Reef fish stocks - some graphs

Global warming and overfishing. And any good news we can dig up.
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itsinmeblood
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Re: Reef fish stocks - some graphs

Post by itsinmeblood »

DOUG wrote:
itsinmeblood wrote:A lot of nimby's here, people agreeing that stocks are down and then chucking in a big "but" so they can keep on doing what they're already doing insisting the numbers are a personal attack on their way of life. If you fish for goldies etc and neck em you're contributing to the decline in some degree, and if the numbers need protecting then you're going to have to get your head around a change in everybodies fishing habits to do so.
Ah this post should help the fish numbers rise !!!
What are your thoughts ???
Bag limits won't work full stop !! Over the bag limit throw them back dead !!
Only way is seasonal closures in major spawning areas !
Hard to police but if say 80% of people abode bye the change that's 80% more fish that may be able to spawn and let more juvenile fish move in !
couldn't agree more Doug, getting people to stop fishing for goldies, yet targeting "other species" is a feel good cop out that won't do anything much to help goldy numbers. a 3 month spawning closure maybe alternated over the local areas would at least give em a chance to produce
The closed season on barra in qld hasn't affected tourism, tackle shops or charters or rec fisherman to any great degree


fish are skinny, the ocean is fat
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Re: Reef fish stocks - some graphs

Post by DOUG »

A slower retrieve only feeds sharks !!
And the speed you would have to bring them up at would be like up 5 m then wait 2 mins up another 5 wait 2 mins this would maybe work in 20 to 25m of water anything over 40m wouldn't work either for barratrauma !
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Re: Reef fish stocks - some graphs

Post by Matt Flynn »

The closed season on barra in qld hasn't affected tourism, tackle shops or charters or rec fisherman to any great degree
Ha ha!

Just like an NT barra closed season wouldn't affect tourism, tackle shops or charters or rec fisherman in the NT ...

People fishing for pelagics don't catch snapper. People casting lures for barra catch an occasional snapper in shallow water, easily released.
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Re: Reef fish stocks - some graphs

Post by mako »

Seems that reefish are affected much more than pelagics, so why not have a three month closure on reefishing to coincide with spawnning periods, across the entire NT coast and still allow fishing for pelagics. Fishing related businesses won't be affected and we can continue to enjoy our sport.
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Re: Reef fish stocks - some graphs

Post by Matt Flynn »

closure on reef fishing to coincide with spawning periods, across the entire NT coast
Seasonal closures of spawning aggregations might work. The tighter bag limits of inshore reef fish proposed by fisheries are a good start. Bag limits might not be perfect, but no solution will be. Here's the current recommendations ... http://www.nt.gov.au/d/Fisheries/rfc/pr ... ations.cfm

I notice no one has commented on the 90cm barra limit.

A lot of thought needs to go into this to get the best result.

There has been talk of blanket area fishing bans, such as closing Darwin Harbour, which would be foolish when stocks of barramundi, salmon, queenfish, trevally, milkfish, tuna etc are so healthy close to Darwin.

Keep in mind the previous Labor Government closed a lot of area to barra gill nets and coastal gill nets to create a great sportfishery around Darwin. Banning all fishing because goldies and jewfish stocks have dropped is not necessary.

For example, a lure-only rule in the harbour could work well, it may sound extreme but it is less extreme than closing the harbour. Any snapper and jew caught on lures would be in the shallow water and easily released. Deep water areas might be made off limits.

Take as another example Shady Camp jewfish reef. Probably one that people might consider for a blanket ban. By all accounts jewfish stocks there are down. Yet this is a very shallow reef, less than 10m deep, and could easily support a catch and release jew fishery free of barotrauma, using circle hooks for lip hookups. This would keep barra guides and rec fishos fishing as they traditionally alternate between this reef and the coastal creeks.

On the other hand, deeper reefs with spawning aggregations might need complete closures when spawning fish are there.

Bluewater species limits such as red emperor and jobfish could be higher because they presumably receive less fishing pressure and are dispersed over wider areas.

Diver surveys of the artificial reefs would be useful. I note that spearos don't seem to have any trouble finding, or at least seeing, big snapper or jewies - there might be more to this than meets the eye.

There are many questions that need answering - do extra artificial reefs ultimately create more snapper and jewies? Or do they just spread out the existing fish? Because if new reefs create more fish, then we need to keep sinking them as Darwin grows.

Jewies grow fast and can recover quickly if problems are dealt with early enough, golden snapper will take longer. Trickies, I've no idea.
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Re: Reef fish stocks - some graphs

Post by AM »

mako wrote:Seems that reefish are affected much more than pelagics, so why not have a three month closure on reefishing to coincide with spawnning periods, across the entire NT coast and still allow fishing for pelagics. Fishing related businesses won't be affected and we can continue to enjoy our sport.
That has potential.
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Re: Reef fish stocks - some graphs

Post by AM »

The only people this will affect is people on multi day trips. Option 1 is no great problem for me and is more generous on Goldie's than expected which should be none and the same for Jew. Quite fine with 45 in one boat if it is a day trip, but 3 days ?. Result is very simple, multiple day trip closer to home targeting the exact fish stock that needs protecting.What an absolute coup for AFANT to have recommended, well thought out, not.If there is no mechanism for multi day trips then this will make increase pressure on close stock. I have to wonder just what interests or how much it costs the FTO each time for them to come out of these debates smelling like a rose. Very generous of them to allocate their catch data to amatures.
Best thing in the options.... The poor old mangrove jack gets a break
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Re: Reef fish stocks - some graphs

Post by Lats »

AM it is a possession limit. So in option 1 if 3 people got out for 1 day or 5 days they are still only able to have 45 combined species in their possession while also obviously maintaining the individual controlled species limits.

I'm not sure how you would fare with doing consecutive day trips of 45 fish though. I know in other states "possession" constitutes at home aswell and I have a feeling it might be the same in the Territory but not sure. Probably something that will only ever be enforced if you constantly get checked with large amounts of fish on the water or at the ramp by the same inspectors and they believe you must be storing them
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Re: Reef fish stocks - some graphs

Post by Brent Matthews »

Dont have to look at the graphs to see that the Golden Snapper stocks are declining, I have a number of spots that I have fished regularily for 10 years that are within 30km of Darwin, I would estimate that the catch rate there is now half the number and half the size, to the point where it is not worth fishing them any more.

Adelaide has the same pressure on their snapper so they have closed months where you can't take them, seems to work down there, I think they are extending the months next year as fishing pressure increases.

The failure of this pamphlet, ( I mean research ) is to A) describe the methodology of how they obtained their data survey people at boat ramps is hardly a robust form of scientific research?

I think we all need to realise that it is habitat conservation and enhancement that is a primary factor in fish stocks. In the last ten years have there been any major changes to the habitat in the Darwin region? Enough said.

Perhaps we havent seen it because every time we go near LNG equipment in the harbour we put our hands up to block it from view!
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Re: Reef fish stocks - some graphs

Post by AM »

Lats wrote:AM it is a possession limit. So in option 1 if 3 people got out for 1 day or 5 days they are still only able to have 45 combined species in their possession while also obviously maintaining the individual controlled species limits.

I'm not sure how you would fare with doing consecutive day trips of 45 fish though. I know in other states "possession" constitutes at home aswell and I have a feeling it might be the same in the Territory but not sure. Probably something that will only ever be enforced if you constantly get checked with large amounts of fish on the water or at the ramp by the same inspectors and they believe you must be storing them
I am clear about it being a possession limit. My point is that for 45 fish I will only go as far as I need to go to catch em, therefore my effort will now be added to the closer already hard fished ground where stocks are suffering, well done AFANT and NT fisheries.
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Re: Reef fish stocks - some graphs

Post by Matt Flynn »

NT GOVT MEDIA RELEASE

Department of Primary Industry and Fisheries

PROPOSED CHANGES TO NT FISHING CONTROLS

Public Comment Period Extended



11 January 2013


The Department of Primary Industry and Fisheries (DPIF) has extended the public comment period until January 31st 2013 on the recently released discussion paper Proposed Changes to Northern Territory Recreational Fishing Controls 2012.
NT Director of Fisheries, Mr Ian Curnow, said the discussion paper focuses on popular coastal reef species, including golden snapper and jewfish, which require increased management to ensure a sustainable recreational fishing experience into the future.
“We have extended the submission period to ensure everybody that has an interest in the future of recreational fishing in the Northern Territory has a chance to respond,” Mr Curnow said.
“Several popular reef species have come under threat in recent years, particularly around Darwin, because they are now being targeted more efficiently than before making them vulnerable to over fishing.
“Anglers have noticed there are declining numbers of reef fish such as golden snapper and jewfish in highly fished areas around the Territory, particularly around the Darwin area, and our scientific data backs this up.
“Putting in place measures now to ensure our fisheries remain sustainable means we may be able to avoid putting stronger management measures in place in the future, such as the closure of fishing areas.
“The paper also proposes some important changes for other species based on feedback from AFANT and recreational anglers, to better reflect current social expectations of what is an appropriate catch for other species,” Mr Curnow said.
A copy of the Proposed Changes to Northern Territory Recreational Fishing Controls 2012 is available on the DPIF website, along with a link on how to submit comments: http://www.nt.gov.au/d/Fisheries/
Comments for all papers close COB Thursday 31st of January 2013.
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Re: Reef fish stocks - some graphs

Post by AM »

Amazing how short lived the debate on these issues has been on the forum. No doubt they are thinking it might not be the hot potato they were worried about.
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Re: Reef fish stocks - some graphs

Post by Matt Flynn »

Yes, and I am told the snapper have been on the chew around Darwin, just to confound things ...

I don't doubt there has been a decline though.
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Re: Reef fish stocks - some graphs

Post by DOUG »

Snapper jar been real thick for 2 months now catching them in all the coastal an harbour creeks every trip !!
I'd day it is just a late spawning season same as the late wet??
I know it's been thick with goldies off Dundee lately
I have found the normal goldy spawning to be about oct/nov in our build up but this year seems to be a few months later !! Just my 2 cents worth !! :)
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Re: Reef fish stocks - some graphs

Post by cuddlescooper »

Snapper are usualyy around out there at this time of year Doug. its just that we normally have a poop load of rain and wind around now that prevent people from getting out to chase them. im not convinced the spawning has changed at all but access to the grounds is still possible. normally it would be impossible to launch at Dundee now so you dont hear much about it.
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