Applause Please

[Lucky_Phill]

Suntag has passed the most significant milestone in its 27 years with 1,000,000 fish in the database. It is one of the largest volunteer tagged fish databases in the world (we think the largest).

Making up that total are 692,000 tagged fish, 280,000 fish from catches and 54,000 recaptures with over 25,000 fishers contributing information to make up that total.

Special recognition needs to go to the 100 Frequent Taggers that have tagged over 267,000 fish or almost 40% of the total number tagged.

Thanks also go to the Queensland Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry for their continued support for Suntag over the last 27 years.

We will continue developing the service we provide to fishers to make this the best program in the world!

Follow Suntag on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Suntag.Queensland or get old copies of Suntag News at www.info-fish.net.
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Please feel free to provide feedback on the bulletin or the service.


Bill Sawynok
Suntag Coordinator


copyright: Suntag / Info-Fish & Bill Sawynok.




cheers LP

[Moonlighter]

Some very dedicated people there Phill. Tagging thousands and thousands of fish, each.

Bill tells me that they have fisheries scientists visiting them from all over the world to talk about their database and use it as a model.

Ausfishers should also have a look at Bill's imfofish website, where there are some fantastic research papers done by what I call real scientists - you know, the ones who actually get out in the field and get their hands all fishy. There are 2 particularly interesting papers i read:

One about the effect of floods on fish capture rates on the reef, and

Another on the much vaunted (by the greenies) spillover effect where they ascertained the spillover from coral reefs on the GBr into adjacent areas.

Both very good reading.

Keep up the good work, Bill and your team of volunteers!

[Lucky_Phill]

Yes Grant, I have seen Bills data base and modelling, graphs etc etc. Brilliant.

Shame this work is not used by FQ. It is easy to understand, transparent and takes into account ALL data required to make accurate assessments.


LP

[Mike Delisser]

Yes Grant, I have seen Bills data base and modelling, graphs etc etc. Brilliant.

Shame this work is not used by FQ. It is easy to understand, transparent and takes into account ALL data required to make accurate assessments.
LP

Agreed, perhaps if the Qld State Gov used Bill's data more often they could be persuaded to return some of the funding they removed. Bill might not be in a position to say it but I but I certainly will.

[pipifin]

Clapclapclapclapclapclap

[Muddy Toes]

Clapclapclapclapclapclap

Reminds me of a holiday I took to Thailand once..........

[ifishcq1]

we are lucky to have a guy like Bill devoting his life to the betterment of fishing (lucky for him his family is pretty involved too)
ANSAQ especially members from the Rocky based Captag club were the biggest contributors by far
he has one of the most complete data bases on barramundi from fingerlings to metrey fish
take a look at his website and check out some of the impressive travel histories of some of our favourite species

Cheers

[Lucky_Phill]

It would be remiss of me not to mention that Info-Fish / Suntag does recieve some funding from our Government. Some of our FQ people also visit and share knowledge will Bill.

The knowledge and respect that Bill and his mainly volunteer fishos have built up over the years, sends a clear message to all that want to be involved with our Fishery, that even with minimal investment and funding, it is people power that can sustain a vibrant research facility. Suntags reputation for this work is the bench mark that many Australian and Overseas entities want to duplicate.

LP

[Mike Delisser]

It would be remiss of me not to mention that Info-Fish / Suntag does recieve some funding from our Government.
LP

And it would be remiss of me not to mention the Qld LNP Government cut all financial support to Info-Fish / Suntag, then after considerable lobbying from many concerned stakeholders (predominantly Bill, Sunfish Qld and ANSA) the Qld Gov saw fit to only return a percentage of the previous funding. If it wasn't for several generous companies (and I think some from the Fed Gov) stepping up to the plate to fill the void and help Info-Fish/Suntag out financially, Bill wouldn't have been able to continue this great work.

[Lucky_Phill]

Absolutely Mike, spot on.

I really don't think this or any other Government fully appreciate or understand what the rec fishing industry, as a whole , put into the Queensland community as far as economic, social, health & well being, education and family interaction goes, let alone the stewardship of the sea,( and fresh ) that we are all now taking seriously.


LP

[WalrusLike]

Well said Phill.

In Bhutan(?) they measure government initiatives against National Happiness test. If government truly understood the good that comes from boating and fishing they would put more money where it's needed.

Happy wife... happy life,
Happy water lovers.... happy kids, happy wife, happy workmates, List goes on....


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