Fish devices removed for winter from Mid North, Hunter and Central Coast waters

Fish aggregating devices (FADs) are being removed for winter maintenance on the mid-north and central coasts and will be returned to the water for the start of the summer fishing season, Minister for Primary Industries, Ian Macdonald said today.

Mr Macdonald said the devices are used to attract fish and enhance recreational fishing in NSW by creating an alternative to traditional fishing grounds.

"Fish aggregating devices are being removed from six areas including Port Macquarie, Laurieton, Foster, Port Stephens, Swansea and Terrigal," he said.

"These devices are yellow, spherical buoys with a flashing beacon for safe navigation.

"They attract surface-dwelling fish such as mahi-mahi or dolphin fish from up to 300 metres away.

"The devices work best when the seawater temperature is greater than 20ºC, so they are serviced during the winter months to ensure they last as long as possible.

"They have become a popular target location for many recreational fishers since the first device was installed in 2002.

"We have a total of 21 FADs along the NSW coastline, as part of the State Government’s commitment to improve recreational fishing in NSW.

"Monitoring by the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) has shown that FADs are an effective tool, where recreational fishers can catch fast-growing fish species like mahi-mahi and wahoo."

Mr Macdonald said the FAD program is funded through the NSW Recreational Fishing Saltwater Trust.

He said DPI officers are also investigating new locations for additional FADs for the start of summer fishing to service more areas of the coast.

For more information on FADs visit www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fisheries/recreational/saltwater-fishing/fads

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