Hook & line fishing 'A threat to some species'

[nsw_fisheries]

http://www.fisheries.nsw.gov.au/gen/news/fb_03Aug08_hook.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"

[locomotion]

after reading the the information , do we have to remove the hook from there mouth ??? or try and avoid catching them ::) if removing the hook is the answer i'll take stevedemon with me and get him to take them out :o :D

cheers andy

[Jack_Lives_Here]

"An independent group of Australian scientists, the Fisheries Scientific Committee, has recommended that hook and line fishing in areas important to the survival of threatened fish species, be listed as a key threatening process.

The committee today called for public submissions on its proposal to recommend listing ‘hook and line fishing’ as a key threatening process under the NSW Fisheries Management Act.

The committee’s chair, Dr Patricia Dixon, said the proposal was based on an assessment of scientific findings showing that hook and line fishing adversely affects two or more threatened species, including grey nurse sharks and black cod.

“The committee recognises that the general banning of hook and line fishing is not warranted or proposed as a result of this listing.

“However it is clear from the scientific research that hook and line fishing has had an adverse impact on some threatened fish species.

“For instance, the incidental hooking of grey nurse sharks is a great concern.”

Dr Dixon said research suggested that the incidence of grey nurse sharks found with hooks embedded in their jaws has significantly increased from two percent to 12 percent over the past decade.

“Fishing hooks can have a range of effects. They not only damage the mouths of fishes, but also cause fish to become stressed and can affect their reproductive potential, immune responses, stop or slow growth and increase their vulnerability to predators.

“These types of impacts are of particular concern in sites where threatened fish species aggregate and spawn, as well as important juvenile habitats and feeding areas.”

The Director of NSW Fisheries, Steve Dunn, emphasised that a recommendation from the committee would not lead to any general bans on hook and line fishing, saying the use of damaging types of hook fishing in grey nurse shark and black cod critical habitats had already been banned.

“If hook and line fishing is listed, NSW Fisheries will be required to prepare a threat abatement plan.

“The proposed listing means we would need to carefully consider the management of hook and line fishing activities in all areas important for the survival of threatened species – but it does not mean there will be bans on all hook fishing.

“Currently, we are undertaking a review of protection measures for grey nurse sharks, and the impact of hook and line fishing is one of the issues being explored.”

Mr Dunn said fishers should be assured that the community would be consulted before any new management options were introduced.

Further information on the Fisheries Scientific Committee proposal is available from the committee’s Executive Officer, Melissa Walker, on 8437 4953.

Media Inquiries: Joanne Finlay 8437 4915 or 0438 247571"

[Jewmaster]

NOT RELATED TO THE TOPIC. WANT TO HAVE A WINGE

I would have thought that more cods and sharks would have been affected by square hooks than from actual hooks. The process of netting a reef, using large steel balls and steel weights on the base of the net destroys the habitat as well as any fish there, whether they are tageted or not. Reefs are ripped from the ground and will take years to recover if they ever do.

If you where to put 100 tinnies in a 1km sqaure area and fished all day what would the impact be... than compare that to 1 trawler dragging the same sqaure km all day. I personally beleive that the damage to our reefs and fish habitats is a bigger problem. All the issues need to be addressed but not enough time is placed into reducing the harmfull effects by fishing with nets. Not all netting does this but alot use steel balls and other means to ensure that ther net isn't fouled by the reef or structures. Thus destroying the structures or causing major damage. I think that professional fishing will always exist, we need to focus on changing methods to try and conserve our fish habitats. it no point protecting a species of fish if they have no habitat.