Fish for the future

Researchers monitoring Vic fisheries are looking for dedicated recreational fishers to target estuarine species in bays and inlets, as well as trout in the high country.

Acting executive director Fisheries Victoria, Anthony Hurst, said there was a need for experienced anglers who fish regularly (weekly to fortnightly) and have the commitment to record their catches in a detailed way.

“Angler diarists collect information about growth, spawning success, survival and catch trends, which inform the sustainable management of fish stocks.

“Information about under-size fish has been particularly valuable in the past, especially for snapper and bream fisheries.

“Now we are looking for anglers who fish for black bream and estuary perch in the Hopkins and Glenelg rivers, mulloway in the Glenelg River, dusky flathead and estuary perch in Anderson and Mallacoota inlets, flathead in Port Phillip Bay, and brown and rainbow trout in the Kiewa and Mitta Mitta rivers.

Hurst said anglers can use their fishing gear and local knowledge to turn everyday fishing trips into valuable research expeditions.

“Diarists record what they catch, where they catch it and how long they fish for,” he said.

“It is an early indicator of years of strong and weak recruitment, which allows management actions to be assessed well in advance.”

The Vic angler diary program has been running for more than 15 years, and the information from anglers has been so useful to fisheries managers that the program is expanding. Scientists from the Fisheries Research Branch at Queenscliff are especially interested in engaging with anglers.

Interested angler diarists should contact Matt Ward on (03) 5258 0111 or email matt.ward@dpi.vic.gov.au.