries Barramundi review, ask for a reason as to why NT fisheries rejects barramundi bag limits on commercial netting.