Gaden Hatchery Saved

[John_Coles]

New South Wales
Council of Freshwater Anglers
Fostering a sustainable freshwater fishery
New South Wales Council of Freshwater Anglers Inc
GPO Box 84, Sydney, NSW, 2001. Website www.freshwateranglers.com.au
Formed in 1958 by the acclimatisation societies of NSW and the NSW Rod Fishers’ Society
Media Release
18 December 2008
Anglers save Gaden Trout Hatchery
NSW anglers have achieved an agreement with the NSW government to reverse the November Minibudget
decision to close the Gaden Trout Hatchery at Jindabyne.
“The future of the Snowy Mountains trout fi shery is now secure with this agreement,” NSW Council
of Freshwater Anglers President Steve Samuels said. “Anglers, visitors and businesses can now
go about their activities confi dent in the knowledge that Gaden will continue to underpin the
economic viability of a very important recreational industry.”
The NSW Council of Freshwater Anglers (NSWCFA) took the lead in negotiating with the
Government and other stakeholders to keep the hatchery open and applied to the NSW Recreational
Freshwater Fishing Trust Expenditure Committee (RFFTEC) and the Advisory Council on Recreational
Fishing (ACORF) for money from the fi shing licence fee to be used to support the running of the
hatchery.
On 16 December 2008 Steve Samuels and Bruce Schumacher, (Chair of the ACORF) met with the
Hon Ian Macdonald, Minister for Primary Industries, and at that meeting the Minister agreed to the
plan proposed by the NSWCFA, supported by RFFTEC and ACORF, to use fi shing licence fee monies
to partly support the operation of Gaden Trout Hatchery.
“The Minister welcomed the proposal and also agreed to a number of conditions put forward by the
NSWCFA and ACORF” said Steve Samuels. The conditions agreed to by the Minister provide longterm
certainty for the hatchery and signifi cant angler representation in its management.”
The proposed closure of the 50 year old hatchery threatened to end recreational fi shing for trout in
the Snowy Mountains and many local business risked economic hardship as a result of the decision.
For further information and interviews contact Steve Samuels
steve_samuels@bigpond.com or phone (02) 6241 7957.
Photos available.

[NAGG]

Good news there ....... Use some of the licence fees to keep the hatchery open - I thought that some of the fees already into it ::)

Chris

[Gordie]

We made a visit to the hatchery a few years ago and were amazed at the work they carried out.

To hear that they may close was unbelieveable, imagine the snowball efect on local towns if impoundments were to revert back to natives only as some were promoting.

I dont profess to understand the total picture but can only imagine the disruption if we had major changes here in SEQld impoundments.

We should all keep our ear to the ground and be ready to support where necessary.

GOOD NEWS FOLKS.

REGARDS gordon

[Boomi Boy]

Good news there ....... Use some of the licence fees to keep the hatchery open - I thought that some of the fees already into it ::)

Chris Qlders don,t know how lucky they are!! I am a NSW resident, but I fish a qld SIP dam at least once a year. I can nominate where at least 50% of my fee goes, a great system that sees millions of fingerlings released where anglers want!!!

Gaden had already received over $130k annually of a small total budget of $2,7m . Gaden will now receive over 500k annually at great cost to existing programs, and no angler input.
The trout stocking is supposed to support a multi million dollar regional industry, surely the profiteers should be contributers!!!!
The pinching of rec funds, without angler consent, at the expense of existing programs is clearly inequitable. A sensible approach would be an additional fee to rec licenses that wish to be trout endorsed, to fish trout designated waters. That, and sourcing funds from the benifactors of the multi million dollar regional profiteers would appear to be a far more equitable system than pinching rec funds from an already overloaded system.
Be very sure that the additional $400k plus pulled from the rec funds will affect all other programs, so obviously bass, golden perch, cod, silver perch, tandanus fisheries, etc will all pay the price,

cheers

[NAGG]

Qlders don,t know how lucky they are!! I am a NSW resident, but I fish a qld SIP dam at least once a year. I can nominate where at least 50% of my fee goes, a great system that sees millions of fingerlings released where anglers want!!!

Gaden had already received over $130k annually of a small total budget of $2,7m . Gaden will now receive over 500k annually at great cost to existing programs, and no angler input.
The trout stocking is supposed to support a multi million dollar regional industry, surely the profiteers should be contributers!!!!
The pinching of rec funds, without angler consent, at the expense of existing programs is clearly inequitable. A sensible approach would be an additional fee to rec licenses that wish to be trout endorsed, to fish trout designated waters. That, and sourcing funds from the benifactors of the multi million dollar regional profiteers would appear to be a far more equitable system than pinching rec funds from an already overloaded system.
Be very sure that the additional $400k plus pulled from the rec funds will affect all other programs, so obviously bass, golden perch, cod, silver perch, tandanus fisheries, etc will all pay the price,

cheers

Boomi boy ........ We cant even spend the allocation to the freshwater trust in NSW -- The last report I saw there was a fraction under $400,000 that was carried over into this years funding (saltwater was close to $5,000,000):o .......... So what projects are underfunded ? .....

No angler input you say ....... Hmmmm , I guess petitions from many NSW fishing web sites being raised would fall under angler input........

Like it or not ...... The Gaden Hatchery is an important resource ...... & with trout fishing in NSW well established and supported - To question the need to keep it open was a no brainer!.

I hear what you say about the region & their need to support the Gaden hatchery ( but I think you will find that the hatchery supplies trout to most other waterways / impoundments in NSW ........ not just the local area

Chris

[Boomi Boy]

Nagg, the funding for Gaden is not a one off. If funding continues from the fresh trust over $500k will be taken EVERY year, which is bound to impact other funding. At the moment there are some essential monies required for research into artificial breeding of the endangered Macquarie Perch, the NFA is trying its best to recreate some sort of fishery for what is not only a top flight sportsfish but arguably the finest freshwater tablefish we have. Surely $400k be better spent on projects like that.
The problem with the trust is the people who have risen to power in advisory capqacities, like the "Shoe" who push their own barrows rather than angler consensus. This is where the Qld system excells, where each SIP fee is accompanied by an angler preferance for fund distribution. The NSW licenses could easily adopt this feature.
The equitable thing would be a user pays system, like QLD,s. A small additional fee for trout endorsement would be much better(IMO) than spending limited funding on a fish that is not only not in danger, but generates plenty of income to justify paying its own way,

cheers

[NAGG]

Nagg, the funding for Gaden is not a one off. If funding continues from the fresh trust over $500k will be taken EVERY year, which is bound to impact other funding. At the moment there are some essential monies required for research into artificial breeding of the endangered Macquarie Perch, the NFA is trying its best to recreate some sort of fishery for what is not only a top flight sportsfish but arguably the finest freshwater tablefish we have. Surely $400k be better spent on projects like that.
The problem with the trust is the people who have risen to power in advisory capqacities, like the "Shoe" who push their own barrows rather than angler consensus. This is where the Qld system excells, where each SIP fee is accompanied by an angler preferance for fund distribution. The NSW licenses could easily adopt this feature.
The equitable thing would be a user pays system, like QLD,s. A small additional fee for trout endorsement would be much better(IMO) than spending limited funding on a fish that is not only not in danger, but generates plenty of income to justify paying its own way,

cheers

Why not have additional fees for those that chase cod or bass or whatever freshwater species .......... People like my brother & his wife only fish for trout - why should they pay an additional fee ??? - Maybe you can see where I'm coming from !
Personally I see the annual funding to the Gaden Hatchery as sound ...... so we just need to agree to disagree :-X
Yes I agree with $$ needing to be spent on the likes of Macquarie Perch ...... like trout cod , eastern cod etc
You are quite right about the likes of Recfish & the "Shoe" - they do carry too much clout , but that is the body that has been given the job of distributing funds - Keep in mind ---- funding is available.
Mate the SIP has issues too ...... I have one & have never been asked where I want to see the funds go :( ........... The big issue is however ..... The say would go to the larger population centres ( Brisbanites would want to see all the stocking go into their local impoundments) - what happens to places like Teemburra , eungella , Koombaloomba etc etc ? ...... no mate not perfect:( ...... like you & I we all have personal agendas

Chris

[Boomi Boy]

I am happy to agree to disagree. People like your brother were already getting their share, over $130k already went to Gaden. We need an equitable solution, this isn,t IMO.

Every time I have bought a SIP i have had the option of deciding where half the fee went, perhaps the next time you get one, check it out,

cheers