PDA

View Full Version : Restricted Vs Public access for freshwater fisheries



Jungle Jim
03-02-2009, 02:13 PM
Was reading through a another section and someone commented on the access (or lack thereof) to that particular dam. So rather than highjack someone’s fishing report lets put it out in the open.


Every time i go to Nz i hear constant arguments about access to freshwater fishing - streams - banks etc. “Queens chain” this “Private property” that. . . . . on my trips over the last couple of years I have noticed a worrying increase in restricted access. :'(

In Nz there are constant references to the “haves and haves nots” and how there is a great fear that the access to waterways may end up restricted like it is in parts of the US and Europe where (i am told) you can hold a lease on stretch of water.
Which means locked gates, restricted access, fees, club memberships and someone missing out...

The comment on the other thread was about access to NPD and the controversial ballot system. If we have a ballot does that mean that someone misses out...
I'd be interested to hear any thoughts or experiences on restricted access


JIM

Leigh77
03-02-2009, 02:57 PM
By what I know of the NPD ballot system is that once a year, a lottery is drawn, and 100 (I think) permits are handed out. You must own a registered boat during that year if you are lucky enough to get one of the permits. Obviously a LOT more than 100 people put their names in the draw, so yes, plenty of people miss out.

Leigh.

shrunken pojie
03-02-2009, 03:19 PM
Leigh,

So can you fish NPD (North Pine Dam I assume) from the bank or from an unregistered (canoe/kayak) vessel without a permit? Is it part of the stocked impoundment (the permit you buy from DPI) setup?

Jim,

It would be very sad to see our great fresh water fisheries restricted in the way that they are in other parts of the world. I have not done a great deal of fresh water fishing YET but am starting to get into it and would hate to see some of the spots (twin bridges comes to mind) I want to fish closed down for private use.

Phill

Little grey men
03-02-2009, 03:58 PM
You can fish North Pine Dam from the bank in certain spots. From Forgans Cove running right through to McGavins view is open for bank fishing. ( The dam wall excluded of course ) No watercraft are allowed on the dam at all.
You don't need a permit yet .
I fish in these open areas and find myself just staring at great looking steep sloping banks on the other side.
Fingers crossed that the SIP scheme will give us a little more access.

shayned
03-02-2009, 05:02 PM
Before this gets carried away lets stick to the facts.
Leigh in only it's very first year of inception, the boating access scheme, when it only had an agreed number of permits capped at 200, was it oversubscribed by a handful of spots and the ballot had to be utilised. Everyone had an equal opportunity to be disappointed.

After this point the agreed number of permits was raised and the scheme was never oversubscribed again.

SIPS is administered and run by DPI, a department which has no control over access to our fresh water impoundments. It is a user pays scheme to help pay for more stock to go into our impoundments improving them as fisheries which, DPI working with local stocking groups administers.

NPD has been officially stocked since 1991, to date nearly 1.5 million fingerlings have been released. Money for this has come from funds raised by PRFMA and the impoundment owner Seqwater. In the early days PRFMA begged, borrowed and ran chook raffles to raise the funds. The boating access scheme when operating generates the funds now for PRFMA to continue stocking. This year is the first time SIPS will be in place at NPD, this will not replace the need of funds from the BAS, as a combination of all three funding sources may just get us close to the numbers of released fish this dam can take. Improving the fishery to no end.

Here is another important fact Seqwaters core business is to supply adequate amounts of appropriate quality water. The parks and other recreational access activities are an additional role they take on to help service the community. All of these activities add to the cost of running an operation. Also we need to take into account that large sections of foreshore are held under private lease and as such no access is possible there.

That said, we are currently trying for better access and conditions. We are also mindful of the decreasing access to fresh water impoundments both interstate and overseas. This combined with closures in salt water areas make it a miserable time to be a fisho. In the mean time if the people fishing some of the current access areas didn't leave them looking like rubbish tips the argument would be lot easier.

That said if you could make a change to shoreline access or boating access what would it be?

Try to take into account how it would be controlled, who pays for it, how does it affect the survival of the very group who has given countless 1000's of hours and their own money to develop the fishery, safety, water quality and other lake users.

PinHead
03-02-2009, 05:56 PM
Shayne..as soon as SIP funds are used then everyone should have equal access rights.

shayned
03-02-2009, 06:33 PM
Pinhead thanks for your thoughts but it hardly takes into account what I just spent a while trying to explain. Happy to hear how you would make it work, I would be even happier if you jumped in made it happen.
Cheers
Shayne

flairj
03-02-2009, 07:09 PM
With the current economic stimulus going on the appropriate authorities should put on more inspectors to check liscences, bag limits, fish sizes and enforce the "user pays" idea of freshwater fishing. I go fishing A LOT, both salt and fresh and in years of going out I have been checked out once, which was by the police in the Brisbane river.

I have never seen anyone checking these kind of things, so God only knows how many people slip through not paying for and SIP, taking under size and taking everything they catch.

Personally (as much as people will scream) I think we should have saltwater liscences in QLD too and use some of the money to the same end.

So, to answer the question asked, I think access should be much more free (restriction like Hinze or Clarrie Hall are fine), but have more policing of the rules.

just my view, Josh

aussiebasser
03-02-2009, 08:25 PM
At North Pine dam you need a permit for boating, cost is $100 per year. A SIP will be required in future. Free restricted bank access is available.

At Lake Somerset you need a permit for boating, cost is $100 per year, and $75.00 if you renew before it expires. Free restricted bank access is available as well as paid access at Kirkleagh. A SIP is required

At Wivenhoe dam you need a permit for boating, cost is $100 per year and $75.00 if you renew before it expires. Free restricted bank access is available. A SIP is required.

At Hinze Dam you need a permit for boating, unsure of cost. Free restricted bank access is available.

At Cressbrook you need $2.00 to get in the gate. If you go every weekend that's $104 per year. Not sure if there is any free bank access now, but I don't think so, I gave up going when it turned into Stalag 13. A SIP is required.

I'm not sure what all the fuss is about. People knock the NPD system but it's not really any different to a lot of other places. It's a user pays world these days.

shayned
03-02-2009, 10:06 PM
When the boating access scheme is reactivated and if the scheme is actually oversubscribed for the first time since the permit numbers were increased then I think we can discuss restricted access in relation to what exists elsewhere in SEQ.

I'm not sure that everyone realises that prior to 2001 there was absolutely no boating access allowed at all. It was only through a lot of hard work and negotiation this point has been reached. The other component in all this is that PRFMA has duty officers on site ensuring safety, good behaviour and a phone call to fisheries if you can't play by the rules, this is one of the reasons this access exists at all. This system doesn't suit everybody but if don't like fishing around cowboys, jetskis and water skiers it might suit you. The other downside is electric or paddle power only. It's my belief the real issue at the moment is better low water access for the boating access scheme so we don't have to face this 50% water level restriction.

As said earlier we are asking for improved access and conditions for everyone both on water and shore based.

The only real difference between this lake and the other ones is the fact that up until now a SIP wasn't needed. Which by the way entitles you to fish every other listed dam in QLD anyway.

In a years time Lake kurwongbah will start producing legal fish and there are no plans to place this Lake on to SIPS. So if you dont want to get a stocked impoundment permit, there will still be a "free" lake just next door. As for finding the money to keep it stocked PRFMA will find a way, after all the association managed to at NPD for 16 years.

Hardb8
03-02-2009, 10:46 PM
G'day Jim,
In the past with the first year (100 permits) being exempt,300 permits have been available annually.This 300 permit cap in the subsequent years has never reached it's capacity.There has always been some left over.If however the cap is reached.That's when the ballot system comes into play.And yes,Some would miss out.

To my knowledge,There is no requirement for registration of the vessel,As I fished from my kayak when the scheme was running without question,As did others.

There are however restrictions on the water allowed to be fished in the dam.The Northern arm only is accessable,With the cut off point being designated by signage on both sides of the shore.You are not allowed to leave your vessel and access any section of bank,When within this area.

There is other craft that are opperating on different areas of Lake Sampsonvale,But they are from the local sailing club.And of course.....The Rangers who roam the entire body of water.

As previously mentioned,There is bank access areas in the forementioned places (Bullocky Rest Etc) where no SIP is required.But now that Lake Sampsonvale is part of the SIP scheme,I personally would like to see anyone that puts a line into this body of water,To be carrying a SIP.Both those in the PRFMA scheme,And those who are just fishing from the legal access areas on the shoreline.

I see this as being the only fair alternative to all those who pay for their SIP's statewide.Also to those who have put in endless hours of their own time stocking this waterway in the past to make it what it is today,Not to mention for the future ahead.8-)

It would be nice to have more people on the ground to be doing the checking of permits.

I have seen some behaviour there that has really stirred my emotions.:( >:(

Cheers. B8.;)

yellahunter
04-02-2009, 07:48 AM
there is no boating fee at Hinze dam,
rather a seperate fishing license.
Boating is free for all, its just that petrol motors are out

fishing incurs a seperate license to the SIP as all funds are poured straight back into hinze etc

Jungle Jim
04-02-2009, 08:44 AM
Some good points raised here, I never intended this to be specifically about NPD but am glad to see so many people with opinions and ideas.

I cannot comment on NPD coz i have never been there.
:-X
It is good to see though that people are passionate about the fisheries from both sides of the fence.

JIM

rayken1938
04-02-2009, 08:48 AM
It amazes me that there people out there who are quite prepared to reap the benefits of the efforts of the PRFMA and are not prepared to put anything back.
The limit of the number of permits is contrilled by SEQ water not the PRFMA.
I do not think that there are many dams under SEQ water control that do not have some form of restrictions on the recreational use of their dams.
Would people rather have a system similar to Baroon pocket dam where there is a maximum number of 10 boats allowed on the dam at one time?
I do not see any/ many complaints about this system.
I was a member of the boating access scheme and have been a member of the PRFMA since the BAS was closed due to low water levels.
I joined up as I support what they are doing and also in the hope that my membership fees would help them survive when they have no income.

I take my hat off to the people who had the foresight and wisdom to initally start the PRFMA and provide a trophy bass fishery within a 24 kilometer radius of the centre of Brisbane.
The PRFMA has a strong community involvement being involved in take a kid fishing days, scout fishing days, Pine River Clean up days are a few that just come to mind.
Also a big thanks to fellow PRFMA members who have been instrumental in getting approval to stock Kurwongbah.
I may seem biased but I take pride in being part of the PRFMA.
Rather than wingin and bitchin I would suggest that people become involved in their local stocking group and participate in an activity that is worthwhile and gives you a sence of achievement.
Cheers
Ray

Little grey men
04-02-2009, 10:42 AM
Looks like it might be time to attend a PRFMA meeting and join up. Tonight I believe.
Where are they held again ?

rayken1938
04-02-2009, 01:31 PM
Meeting commences 7.30pm Block A Water Treatment Complex off Protheroe rd. Duty officers phone number is 0417742023.
I will be going and doing a prefish in area near rangers huts. LGM see private message.
Cheers
Ray

shayned
04-02-2009, 10:56 PM
Big thumbs up for Little Grey Men for attending and joining tonight at PRFMA, he also bought along with him the true fishing genius in the family.;)

Michael and his little bloke sat through a tonne of organisational info, voted as per his belief on each matter and offered to help out on a project that will benefit from his skills. very mundane stuff but we are happy to have his support, knowledge and assistance.

The best part for my mind is that quite a few members went from Michael??????? to, Oh, Little grey men, of course, how are you mate. Quite a few of us haunt these boards as well. After all we love the fishing part as well.

We got sorted through and organised on a lot of issues and events tonight, to give an example, we sorted out an upcoming day to take 25 disabled kids and their carers fishing. It's not just about fish stocking.8-)

rayken1938
05-02-2009, 04:35 AM
LGM Welcome to the fold.
Cheers
Ray.

Little grey men
05-02-2009, 08:20 AM
Cheers Shayne and Ray.
Sure was an eye opener. You blokes sure do some good work for the community.
I'm glad to be a part of something so worthwhile and looking forward to helping out where I can.
Always good to meet fellow fishing nuts as well ;)

Obi _ Wan
05-02-2009, 11:53 AM
Michael,
I will echo both Shayne and Ray in saying thanks for coming to the meeting and joining our flock, you are a welcome addition to the membership.

Cheers,
John.

plastic_paul
10-02-2009, 05:28 AM
any one know any info on the hinze stocking program, or how one could also get involved?

shayned
13-02-2009, 10:21 AM
Hinze Dam Fish Management Advisory Committee
c/- Gold Coast Water
Gold Coast City Council
PO Box 5042, Gold Coast Mail Centre Q 9729

Also check out fitzys web site sweet water fishing

I'm sure the group would welcome your help.