Ministerial Press Release...

More Fishing Havens for the South Coast...

November 26, 2001

As a result of extensive community consultation, the NSW Government will create 10 new recreational fishing havens on the State’s Far South Coast from Narooma to the Victorian border, the Minister for Fisheries, Eddie Obeid said today.

Mr Obeid said the new recreational fishing havens will include Back Lake (Back Lagoon), Bega River, Bermagui River, Kiah (Towamba) River, Little Lake (also known as Little Tilba Lake and Hoyers Lake), Nelson Lake (Lagoon), Nullica River, Pambula River, Wonboyn Lake, River and Wonboyn Beach and Yowaka River.

"These new recreational fishing havens will be a tremendous boost to one of our State’s premier tourist locations. They’re great news for recreational fishers and anyone who cares about our marine environment," Mr Obeid said.

"There’s been enormous community interest in how the areas fish resource is shared between commercial and recreational fishers on the Far South Coast."

Mr Obeid said $450,000 will be spent buying out four commercial fishers who are currently licenced to work in these new recreational fishing havens. To date, eight commercial fishers from this region have registered their interest in being bought out voluntarily.

"The buy-back of commercial fishing licences will start early next year."

"Reserving these areas for recreational fishing will benefit anglers and tourism and help protect fish stocks for future generations," Mr Obeid said.

"This is another major buy out financed by the new recreational fishing fee introduced last March."

"By late 2002, no commercial fishing will be permitted in these new recreational fishing havens."

"The NSW Government is committed to managing our fish stocks, protecting aquatic habitats and sharing the resource fairly between anglers and commercial fishers."

"Last March, the Government received more than 2,600 nominations for areas along our coastline where commercial fishing could be bought out. From July to August this year, NSW Fisheries encouraged more community debate by releasing a detailed issues paper for this region."

"We asked the local community to be part of this decision-making process and there’s been very healthy local debate about creating recreational fishing havens on the South Coast."

"I was particularly impressed by the large number of people who took time out to attend the open community meetings at Merimbula, Bermagui and Eden."

"The community had diverse opinions about recreational fishing havens. Around 200 people attended the meeting at Merimbula and overwhelmingly called for an extensive network of recreational fishing havens."

"But the 90 people attending the Eden meeting didn’t support the concept of havens. At Bermagui, which 100 people attended, views were very mixed."

"On this basis, the NSW Government has taken a balanced approach to sharing this community owned resource."

Mr Obeid said the total catch from the estuaries to become recreational fishing havens represents 0.02 per cent of the State’s seafood consumption.

"It’s estimated that 85,000 anglers fish in the Far South Coast estuaries which injects up to $10.2 million a year into local jobs and businesses," Mr Obeid said.

Further Information can be found here