Mr KIELY - 2007-02-13
While we are talking about wriggly things, minister, it is widely acknowledged that fishing is the lure of the Territory, and if I bait a hook and run it through the water with this lot, I reckon I would catch a lot. Fishing makes a significant contribution to our envious lifestyle and generates jobs throughout the Territory. In light of the recent reports of fish deaths, what information are you able to provide on the health of our barramundi stocks, and what does this mean for fishing into the future?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Sanderson for his question. I know he is a very keen fisherman. It is correct that fishing is the lure of the Territory, and it is a wonderful aspect of our lifestyle. One in every two Territorians go fishing, and we have the highest boat ownership of anywhere in Australia, which just goes to show that there is an interest and keenness in dipping a line into our rivers and bays.
The Northern Territory is a renowned wild barramundi fishery. That has been proved by the sheer number of trophy fish caught in our rivers and waterways, especially during the build-up, and by the photographs in a number of the print media publications throughout the last few months. The run-off is coming up and that is another great time for fishing in the Northern Territory. I am really looking forward to the run-off because I have not caught a big barramundi yet.
During the build-up, we have heavy rains which wash a lot of vegetation into our billabongs and streams. When this vegetation rots, it depletes the oxygen levels in the water. Unfortunately, that kills many of the fish. It is a natural event and is a result of rotting vegetation. We are asking anglers to report those deaths to our department so officers can investigate the deaths and send scientists and technical staff to confirm the cause of death.
The event occurs regularly in the Mary River system, as we have seen from photographs in the papers recently. I am happy to report that sampling that was done in the Mary River system, and I think I answered a question on it last year, shows that barramundi stocks are in great shape. The sampling program undertaken at Corroboree Billabong reports that the numbers are huge and looking very good. They were saying that over a stretch of about a kilometre in the billabong, 3000 fish were taken, sampled and released. That was well above the number sampled during 2005. Of the fish sampled, 88% were less than a year old and were between 30 cm and 45 cm in length. Research is suggesting that the Mary River system is going to be a brilliant area to fish in 2008 because many of those fish will have grown to their full legal size. It is also pleasing to note that there are still plenty of big fish in the river to spawn and keep numbers replenished so that fishermen can enjoy their fishing exploits on the Mary River system.
Fishing makes a significant contribution, as the member said, which is terrific because it generates jobs throughout the Northern Territory. It also makes many people envious of our lifestyle here, while giving us the opportunity to get out on those rivers. More than 100 000 tourists go fishing each year in the Northern Territory. It just goes to show the interest that is generated.
The fishing experiences available in the Northern Territory are also features of a campaign to lure skilled workers to the Territory. I am pleased to say that fishing is in a healthy state, especially the barra fishery. The fishing experience that is available today will continue into the future.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Sanderson for his question. I know he is a very keen fisherman. It is correct that fishing is the lure of the Territory, and it is a wonderful aspect of our lifestyle. One in every two Territorians go fishing, and we have the highest boat ownership of anywhere in Australia, which just goes to show that there is an interest and keenness in dipping a line into our rivers and bays.
The Northern Territory is a renowned wild barramundi fishery. That has been proved by the sheer number of trophy fish caught in our rivers and waterways, especially during the build-up, and by the photographs in a number of the print media publications throughout the last few months. The run-off is coming up and that is another great time for fishing in the Northern Territory. I am really looking forward to the run-off because I have not caught a big barramundi yet.
During the build-up, we have heavy rains which wash a lot of vegetation into our billabongs and streams. When this vegetation rots, it depletes the oxygen levels in the water. Unfortunately, that kills many of the fish. It is a natural event and is a result of rotting vegetation. We are asking anglers to report those deaths to our department so officers can investigate the deaths and send scientists and technical staff to confirm the cause of death.
The event occurs regularly in the Mary River system, as we have seen from photographs in the papers recently. I am happy to report that sampling that was done in the Mary River system, and I think I answered a question on it last year, shows that barramundi stocks are in great shape. The sampling program undertaken at Corroboree Billabong reports that the numbers are huge and looking very good. They were saying that over a stretch of about a kilometre in the billabong, 3000 fish were taken, sampled and released. That was well above the number sampled during 2005. Of the fish sampled, 88% were less than a year old and were between 30 cm and 45 cm in length. Research is suggesting that the Mary River system is going to be a brilliant area to fish in 2008 because many of those fish will have grown to their full legal size. It is also pleasing to note that there are still plenty of big fish in the river to spawn and keep numbers replenished so that fishermen can enjoy their fishing exploits on the Mary River system.
Fishing makes a significant contribution, as the member said, which is terrific because it generates jobs throughout the Northern Territory. It also makes many people envious of our lifestyle here, while giving us the opportunity to get out on those rivers. More than 100 000 tourists go fishing each year in the Northern Territory. It just goes to show the interest that is generated.
The fishing experiences available in the Northern Territory are also features of a campaign to lure skilled workers to the Territory. I am pleased to say that fishing is in a healthy state, especially the barra fishery. The fishing experience that is available today will continue into the future.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016