About the Advisory Council on Recreational Fishing
The Advisory Council on Recreational Fishing (ACoRF) is a statutory body established under the provisions of the NSW Fisheries Management Act 1994. The Council provides high quality advice to the Minister for Primary Industries on matters relating to recreational fishing. It comprises a Chairman and persons with expertise in estuary fishing, offshore fishing, freshwater fishing, underwater fishing, sale of fishing tackle, fishing media and charter boat fishing. Current membership to the ACoRF is as follows:
Council Member |
Qualification & Fishing Interests |
|---|---|
Bruce Schumacher Chairperson |
Chair of the Advisory Council on Recreational Fishing (ACoRF), the Recreational Fishing Freshwater Trust Expenditure Committee (RFFTEC) and the Recreational Fishing Saltwater Trust Expenditure Committee (RFSTEC). Life member of the Fishing Clubs Association (FCA). National and international fishing experience and offshore fishing champion. Life member of the Fishing Clubs Association (FCA). Bruce also has considerable past experience as a fishing journalist and weekly columnist for various newspapers and magazines. |
Ann Garard |
Long-term Charter Fishing Boat owner/operator. Experienced saltwater angler (offshore/deep sea). Current member of RFSTEC and the Marine and Estuarine Recreational Charter Management Advisory Committee (since 2002) – nominated by MERCMAC as the charter fishing representative on ACoRF. |
John Drew |
Experienced beach, rock, estuary, deep sea and freshwater fisher. Ex-president and life member of Coffs Harbour Deep Sea Fishing Club. President Inverell RSM Fishing Club. Member of the Great Inland Fishing Festival Committee. Previous recreational fishing representative of the Solitary Islands Marine Park Implementation Committee (SIMPAC). Recfish Australia member. Radio presenter for the 2NZ commercial radio fishing program. |
Alistair McGlashan |
Accomplished fisher and photojournalist specialising in recreational fishing. Extensive media reporting on recreational fishing and catch and release techniques, both nationally and internationally. Well known for his fishing exploits and TV series and his images appear in magazines around the world. Fishing around 200 days each year he believes he has a real feel for what NSW anglers want for the future. |
John Clarke |
Is a keen angler, fishing journalist and radio presenter and has accumulated extensive fishing experience. John is the Chairperson of the Tomaree Peninsula Professional-Amateur Committee, the Recreational fishing delegate on the Hunter Region National Parks and Wildlife Advisory Committee, Port Stephens-Great Lakes Marine Park Advisory Committee and NSW Marine Parks Advisory Council. |
Adrian Wayne |
Accomplished spearfisher and ex-commercial abalone diver. Deputy Chairman of the NSW Underwater Skindivers & Fisherman's Association Inc. Secretary of the Australian Underwater Federation (AUF) of NSW. President and sports secretary of the Sydney Metropolitan Branch of the AUF. Australian Team Manager, International fishing event organiser. Australian Championship event organiser. Qualified scuba diver. |
Charles Howe |
Experienced recreational and commercial fisher in estuary and offshore fisheries. President of Seagulls Fishing Club. Representation on ACoRF is supported by the Tweed Aboriginal Co-operative Society Limited, due to extensive liaison and consultation on issues of concern to the local indigenous community over time. Involved in fish habitat restoration projects. |
Kevin McKinnon |
Extensive freshwater fishing experience. Member and fishing events co-ordinator of the Tocumwal Angling Club. Extensive involvement in restocking and fish monitoring programs. Kevin is also a member of the RFFTEC. |
Max Castle |
A very experience recreational fisher mainly fishing in estuaries, inshore and beaches along the coast and in rivers and impoundments inland. Max has been involved with organising fishing competitions for many year and initiated the annual Lake Lyell catch and release ANSA convention. Max is also past President and Life Member of Sea Bees Boating Club. Member of the Tuross Fishing Club. Vice President and Public Officer of the Recreational Fishing Alliance of NSW. State Committee Member of Australian National Sportfishing Association (ANSA) NSW. Alternate recreational fishing representative on the Batemans Bay Marine Park Advisory Council. Recreational fishing representative on the NSW Maritime Recreational Vessels Advisory Committee. Max is also a Recfish board member. |
Patricia Jones |
Extensive offshore fishing experience. Records officer of the NSW Game Fishing Association Inc (NSWGFA) and involved with the annual Interclub Game fishing tournament in Port Stephens. Strong affiliations with the Game Fishing Association of Australia (GFAA). |
Shane Jasprizza |
Experienced freshwater, estuary, beach and rock fisher. Involved in a variety of fishing projects including kids fishing clinics, fish stocking and carp fish out fishing competitions. Participated in the 2009 Future Leaders in Recreational Fishing Program. Treasurer of ANSA (NSW) and ANSA National board member. Founding member of the Capital Region Fishing Alliance. |
John Humphries |
Extensive experience fishing in estuaries, off shore, beach & rock, streams and lakes, interspersed with fishing for warm water freshwater species. 10 years experience as a Fishcare Volunteer and team leader. Fifteen years with the NSW Council of Freshwater Anglers serving as President for four of those years, currently promotions officer and honorary life member. Instigated the formation of the Wee Jasper Rivercare group. Member of NSW Rod Fishers' Society, the Central Coast Fly Rodders’ club & past member of the Wee Jasper Fishing club & the Sydney fly Rodders’ club. John is actively involved in fish habitat issues. |
Susan North |
Experienced estuary and freshwater fisher. Trained communications specialist with extensive experience on government committees and consultation with Aboriginal people, persons from non-English speaking backgrounds and various industry/stakeholder groups. Susan has extensive experienced as a community consultation practitioner both in the private and public sectors. Susan has held various communication related roles with agencies such as Land and Water Conservation, Planning, Sydney Water, State Transit and the Sydney Catchment Authority. |
Neil Ryan |
Experienced estuarine, freshwater and offshore fisher and organiser of the Windamere Golden Classic, one of the state’s longest running and premier freshwater fishing tournaments. Fishes Queensland’s “top end” at least once per year. Director of the recreational fishing website Sportsfish Australia. |
Michelle Martin |
Over 10 years experienced in the fishing tackle sales industry on the NSW mid-north coast. Extensive liaison with grassroots anglers on recreational fishing issues. Very experienced recreational fisher, particularly estuary, rock, beach and offshore fishing. |
Janette McLeod |
Experienced estuary, beach and boat based fisher and Fishcare Volunteer. Secretary of the Lake Macquarie Concerned Anglers Group Inc. |
Claudette Rechtorik |
Nature Conservation Council (NCC) Representative. Tertiary qualifications in coastal resource management, including fish habitat research. Assisted in the RFSTEC funded prawn and mulloway restocking project. Keen advocate of ‘Fishers for Fish Habitat’ program and sustainable seafood. NCC representative on RFSTEC |
ACoRF plays a key role in consultation over new changes to recreational fishing and advises on the feasibility and acceptability of management initiatives. Some of the major achievements to date include: reviewing proposed management arrangements for the recreational fishing fee and former freshwater fishing licence; review of the charter fishing boat industry; assessing recreational fishing regulations relating to spearfishing, freshwater fishing and saltwater fishing; input into the development of the Indigenous Fisheries Strategy and National Recreational Fishing Survey, and advising on a range of other issues relating to recreational fishing access, fishing codes of practice, fishing competitions, stock enhancement, fish tagging and animal care and ethics.