Clarence prawn fishers trial enviro-friendly gear

[nsw_fisheries]

http://www.fisheries.nsw.gov.au/gen/news/fb_04mar22_clarence.htm

"This document has been posted for information and to encourage discussion among yourselves. For more information from NSW Fisheries on the issue, please visit our web site on www.fisheries.nsw.gov.au"

[Nugget]

Clarence prawn fishers trial enviro-friendly fishing gear
22 March 2004
North Coast commercial prawn fishers today began a wide-scale trial to help make fishing gear more environmentally-friendly.

The trial is part of a three-year project to help reduce the amount of small, unwanted prawns and fish – known as by-catch – from commercial prawn-catching gears throughout the State.

As part of the trial, square-mesh devices or ‘codends’ will be inserted into the nets of all 65 Clarence River estuary prawn-trawl fishers for at least six weeks.

This is the first voluntary adoption of new technology on this scale by Australian fishers.

To our knowledge, it is also the first fleet-wide experimental trial of new, by-catch reducing gears in the world.

The square-mesh cod-ends, shipped in from overseas, allow large numbers of small, unwanted prawns to escape from prawn nets, while maintaining the catch of commercial size prawns.

Early trials of these and other devices in the Clarence and Richmond Rivers have shown they reduce by-catch by up to 90%.

Apart from cutting wastage and helping conserve our aquatic resources, the devices also benefit commercial fishers by reducing the need to sort unwanted catch.”

The research project is being led by the NSW Fisheries Conservation Technology Unit, set up in 2002 in Coffs Harbour to help develop more sustainable fishing methods.

During the by-catch reduction trial, CTU scientists will collect data on the performance of the devices across a range of boats and conditions.

North Coast commercial fishers are working closely with NSW Fisheries on the project.

The commercial fishing industry has widely accepted the use of by-catch reduction devices as an important way of making our fish stocks more sustainable. .

The sector is the backbone of many rural, regional and Indigenous communities and provides a major boost to the State’s economy. It is a major part of a seafood industry that generates more than half a billion dollars in economic activity each year, and employs about 4,000 people.

The NSW commercial fishing industry harvested more than 14,000 tonnes of seafood in 2002-03, valued at more than $86 million at first point of sale.

The major estuary production areas include the Clarence River, Wallis Lake, and Port Stephens.

NSW Fisheries will continue to work with fishers to develop more selective fishing gears that further reduce by-catch and sorting times.

[basserman]

Clarence prawn fishers trial envir

As part of the trial, square-mesh devices or ‘codends’ will be inserted into the nets of all 65 Clarence River estuary prawn-trawl fishers for at least six weeks.





Now thats alot of nets in the water! it's a wonder that their is any prawns left to net!

i would like to know the impact prawn falming does and the pors and cons of it over trawling
after all the nets will still be draggin and ripping weedbeds