Native Fish Australia Newsletter,

FISH KILLS EXPECTED
Reports from Fisheries Victoria indicate widespread water level problems due to drought conditions throughout the state with the Wimmera area the worst affected.
Early in 1999, a fish salvage operation at Booroopki Swamp in the Wimmera translocated over 100 Murray cod many in excess of 10 kg. These fish were released into Miga Lake which has since suffered a major fish kill with all fish dying. The cause was excessive pH of unknown origin.
During late February this year, another Murray cod salvage operation organised by the Horsham Fisheries Dept office and supported by over 50 local people (not only anglers) was conducted at Green Lake which was down to a depth of less than 30 cm. The fish collected were re-located to another suitable lake.
Lake Eildon is controlled by Goulburn-Murray Water and is expected to drop to below 10% capacity by May with unprecedented impacts on the resident fish population.
Many other lakes are experiencing similar problems thereby making translocation virtually impossible.
All fisheries are expected to be affected.
It may, however, give carp harvesters the opportunity to reduce carp numbers significantly in some waters.
We would recommend to all anglers and angling clubs to promote carp reduction and the release of all desirable species if water conditions are favourable. Removing the carp will take some of the pressure off the other species.

PILKINGTON NATIVE FISH COMPETITION YARRAWONGA, April 8/9 Included with this newsletter is the entry form for the Pilkington Native Fish Competition to be held on the Murray River and Lake Mulwala on Sat/Sun April 8/9. Entries must be in no later than Friday, Mar 31.

HATCHERY REPORT - Bob Hall, Hatchery Co-ordinator The recent hot weather and inadequate air conditioning has resulted in some fish losses and a lot of work to maintain water quality. This will not be a problem when the new Latrobe Univeristy Complex is completed. Our occupation of the Mont Park Hospital Pharmacy Building will allow us to store the unrequired hatchery equipment which will enable more efficient operation of the hatchery. Right: Bob on the Murray at the Ray White Native Fish Challenge 1999.

SPECIAL REQUEST - We desperately need 4 to 5 litre ice cream buckets for the filters in the aquaria in the hatchery. If you have any unwanted 4 - 5 litre buckets, please bring them along to the next meeting - thankyou.

At the time of preparing the copy for this newsletter, we have just signed a licence agreement to occupy the Pharmacy Building at the old Mont Park hospital pharmacy building where we will be constructing our display tanks for the new University Education project.
A questionnaire was included with our last newsletter asking each member if they could give us some time to assist in the development of this new exciting facility.
Responses to date have been minimal - from only 5 members.
We have included another copy with this newsletter.
There are many ways that you could assist eg. electrician, plumber, carpenter, typist, computer expert, carpet salesman, fund raiser, fish keeper, mobile phone expert/salesman, angler (we need carp as food for broodstock), fishing tackle outlet, OB motor mechanic, fibreglass expert, TV technician, glazier, Veterinary Surgeon, electronics expert, welder, hardware expert, plasterer, accountant, bookeeper, journalist, etc
We will also be seeking what kind of commitment you could make to be part of this exciting project - it will require the commitment of many people. Would you be able help once a week, once a month, once every two months at working bees ? Would a night time working bee be easier for you ?
If everyone does just a little, the job will be easy.
We will be constructing a live fish display using large aquaria (2 m to 4 m in length)(glazier, plumber, electrician, welder, etc). We will need to construct front panels (carpenters, carpet layers) to cover the tanks. More details will be given in our next newsletter.

NFA INTERNET SITE

and

NFA (Far East Gippsland)

The FEG members have had success with their Australian bass breeding program.
Unfortunately, we cannot givre any figures at this time.
Of course, their major objective is to restore the flows in the Snowy River and as everyone knows, the irrigation industry in NSW in particular is opposing any move to increase Snowy River flows below Jindabyne.

Recent drought conditions have added to the debate on this issue.

NFA supports the call for improvement in stream flows - without adequate water flows, we simply don't have any fish.

Another great weekend with all fish caught being measured and released. The longest Murray cod was 774 mm, the longest golden perch approx 570 mm, a few silver perch about 250 mm with the longest trout cod 505 mm.
Full results will be published in our next newsletter.
What was disappointing was the attendance by Melbourne based NFA members. We had five (5) plus 3 family members attend from Melbourne and five (5) plus 4 family members attend from Echuca.
NFA's attendance at the previous five Challenges has always been about 35 members.
The invited clubs in Preston Angling Club and Echuca-Moama Sport Fishing Club had as many participants as NFA did.
As one of the host clubs to organise this particular event, our numbers were very disappointing.
Weather - Fri & Sat 39 deg, Sun 30 deg. River running about 30 cm deeper than is usual for this time of the year and whilst some didn't have the success they are accustomed to, others found quite a few fish.
Interim Results
69 anglers, 168 MC, 54 TC, 43 GP, 14 SP, 29 Carp Average no of fish per angler 4.42

The 2001 Ray White NF Challenge will be held on Feb 16/17/18 so mark your calendar for next year.

REPORT FROM MEMBERS
Ross Moore of Wangaratta reports that all he can catch in the Ovens R are small trout cod which sounds very good for the future.

NATIONAL AGM

The National AGM is to be held at Burrinjuck Dam, NSW near Canberra over the weekend of May 6/7.
Previous visits to Burrinjuck have proved to be most successful from a comraderie and fishing point of view.
Come & join us and spend the weekend with members from other branches of NFA.
Please advise us ASAP if you are interested in joining us as we have to book the accommodation. (see note at foot of entry form for Native Fish Competition. We are considering hiring a mini-bus for the trip if enough members indicate interest.

VICTORIAN ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 5 JULY
Notice is hereby given to all members that the 2000 AGM will be held at 8 pm on Wed, 5th July.
To be eligible to vote at the AGM, members must be financial.
Subscription Fees will probably be affected by the GST.
Currently they are : Adults $25, Family $30, Concession $15.
Please fill in the attached form & send with your cheque to PO Box 162 Doncaster 3108.

We wish to acknowledge the support given to NFA by Bill Classon and his magazines.
Bill has kept us supplied with raffle prizes for our meetings which have raised an average of about $40 per meeting.

Monthly Meetings - First Wed of each month 8 p.m. - Mar 1, Apr 5, May 3, Jun 7, Jul 5.
Meetings at Latrobe University Language Centre, Bundoora (enter from Crissane Rd, West Heidelberg) Melway Ref 19 G-8 (Note - a new venue will be announced in the near future)
Committee Meetings - 3rd Tues of each month.
Other activities
2000 Pilkington Native Fish Competition Apr 8/9
2000 National AGM - Burrinjuck Dam, NSW May 6/7
2000 Vic Branch AGM July 5.
2001 Ray White Native Fish Challenge Feb. 16/17/18

EASTERN COD & BASS VIDEO
Produced by Phil Lomas it contains excellent footage on fishing for Eastern Freshwater Cod and Aussie Bass upon the Clarence River on the mid East Coast of Australia. For those that love a good quality fishing video that accurately portrays the essence of targeting some of our finest fish in some of the most picturesque countryside, this is a must. While it is slightly dearer than the average fishing video at $34.95 plus postage and handling ($5.00 nationwide) it will be a favourite amongst true native fish anglers. To purchase this video:

(Our National Secretary, Alan Fowkes from Sydney, has recently purchased this video and believes it is the best video on bass fishing he has seen. It would certainly be an asset for any angling club's video library)

New regulations for listed species such as Macquarie perch, silver perch and catfish will be introduced later this year. The regulations will include increased min size limits, bag limits and closed seasons and will give these threatened species more protection. The Regulatory Impact Statement on new bag limits for other species should be released for puiblic comment during September. We are extremely disappointed that these new regs have not been introduced in time for the MP spawning season. The reason for the delay has been the State Election.
The above is what we published in our last newsletter because that is how we were advised from within Fisheries Victoria (FV). The Bag Limit RIS still hasn't been released - it is now 3 years since the first meeting of the Bag Limit Review committee - mainly due to a lack of staff within FV.
Unfortunately, the new government has been slow to respond to the call by FV, F&F, VRFish and NFA to introduce the new regulations. We invited the local MP, Sheryl Garbutt, Minister for Conservation, to visit our hatchery in November which she did. Ron Lewis showed her around the hatchery and explained our objectives then Graeme Creed spoke with her about the new regs and the urgency. She was unaware that her portfolio included Flora and Fauna listed fish species. As at 15/3/00 we have not been advised of any changes.

ANGLER EDUCATION SADLY LACKING
We have received reports recently of protected species being taken by anglers.
A speckled perch of 42 cm was recently taken by an angler just below the wall at Yarrawonga. The fish was of course a trout cod. Trout cod are often mistaken for Murray cod.
A Macquarie perch was captured in the Murray R at Barmah during a recent catch and kill competition and was accepted as a Murray perch by the competition organisers. When it was pointed out that MP are totally protected in NSW, the fish was deleted from the competition. What a MP was doing at Barmah is a mystery - probably found its way down the Broken River/Creek system.
Another disturbing report was of a 16 kg Murray cod taken from the Yarra R during the closed season.
These three events highlight the desperate need for better public angler education. Members of angling clubs are generally very well informed on regulations and have a genuine concern for future stocks and more and more clubs are changing to catch & release competitions. The catch and kill mentality is slowly changing.

THE 2000 PILKINGTON NATIVE FISH COMPETITION A CATCH, MEASURE AND RELEASE COMPETITION DETAILS DATE Saturday April 8 th & Sunday April 9 th TIMES Lines Down - 1200 hours Saturday April 8th. Lines Up - 1200 hours Sunday April 9th. VENUE Murray River from bridge at Corowa, downstream to Cobram-Barooga bridge including Lake Mulwala & also Lake Mokoan (near Benalla) ## REGISTRATION By mail (no later than March 31) to PO Box 162, Doncaster, 3108 or in a special entry box located at 58 Sharp St, Yarrawonga no later than 12 Noon on Saturday April 8 th. (No. 58 is opposite the Yarrawonga Railway Station.) LATE ENTRIES will NOT be accepted after 12 Noon, 8th April. COST Adults $3.00 each - Juniors $ 1.00 each. Juniors - under 16 as at 8/04/00 Funds raised will be used to purchase native fish fry for liberation into waters for junior angling promotion. To date approx. 4000 Golden Perch fry have been liberated under this program. SPECIES & Murray Cod 50 cm statutory min. length * (* = NSW Regulations) MINIMUM Golden Perch 30 cm statutory min. length * LENGTHS Silver Perch 25 cm statutory min. length * & BAG Freshwater Catfish 30 cm statutory min. length * LIMITS River Blackfish 22 cm competition min. length Trout 25 cm statutory min. length * Redfin 25 cm competition min. length Carp No minimum length SPECIAL NOTE : The 2000 Competition is a "Catch, Measure & Release Competition" for native species. A special plasticised measure and a card for recording your catch will be available from No. 58 Sharp St. Yarrawonga up until 12 noon, 8/4/00 (or by contacting Graeme Creed prior to 6/4/00). Recorded fish length will be the system used for determining the winner of each category. The sum of the total length of legal fish recorded by team members will determine the winning team. All fish captured should be recorded (for record purposes), but only fish greater than the minimum size will be accepted for the competition. Please return plasticised measures for future use.- thankyou WEIGH IN 1300 hours Sunday, April 9 th "Weigh-In" will be conducted at the rear of 58 Sharp St., Yarrawonga. (Sharp St is the first St on your left after driving over the railway line heading towards Wodonga) All Record Cards and fish must be in weigh-in area no later than 1300 hours. TROPHIES Trophies will be presented for : 1. Shield - Winning Team - Largest "Bag" by a team - determined by sum of the total lengths of 'legal' native fish caught and recorded by team members (See special Notes 1.) 2. Longest native fish by : (a) Adult Male, (b) Adult Female, (c) Junior, (d) Veteran. 3. Longest native fish of each of the following (a) Murray Cod, (b) Golden Perch, (c) Silver Perch, (d) River Blackfish, (e) Freshwater Catfish. 4. Heaviest specimen weighed in of each of the following : (a) Trout - brown or rainbow, (b) Redfin. 5. Heaviest bag of Carp weighed in by: (a) Adult male, (b) Adult female, (c) Junior, (d) Veteran. Presentation of trophies shall be as soon as practicable after completion of weigh-in at Yarrawonga. Trophies for native species will be provided by Pilkington Trout Angling Club. Trophies for introduced species provided from funds raised through entry fees. SPECIAL NOTES 1. A "Bag" is defined as being not less than two (2) species of native fish. 2. No competitor shall be eligible for more than two (2) trophies. 3. The organisers of the competition shall be responsible for the removal of any unwanted carp presented for weighing. 4. Trout Cod and Macquarie Perch are totally protected in NSW and will not be accepted. GENERAL NOTES 1. All members of the public are eligible to enter the competition. 2. Teams for competition shall consist of a minimum of one and up to a maximum of four persons. 3. There is no limit to the number of teams that may be entered by a Club, but an individual can only fish for one nominated team. 4. A Disputes Committee consisting of four representatives from PTAC and NFA shall decide all disputes whose decision shall be final. Disputes may be lodged up to the completion of the Weigh-In. 5. All current NSW Fishing Regulations (including Inland Fishing Licence) apply to the competition. PILKINGTON TROUT ANGLING CLUB * NATIVE FISH AUSTRALIA (Vic.) POST ENTRIES TO : NATIVE FISH COMPETITION, PO BOX 162, DONCASTER 3108 (By 31 March 2000) ENQUIRIES : Rod Coulton (PTAC) 0418 304 793 or (03) 9704 6642 AH or Graeme Creed (NFA) (03) 9848 2285 or 0407