And Then There Were None

[Obi _ Wan]

Lindsay, Something that you may be able to substantiate and further coment on is the bream fishery in the passage at Caloundra.
I fished there in the mid seventies in an Australian Fishing Comp and many many bream were caught and weighed in, most fish from memory were around the one kilo mark, beautiful fish, i moved to Qld after that and continued to catch bream there for some years after that. I can remember seeing massive schools of bream moving around in the shallow water of the passage in the moonlight, a fantastic sight.
In 1982 i recall a chap who lived on the Sunshine Coast who travelled to work in Brisbane saying one winters morning when he arrived at work, "The pro's netted 17 tonne of bream on the bar this morning. The next morning from memory it was about 14 tonne, this went on for 3 or 4 mornings, till i guess there were no more bream left to net.
It is now many years since i have ventured back to Caloundra, to fish for bream as the last trip there in the mid eighties, after fishing all night, with live yabbies, all i had caught were 2 whiting and they were caught on a 1.0 hook.

Cheers,
John.

[NAGG]

Well written Lindsay ...... & while I'm sure that fisheries management have played their role - they are only part of a bureaucracy that takes direction from the government of the day . A premier & his minister can turn the direction of recreational / commercial fishing at virtually a stroke of a pen - all it takes is a will to do something. Like when the NSW fishing minister (Eddie Obeid) banned commercial floating kingfish traps during the 90s - from memory someone fired a shot through his home
Sadly the recreational fishers have also played their role over the years and a lot of damage was done prior to the introduction of size and bag limits ....... When you hear of old club days or state / national fishing titles where it was a kill fest - so yeh we had a lot to answer for.
Now because so much damage was done only drastic measures can have a real impact on restoring our fisheries - smaller bag limits , bigger size limits , green zones etc etc
sadly because we have politicians who in general only consider what they need to do to stay in power or gain power - fishing seems to stay off the radar (we saw the push of Mark Robinson MP / fisheries spokesman on this site prior to the election ........ & now he is a prime contestant on "Where are they now?") - with politics like that ,what chance do the fishoes have.
It's a sad state of affairs ......... so best of luck with your letters

Chris

[Slider]

Yeah John, I remember well what it used to be like around the April, May, June, July, full moons at Caloundra/Jumpinpin. At the same time the bream here were up to 4.5lb and could be caught in their hundreds. Average size would have been getting close to a kilo and hardly ever saw undersized bream. Just after I got my driver's licence - so about '86 - there was 20 tonne taken from in front of Teewah Village over a period of 3 days and we haven't seen any real numbers since. Well, they've disappeared altogether now - have heard of maybe 4 bream off this beach this year.

Therein lies another proble with nets. Bream, tailor, whiting, mullet, etc etc etc are always targeted when they are aggregated for spawning purposes. They become spooked while they are spawning and their spawning is interrupted as well as females full of roe being take. There are quadruple whammies occurring.

The reason why the pros used to be able to, and still can in remote rarely netted locations, take hauls over sequential days, is that the fish did not have an innate antipredator response to nets. That is, they had never experienced this predator before, didn't have an evolved antipredator response and it took them years to develop an antipredator response. Fish, at the end of the day, are not highly intelligent creatures, but they do learn and have memories that can last at least months and possibly years. When they did develop a response, it was what's called a maladaptive antipredator response which takes them in their spatial movements to locations where there might be more natural predators, or there might be less food resources, or they aren't able to achieve full reproductive capacity - as in poor fertilisation of eggs or high larval mortality. Then there's the reduced fecundity of chronically stressed fish from chronic predation threat.

Tony Ham at FQ Chris, told me that if they believed a fish conservation measure is deemed by FQ to be necessary, then they will advise the Minister and it is likely that the Minister will respond to their assertions. But if FQ are stating to the Minister, who has no idea about fish, that everything is fine, then the Minister doesn't even get the opportunity to make a decision for or against a measure - he'll run with FQ assertions that no measure is required, which suits the Minister because there are no costs attached to doing nothing. Sure, a political party will take a measure off their own back to make them look good in the eyes of recreational fishers, if they believe there are votes to be won irrespective of FQ advice. Such as the current $9 mil. But these situations are fairly thin on the ground and seem to result mainly from the hard work of individuals like Paul Aubin and David Cook.
To date I've tried to play the game and bring these situations to light by politely advising politicians or FQ. But that obviously hasn't worked.

Don't have any problems with commercial line fishing Phantomphisher. Providing there are suitable quotas and stock assessments being done - which I'm not convinced is currently occurring with our archaic methods - then line fishing on a commercial scale should not impact populations like the nets do.

[Slider]

Walsh et al (2008) studied evolutionary change and fecundity change in Atlantic Silverside under heavy harvesting pressure. They found an evolutionary change to smaller size-at-age inside 4 generations, fecundity levels fell by up to 60%, larval growth rates fell by 25%, and larval survival rates to 10 days fell by 61%.
Interestingly, also, they found that it didn't matter how much food the silverside consumed, these results still occurred. Similar results occurred in North East Atlantic Cod and this situation keeps repeating in all heavily harvested stocks and in all tested terrestrial animals that are under chronic predation stress.

Tailor are known to attain smaller size-at-age than was the case in the 70s. Tailor are known to be taking a more offshore migration, tailor are harvested at 80% or greater of fish available to the fishery ......

Chronic predation stress is the key.

[Slider]

The question on everybody's lips at this stage, should be, 'how is it that the pros are still able to make any sort of living from the Noosa North Shore, if fish stocks are as poor as I am saying and their nets are spooking the fish'? Which requires a similar answer to the question as to why FQ believe the fishery to be sustainable.

There are actually several reasons - hyperstability, the reschooling nature of fish under heavy predation pressure, and the nature of the mullet run.

Hyperstability and reschooling of fish, both contribute to the same result in that the improved fishing techniques and technologies, combine with the instinctive nature of fish to reschool following heavy harvest mortality, which leads to relatively large schools of fish to still, or up until recently, be netted. Fish reschool because their instinct tells them that there is increased safety in a school from individual predators that they have evolved with, but this 'standard' antipredator response is maladaptive when a net is the predator. The schools stay relatively large as a result, but there are less of them.

Probably the most significant factor contributing to large hauls of fish, is the coordinating by the different licence holders of their netting practices. Instead of 1 net being shot around a few tonne of mullet out of a school of 20 tonne, several different nets are shot sequentially so as to net the remaining mullet as, or before they flee. It is common to see 6 boats being towed along the beach in convoy for this purpose.

After the initial mullet run and schools become less plentiful, target species can include golden trevally, bream, tarwhine, whiting, dart, tailor, snub-nosed dart, mac tuna, giant trevally, school/spotted mackerel, - often ocean going or surf species that have their varying inshore habitat requirements. Again, the coordinating by the licence holders, this time of the times and locations that nets are shot for these species, means that each licence holder isn't spooking each other's fish.
After each netting of these species, or mullet, the pros know that it will be a week or so before the fish begin to return and don't waste time and fuel in trying to locate schools on the open beach unless they know a school of mullet has exited the mouth of the Noosa and is due to land somewhere on the open beach to spawn. They, not all, are more likely to spend time watching the river for any late mullet schools that are preparing to exit the river to spawn and which are oblivious to the alarm cues from fish netted on the open beach and any area avoidance by the other species.

The food resources, an/or the reproductive requirements of each species and their fundamental need for them, continue to draw fish to the inshore/surf habitat when alarm cues aren't present. The mullet keep coming out of the river and the fish keep moving back inshore between hauls.

All the while, an extended Cruiser ute with a crane and a large body truck and forklift assist with the carting of the netted fish to the purchaser of the fish and sometimes spotter planes used for the location of mullet schools.

CPUE is also artificially inflated due to the teaming up of licence holders causing less searching per licence holder for schools, and greater results when schools are located.

All these things, have led to catch statistics that have not shown the actual downward trend in fish populations and for harvest levels sufficient to satisfy the licence holders. That is, until the last year or two when the species other than mullet have become substantially more difficult to locate. There were a lot of 'dry' nets being towed along the beach after the initial mullet run last year.

The catch stats, along with some research into some species, enables FQ to determine stock sizes. It is well known in fishery management of course, that catch statistics should be used with caution when determining stock size due to hyperstability and reschooling. The lack of research into many of the species in this region doesn't enable an effective control for the catch statistics alone. Therefore, alarm bells will probably only start ringing when the catch statistics suddenly plummet, by which time populations are very low and recovery very difficult.

[Slider]

The DAFF media release about the rec fishing closure between Indian Head and Waddy Point in the News section, reminds me that I neglected to include one of the commercial 'efficiencies' that is at work in the above post.

There are 2 licence holders permitted to net Sandy Cape region and Hook Point region following a successful appeal to the Fisheries Tribunal against the total ban of netting Fraser's eastern beaches that was introduced in the late 80s.

These N1 licence holders also have K8 licences for the Noosa North Shore.

One of the ways in which these guys have been able to get around the spooking of fish that each net they shoot causes, is to work areas on a cyclic basis. What they would do is, in the day or two following a haul at the mouth of the Noosa, look for fish on the northern side of Double Island Point which is the most distant point from the mouth and where fish are unlikely to have been spooked by the nets at the mouth - or where fish may have fled to following those nets. Shoot a net in the lagoon or open beach at Rainbow which then means that all of Teewah Beach and Rainbow Beach is under the influence of area avoidance by all species other than flathead and any mullet schools that exit the Noosa. They know it's fairly pointless to source fish from these regions so they either go to the Noosa River and lakes to net, or to Sandy Cape, under their N1 licences.

So after netting each region, they have the choice of going to any of 3 other locations that haven't been netted in the previous week and spook each region as they go. They time their visits to each location on a cyclic basis so as to net the fish that have returned to those locations following the last nets that were shot in each location. From a rec perspective, this means that these 2 licence holders are able to spook fish that recs would like to target in several very large regions on their own.

[Slider]

The mullet netting season has wound up for the year and has been declared the worst on record. The pros I have spoken to are disillusioned and concerned for their future. The local pros are looking for schools of something to net, but aren't even bothering to bring their boats as they obviously don't really expect to find anything.

Recreational catches are still very poor, but a couple of very experienced Teewah locals have managed as many as 6 bream for a days fishing - which is as good as I've heard for some time. No dart being caught which is, in the conditions we've been having and with the quality of the gutters, a strong indication of how bad things have become. Has been the odd (and I mean odd) chopper caught, but they're small and only in ones and twos and derived from all night fishing.

Have just driven 15kms north of Teewah and back to the 3rd cut and failed to see any indication of a single fish. In these flat conditions, it is easy to see any schools, but there are none and there are no dart in the waves. No seabirds other than seagulls, and crested terns haven't arrived for the winter which is very odd - unless of course there aren't any tailor which means they have to locate food elsewhere. Can't recall the last dolphin I saw and I'm looking every day.

But then, none of this is a surprise except that there is the odd bream being caught at all and that FQ believe this fishery is sustainable.

Definition of 'sustainable' - 'Capable of being continued with minimal long-term affect on the environment'.

[youngy]

Always interesting Lyndsey reading your posts and agree with nearly everything you say, like you say the Pros are very efficient at what they do.

Having camped and fished the same area on that beach for the last 19 Rainbow Comps it is quite easy to see the decline in fish stocks, this years catches on that beach were diabolical even taking into consideration a few days of bad weather.

Unfortunately governments dont act on a problem, they react when there is a problem, and by this time it is usually too late, cheers wayne

[Slider]

Cheers Wayne. I'd say that you will be proven to be right in this instance that governments react too late to these things and the end result is a cost to the environment and community that is far greater than if they reacted as required. I put it down to poor advice from FQ rather than a failure of gov though.

I camped at Little Freshwater with some mates and a few bottles last night and drove back to Teewah as the sun was coming up. Would have been 50 or more guys fishing along the camping stretch, all geared up in their waders, with a couple of hundred bucks worth of fishing equipment, the cost of their bait, ferry, vehicle and camping permit, $40000+ 4wd parked at the back of the beach beside their $20000 camp trailer, and all just standing there waiting in great anticipation for something to happen, but with nothing happening and nothing likely to happen. Every one of them - just standing there. I'm sure they were enjoying a lovely morning an all, but surely they're entitled to have a chance at catching something.

[manta man]

Thumbs up to you slider! Having spent a few years in and the Cooloola coast region i have seen with my own 2 eyes about sustainability. 10 TONNE of bream in 1 night bottom end Fraser island 3 tonne of Summer Whiting in 2 nights . All fish in Peak breeding condition. You cant even go to Inskip Point anymore and pull a decent whiting. All the campers in the area complain about the lack of fish in this pristine enviroment. The same netter goes to same area to get the whiting every year. I bet you,he"s their right now. I used to fish Caloundra extensively in the peak bream season, was the bees knees of bream fishing but not anymore. Average 2 keepers per session over the last 5 years. As for the Mullet yes i do believe it"s been a very ordinary season. But you just can"t keep taking literally, tonnes and tonnes of pristined spawing fish year after year. Oh and just for the record, recently the NSW government decided the commercial take of pippis has been lifted, because they say the numbers have gone through the roof. Quick i better get down there with my Truckn and Plough and get my share before they disappear again.

[malby]

Lindsay I just want to thank you heaps for having the guts to take on the 'very rotten system' that is definitely just doing nothing to protect fish stocks for our future generations!!!

As mentioned in my previous thread on the demise of the Double Island Point Lagoon I thought I'd update you on the response I've had to my letter I wrote to the State Government about the disgrace of netters wiping out fish stocks in the DI Lagoon. Well here is my response after waiting for some 2 months............................................ .................................................. ...........................ZZZZZIIIIIIPPPPPP

This is the State Government that I helped vote in. The Can Do-ers????!!!!!

To say I'm a little unhappy about their lack of response is a gross understatement!!!!!

Having taken boys away on camps to Double Island Point and then to the mid Brisbane River I find that there are definitely more fish in the skinny little Brissy River!!!????

Maybe their just catfish, lungfish, eels and turtles etc but we have even seen Platypus up there!!

Yes it seems that the Brissy River is healthy and has plenty of fish (in the fresh water anyway) but sadly the same just can't be said for the heavily raped Pacific Ocean!

I grew up down in NSW and loved fishing the rocks and beaches of Avoca, Terrigal and all along the Central Coast and coming up here I was shocked to find more fish on beaches down there than up here even though we were only 150 ks from Sydney. Only 10 years back the Tailor run down there was consistent every year and you could guarantee a great haul each winter but what of up here????

Brisbane beach fishing sucks and there are very few rock fishing opportunities available...so few in fact that the tackle stores don't even sell rock boots!!

So we are all forced out to the Sunny and Gold Coasts and again the fishing is dead by comparison!

And so then we head up to Teewah and down into northern NSW and again we strike out (maybe northern NSW has some fish left by comparison).

Its so hard trying to get young people keen on wetting a line and not just sitting at a computer desk when all they get on their trips away is a big Zero! Even when they have the best fresh baits and people like us with years of experience helping them.

Lindsay you are a modern day fishing legend mate and I for one will support you to the hilt as you try to take on the powers that be.

I would love to pass on the joys of fishing to the next generation but if something doesn't happen soon fishing will become just a part of history. Something Grandad did 'back in the day'!

As you say its time to take all of this to the media and mate if I can do anything to support your fight just let me know.

Send me a PM any time.

May the force be with you!!!

Mal

[MudRiverDan]

Thumbs up to you slider! Having spent a few years in and the Cooloola coast region i have seen with my own 2 eyes about sustainability. 10 TONNE of bream in 1 night bottom end Fraser island 3 tonne of Summer Whiting in 2 nights . All fish in Peak breeding condition. You cant even go to Inskip Point anymore and pull a decent whiting. All the campers in the area complain about the lack of fish in this pristine enviroment. The same netter goes to same area to get the whiting every year. I bet you,he"s their right now. I used to fish Caloundra extensively in the peak bream season, was the bees knees of bream fishing but not anymore. Average 2 keepers per session over the last 5 years. As for the Mullet yes i do believe it"s been a very ordinary season. But you just can"t keep taking literally, tonnes and tonnes of pristined spawing fish year after year. Oh and just for the record, recently the NSW government decided the commercial take of pippis has been lifted, because they say the numbers have gone through the roof. Quick i better get down there with my Truckn and Plough and get my share before they disappear again.

BFC sell them in frozen plastic bags.
Quite ridiculous really as I feel in most cases they would not be used properly.
Just a waste.

Dan

[manta man]

As i was saying about the lifting of the Pippi ban. They"re now allowed to take 40kg per day, except for Sth Ballina Beach and Stockton where their is still a total ban due to lack of numbers. Lets quickly do a calculation mmm.. 40 kg a day by average say 5 days a week mmmmmm... 200kg by 50 Weeks per year = 50,000 kg seems seems like over kill per person. What a Joke.

[manta man]

Sorry about the Maths Boys. 10,000kg each year per pro

[Slider]

Many thanks to everybody who has shown their suppoprt for what I'm trying to do. Without the knowledge that there are lots of people out there who do support me and are as dismayed as I am at this situation, I would certainly have thrown in the towel long ago.

I'm surprised Mal that you didn't at least receive the standard "The fishery is sustainable" response.

Just been yarning with Frank Pardon, who was deputy Mayor of Noosa Shire Council prior to amalgamation, has a place in Teewah and was standing in the surf unable to lose his eugarie. Frank is as passionate about this cause as I am and has devoted enormous energies towards it over many years. The gist of our conversation was, 'how do we get everybody that wants to see the nets removed from here on to the same page?'

So, that is the question I'd like to pose here. I don't have knowledge on how to utilise social networking for these things or how to get petitions going - and Frank even less so. I would certainly be able to coordinate all of the various groups and active individuals, but we need some expertise from elsewhere to facilitate a petition, or Facebook page, or whatever it is that we should be doing. Anybody that feels that they can help in this regard, please email me - ldines@bigpond.net.au For that matter, anybody that would like to contribute in any shape or form, or just to register a name and contact for further communication - please email. Mal, could you send me a ping anyway and we can talk further - I'd rather email than pm.

Lindsay