High five for high compliance by fishers at Wuruma Dam

Freshwater fishers have been praised for a high level of compliance with fisheries regulations at the popular Wuruma Dam in the North Burnett.

Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries and Minister for Rural Communities Mark Furner congratulated fishers for doing the right thing and fishing by the rules.

“I’m delighted that Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol officers didn’t detect any offences by those actively fishing during a recent patrol of the stocked impoundment,” Mr Furner said.

“Fisheries officers inspected 14 vessels with a total of 37 people on board, checking compliance with fishing and boating safety regulations.

“All fishing apparatus being used at the time complied with recreational fishing requirements and all fishers had purchased their permit to fish in the stocked impoundment.”

Mr Furner said the patrol on 21 February was part of an ongoing compliance operation at stocked waterways across Queensland.

“Our Kingaroy-based fisheries offices have focussed on Wuruma Dam during ‘Operation Sweetwater’ and noticed a significant increase in compliance, particularly with fishing apparatus,” he said.

“On the recent patrol, more than 50 freshwater fishing traps were sighted in the water and the majority were marked correctly with the fisher’s surname and address on the trap and surname on the float.

“A small number of unmarked freshwater fishing apparatus which had been abandoned were seized to prevent aquatic life being harmed.”

Mr Furner urged fishers to continue to fish by the rules to protect Queensland’s world-leading, sustainable freshwater fisheries.

“Stocked impoundments are ‘put, grow and take’ fisheries, with nearly all of the funds raised from permits going back to local fish stocking groups to re-stock the impoundment,” he said.

“More than 44,000 permits were sold to recreational fishers to fish in Queensland’s stocked impoundments, generating more than $1 million to re-invest in fish stocking in 2018-19.

“More than two million fingerlings, including iconic species like barramundi, Australian bass, golden perch and Murray cod are expected to be stocked in 2020/21 to provide access to some of the best freshwater fishing around.”

All fishers over 18 years must hold a permit to line fish, including catch and release fishing, in Queensland’s 63 stocked dams and weirs; and they must produce it when requested by fisheries officers.

Visit www.qld.gov.au/freshwaterfishing to find the nearest stocked waterway and buy a permit. For more information call 13 25 23.

ENDS

Media contact:               Ron Goodman        0427 781 920

Images of seized opera house pots are available to download from this Dropbox link: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/4tbip6inliav3zj/AACMFfo0UYUmoIXB-UR1FIcoa?dl=0

Images to be credited: Department of Agriculture and Fisheries