Extension of deadline for review of fishing rules

Members of the public have an extra three weeks to lodge a submission on two fishing discussion papers.

The two discussion papers, containing a range of proposals and options for fishing rules and size limits, as well as commercial saltwater size limits, were released for public comment in July.

The original deadline for submission was September 30. However, due to the overwhelming interest from fishing clubs, recreational anglers, commercial fishers and other members of the community, the NSW Government has decided to extend this deadline by three weeks, to Friday, October 21.

The State Government wants to hear from as many individuals and groups as possible before making any decisions on changes to recreational fishing rules.

The discussion papers contain proposals only – no final decisions on changes to the rules will be made without consultation with the planning committees on saltwater and freshwater recreational fishing, the Advisory Council on Recreational Fishing, and the Seafood Industry Advisory Council.

The proposals contained in the papers are based on the latest available science, the findings of the National Recreational and Indigenous Fishing Survey, the environmental assessments of the state’s major fisheries, and community feedback from previous reviews.

The two planning committees for recreational fishing, and commercial fishing representatives, were kept fully updated during the preparation of the discussion papers.

Copies of the discussion papers had been sent to fishing clubs, bait and tackle shops, and Fishcare volunteers, and were also available from NSW Fisheries offices and on the Department of Primary Industries website at www.dpi.nsw.gov.au.

Submissions should be sent to: Fishing Review, NSW DPI, PO Box 21, Cronulla, NSW 2230, faxed to (02) 9527 8576, or emailed to fish.review@fisheries.nsw.gov.au