Fisheries officers to step up patrols over long weekend
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Fisheries officers from the State Government’s Department of Primary Industries (DPI) will step up patrols over the Australia Day weekend (Friday 26th to Sunday 28th of January) to ensure anglers are licensed and following the rules.
DPI’s Manager of Fisheries Compliance, Mr Glenn Tritton, said Operation Foxtrot 07 will target popular estuarine recreational fishing locations in NSW and coastal areas around northern Sydney and the Central Coast.
“Fisheries officers from the Sydney metropolitan area and the mobile squad, funded by the Recreational Saltwater Trust, will be deployed on the Hawkesbury River, Broken Bay, Pittwater and the Brisbane Water,” Mr Tritton said.
He said the Australia Day Long Weekend was traditionally a time of high level recreational fishing activity but it’s important that fishers do the right thing and abide by the State’s fisheries laws.
“Anglers should remember to buy a licence before going fishing, with the money going straight back into the water to improve recreational fishing in NSW,” Mr Tritton said.
Funds raised from the recreational fishing fee are placed into two trusts, one for saltwater and the other freshwater, and can only be spent on projects to improve recreational fishing.
Fisheries officers will use a range of patrol vessels during the operation, including the high speed, ‘Sydney Swan’, which will be used for both off shore patrols and as water based field platform.
Fisheries officers will be checking that fishers have paid their recreational fishing fee and that they abide by the rules and regulations in respect to bag and size limits. Officers will also target illegal netting activity in some of the waterways.
All recreational fishers must carry their recreational fishing licence with them, unless exempt.
“Fishing rules aim to ensure healthy and sustainable fisheries for future generations, so it’s important that fishers comply. Size limits for example, allow fish to reach maturity and complete their breeding cycle,” Mr Tritton said.
Details on the fishing fee and bag and size limits can be found at www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fisheries.
Illegal fishing activity can be reported to your local DPI office or by calling the fishers watch hotline 1800 043 536.
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