One of our blue ribbon angler education activities is planned for Sunday the 24th of August. If you have children aged between five and fifteen there are 4000 reasons to be involved. One of our major sponsors, Tackle World Mackay, is tipping in $4000 worth of prizes, making this one of Queensland’s most valuable kids only fishing competitions.
MRFA’s involvement is to conduct the event. The rules are simple- entry is free, but conditional upon entries being made in person at Tackle World Shakespeare Street Mackay. Parents and guardians must sign the indemnity form, each child will be issued with a wrist band which must be presented at the “measure in” at the River Street boat ramp between 1.30 pm –2.30 pm.
Unlike most fishing competitions the prizes (every child wins a prize ) are determined by secret lengths, and anglers MUST have caught their fish in the Pioneer River. Most popular fish species include whiting, bream, flathead, queenies, Barra and mangrove jack. All coral fin fish and mackerel will be automatically disqualified as they are species of fish not found in the Pioneer River. If the weather is kind we expect registration numbers to be in the mid 200’s.
For more information please contact event coordinator Glenn Fahy on 49550665.
SCHOOL FISH ANGLER EDUCATION PROGRAMS : 2014 FULLY BOOKED OUT.
Thanks to our sponsor Reef Marine, Prospect Street Mackay all of our available practical fishing days are fully booked out until the end of the year.
Each schoolfish program consists of about 1.5 days. Activities including class room introduction to fishing from personal safety, why bag limits are in place and environmental responsibilities, plus school yard practical demonstrations and participation i.e. practice casting, knot tying and bait presentation then finally a full day usually at Dunrock, or Shoal Point bait gathering and fishing.
This year we are working with Holy Spirit, Mercy College, Whitsunday Anglican and Pioneer High School, Michael Connolly who looks after our school fish activities reports that student numbers collectively exceed 200. A typical day’s beach fishing activity involves about eight MRFA volunteers.
NET FREE PROPOSAL - ST. HELEN’S TO CAPE HILLSBOROUGH:
In recent weeks we have completely formalized our net free zone proposal for personal presentation to the Queensland Minister of Fisheries Dr. John McVeigh. After 16 long arduous years, and after investing thousands of volunteer man hours and thousands of dollars we finally
have all the information for governments (local and state ) to make an informed business decision and deliver this important tourist gold mine to our community.
You may not heard of our REMPLAP economic modelling plan yet, but we promise you will.
Thanks to Ben Atherton of Cape Hillsborough Resort we can now table the undisputable financial benefits to our community such a commercial net free zone will deliver to our region.
In recent months we have also secured exclusively for the purpose of our net free campaign amateur fishing club XL spread sheets for club outings at St.Helens only going back to 1963, ( a combined total of 41 years ) and these documents show an alarming decline in catch numbers since 2006.
The Member for Whitsunday Jason Costigan has arranged an appointment for four members of our net free sub- committee to present the Fisheries Minister with our proposal on the 4th September.
Like Big Kev ‘ We’re Excited ‘
After we have met with Minister McVeigh our submission in full will be posted on our website www.mackayrecfishersalliance.org for all to see. Until then the contents must remain confidential.
TILAPIA UPDATE
In partnership with the Mackay Area Fishing Group and working with Reef Catchments Mackay 1000 off 300mm long barra costing $8 each were released into the Gooseponds as part of the biological trial to wipe out the infestation of tilapia found in our local water ways called the Gooseponds in the middle of a comprehensive residential estate in North Mackay.
We are fortunate in some way that this infestation was found by Tim Marsden, a marine biologist attached to Reef Catchments Mackay. The Gooseponds consist of four lagoons with a gross total area of about eight hectares all interconnected, which then run into Vines Creek and into the Pioneer River.
The Gooseponds is one of two major barramundi grow out habitats attached to the Pioneer River and until the wet season and our first flood event the tilapia are confined.
On Saturday the 30th of August, Reef Catchments will be arranging for the Tilapia Army to conduct a working bee during which volunteers will remove the tilapia habitat and assist with the construction of fish hotels to provide a natural habitat for predatory native fish species.
Reef Catchments will also be conducting an open information day about tilapia for the community.
Tilapia Army volunteers will be advised by email near the day exactly what is planned when and where.
Keith Day from MAFSA and I are pleased with progress to date. We are in constant contact with Claire Peterken of Reef Catchments who is coordinating the eradication program.
We also pay tribute to the Mackay Regional Council who are taking a pro active approach to assisting in every way possible.
CARGO NETS FOR BOATS ON PUBLIC ROADS
Be warned.
The Mackay Daily newspaper recently featured a news article about a police warning to boat owners about their responsibility to ensure all items in their boat to and from fishing are securely stored. They liken a boat to that of a box trailer or the back of a “tradies” ute, where all items must be securely fastened.
The most practical way to unsure no objects fly out of your boat in transit is to have all the items inside your vehicle or use a cargo net.
In recent months there has been much email chatter about what is legal or illegal on this subject. It would be wise to heed the warning rather than take the risk.
FISH KILL CAMPWIN BEACH just south of Hay Point 30/7/14.
Thousands of fish washed up on the beach at Campwin Beach on Wednesday the 30th of July. The matter has been reported to the appropriate authorities. From photos I have seen, most appear to be about 40 mm long.
MEMBERSHIP
I am proud to say that our financial membership has surpassed the 400 mark, we are encouraged by the attendance of new younger members to our monthly committee meetings. This makes for a healthy future.
POSITIONS VACANT
We are desperately seeking help from someone with excellent computer skills to assist in the preparation of submissions and to take charge our electronic communications with our financial members, sponsors and stakeholders.
QUEENSLAND FISHERIES REVIEW
Our draft submission is currently about 90% complete , part of the contents are the recommendation that all mackerel species be line caught only, the establishment of commercial net free zones in locations of high population throughout Queensland, increased penalties for serious fishing offences, more compliance officers appointed in Mackay and throughout the state etc.
Our submission in full will be posted to our website hopefully before the closure of submissions on the 30th of October.
Please feel free to share this newsletter with friends and associates. That’s how we grow and prosper.
P.s. There is no shortage of remarkable ideas. What’s missing is the will to execute them. - Seth Godin
Lance Murray.
MRFA’s involvement is to conduct the event. The rules are simple- entry is free, but conditional upon entries being made in person at Tackle World Shakespeare Street Mackay. Parents and guardians must sign the indemnity form, each child will be issued with a wrist band which must be presented at the “measure in” at the River Street boat ramp between 1.30 pm –2.30 pm.
Unlike most fishing competitions the prizes (every child wins a prize ) are determined by secret lengths, and anglers MUST have caught their fish in the Pioneer River. Most popular fish species include whiting, bream, flathead, queenies, Barra and mangrove jack. All coral fin fish and mackerel will be automatically disqualified as they are species of fish not found in the Pioneer River. If the weather is kind we expect registration numbers to be in the mid 200’s.
For more information please contact event coordinator Glenn Fahy on 49550665.
SCHOOL FISH ANGLER EDUCATION PROGRAMS : 2014 FULLY BOOKED OUT.
Thanks to our sponsor Reef Marine, Prospect Street Mackay all of our available practical fishing days are fully booked out until the end of the year.
Each schoolfish program consists of about 1.5 days. Activities including class room introduction to fishing from personal safety, why bag limits are in place and environmental responsibilities, plus school yard practical demonstrations and participation i.e. practice casting, knot tying and bait presentation then finally a full day usually at Dunrock, or Shoal Point bait gathering and fishing.
This year we are working with Holy Spirit, Mercy College, Whitsunday Anglican and Pioneer High School, Michael Connolly who looks after our school fish activities reports that student numbers collectively exceed 200. A typical day’s beach fishing activity involves about eight MRFA volunteers.
NET FREE PROPOSAL - ST. HELEN’S TO CAPE HILLSBOROUGH:
In recent weeks we have completely formalized our net free zone proposal for personal presentation to the Queensland Minister of Fisheries Dr. John McVeigh. After 16 long arduous years, and after investing thousands of volunteer man hours and thousands of dollars we finally
have all the information for governments (local and state ) to make an informed business decision and deliver this important tourist gold mine to our community.
You may not heard of our REMPLAP economic modelling plan yet, but we promise you will.
Thanks to Ben Atherton of Cape Hillsborough Resort we can now table the undisputable financial benefits to our community such a commercial net free zone will deliver to our region.
In recent months we have also secured exclusively for the purpose of our net free campaign amateur fishing club XL spread sheets for club outings at St.Helens only going back to 1963, ( a combined total of 41 years ) and these documents show an alarming decline in catch numbers since 2006.
The Member for Whitsunday Jason Costigan has arranged an appointment for four members of our net free sub- committee to present the Fisheries Minister with our proposal on the 4th September.
Like Big Kev ‘ We’re Excited ‘
After we have met with Minister McVeigh our submission in full will be posted on our website www.mackayrecfishersalliance.org for all to see. Until then the contents must remain confidential.
TILAPIA UPDATE
In partnership with the Mackay Area Fishing Group and working with Reef Catchments Mackay 1000 off 300mm long barra costing $8 each were released into the Gooseponds as part of the biological trial to wipe out the infestation of tilapia found in our local water ways called the Gooseponds in the middle of a comprehensive residential estate in North Mackay.
We are fortunate in some way that this infestation was found by Tim Marsden, a marine biologist attached to Reef Catchments Mackay. The Gooseponds consist of four lagoons with a gross total area of about eight hectares all interconnected, which then run into Vines Creek and into the Pioneer River.
The Gooseponds is one of two major barramundi grow out habitats attached to the Pioneer River and until the wet season and our first flood event the tilapia are confined.
On Saturday the 30th of August, Reef Catchments will be arranging for the Tilapia Army to conduct a working bee during which volunteers will remove the tilapia habitat and assist with the construction of fish hotels to provide a natural habitat for predatory native fish species.
Reef Catchments will also be conducting an open information day about tilapia for the community.
Tilapia Army volunteers will be advised by email near the day exactly what is planned when and where.
Keith Day from MAFSA and I are pleased with progress to date. We are in constant contact with Claire Peterken of Reef Catchments who is coordinating the eradication program.
We also pay tribute to the Mackay Regional Council who are taking a pro active approach to assisting in every way possible.
CARGO NETS FOR BOATS ON PUBLIC ROADS
Be warned.
The Mackay Daily newspaper recently featured a news article about a police warning to boat owners about their responsibility to ensure all items in their boat to and from fishing are securely stored. They liken a boat to that of a box trailer or the back of a “tradies” ute, where all items must be securely fastened.
The most practical way to unsure no objects fly out of your boat in transit is to have all the items inside your vehicle or use a cargo net.
In recent months there has been much email chatter about what is legal or illegal on this subject. It would be wise to heed the warning rather than take the risk.
FISH KILL CAMPWIN BEACH just south of Hay Point 30/7/14.
Thousands of fish washed up on the beach at Campwin Beach on Wednesday the 30th of July. The matter has been reported to the appropriate authorities. From photos I have seen, most appear to be about 40 mm long.
MEMBERSHIP
I am proud to say that our financial membership has surpassed the 400 mark, we are encouraged by the attendance of new younger members to our monthly committee meetings. This makes for a healthy future.
POSITIONS VACANT
We are desperately seeking help from someone with excellent computer skills to assist in the preparation of submissions and to take charge our electronic communications with our financial members, sponsors and stakeholders.
QUEENSLAND FISHERIES REVIEW
Our draft submission is currently about 90% complete , part of the contents are the recommendation that all mackerel species be line caught only, the establishment of commercial net free zones in locations of high population throughout Queensland, increased penalties for serious fishing offences, more compliance officers appointed in Mackay and throughout the state etc.
Our submission in full will be posted to our website hopefully before the closure of submissions on the 30th of October.
Please feel free to share this newsletter with friends and associates. That’s how we grow and prosper.
P.s. There is no shortage of remarkable ideas. What’s missing is the will to execute them. - Seth Godin
Lance Murray.
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