BROGO DAM BASS IMPOUNDING
The Hon. R. D. DYER: On 28 May the Hon. I. Cohen asked a question about stock impoundment of bass. The Minister for Fisheries has provided the following response:
1. Anglers, the Fishing Tackle Association and local council are working towards funding a major stocking of Brogo Dam. The last stocking was carried out in 1992, when NSW Fisheries released 13,000 bass. This dam has the potential of becoming an excellent fishery, once adequate bass stocking has taken place.
There is obvious merit in creating new angling opportunities and maximising the recreational value of the area. Recreational fishing is a healthy outdoor activity enjoyed by approximately one third of the population in this State. NSW Fisheries is assisting the stocking project by providing technical advice and will be issuing a stocking permit to the group. By creating a high quality fishery in Brogo Dam, large numbers of locals and visiting tourists would be encouraged to enjoy this scenic area. Flowing on from this, the local economy would undoubtedly derive considerable economic benefit from the direct and indirect expenditures of visiting anglers.
2. It is indeed possible that during a flood bass may escape the dam and breed in brackish water. As Australian bass are native to the area, this may in fact be a desirable event. Halting the decline of bass stocks has been a high priority in NSW. Considerable effort is being made to protect stocks that includes habitat restoration, creating passage past barriers to fish migration, controlling the impacts of commercial fishing and setting comprehensive angling regulations.
Efforts to assist stocks have also included stocking the Manning River with 20,000 bass in 1995. NSW Fisheries carried out this experimental stocking, as research had shown a repeated failure of young fish to recruit to the population.
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3. Australian bass are a natural occupant of east coast rivers. The fact that they are highly developed predators is an irrelevance. All other members of these aquatic ecosystems have evolved in their presence and are therefore adapted to coping with bass at the top of the food chain. Rather than control bass, I believe all efforts should continue to be made to restore populations to their natural size.
4. Australian bass is a popular angling species which is endemic to the east coast of Australia. Carp is a very unpopular pest species which has been introduced into the country. There is certainly no logical comparison between restoring populations of an Australian native fish to its natural environment and sanctioning the infestation of an introduced pest such as carp.