Jarod Lyon (ARI), Rob Loates (VRFish), Anthony Forster (Fisheries)

Acknowledgments for Historical records: William Trueman (2007). SOME RECOLLECTIONS OF NATIVE FISH IN THE MURRAY-DARLING SYSTEM WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE

TROUT COD Maccullochella macquariensis

Shared benefits from environmental watering –

Recreational uses Case Study: Angling

Background

•All sorts of recreational users for whom water is important– Environmental water is part of this mix– We focus here on fish and fisheries– Cultural importance picked up in another presentation

•Why are fish & fishers important?

•What are the key things fisho’s (anglers, researchers and managers) care about when it comes to environmental watering in Victoria?

•What are the key things we are doing that environmental water managers might want to know about?

•What are the best ways to further involve fisho’s in the Victorian environmental watering program?

•Our key questions to the VEWH

History

“Grandpa” Pendergast was over ninety years of age when I called to

talk to him in Wodonga…. Grandpa Pendergast had fished out of

Omeo in the Big River or headwaters of the Mitta Mitta River, to the

eastern side of the mountains. The expeditions in his youth had been

by horse-drawn vehicle in an area where even summer temperatures

at night can produce ‘brass monkey’ conditions. He said they would

get to the river on the first day and sometimes catch enough blue

nose and white eye on he first night to be on the way home in the

pre-dawn chill of the next day. He said, as any old white eye or cod

fisherman might say, “You know they bite best at night”

Trout cod – Mitta @ Gibbo Park, circa 1935

Why are fish important?

• We have all of this historical information, because people value fish– They have huge community support

• Vocal angling lobby with whom DSE and CMA’s are increasingly working in partnership

• Particularly in regional areas• Provide a fantastic link to other key stakeholders (ie

farmers as anglers)

• We need to view them not just as fish, but as the ‘end product’ of investment in water and catchments

Why is fishing important?

• 720,000 Victorian fishers

• 5,000 jobs in regional Victoria

• $820 million direct annual expenditure

• 200 angling clubs

• Habitat stewards

Water and fish

• They live in it!• Every water decision impacts them• Competing demands• Conservation vs fishery objectives• Negatives and positives

– Creation of impoundment fisheries +ve– Tailrace trout fisheries +ve– Unseasonal flow - ve

E-Water and fish

• Aim to mimic components of a river’s natural flow regime

• Limited volume water available • Need to maximise ecological and fishery

benefits • Environmental flow objectives for fish

– often aimed at enhancing fish populations via:• Stimulate spawning• Increase productivity (thus, growth and survival)• dispersal between habitats• habitat maintenance

Wimmera River Drought refuge

2.6 GL released for: threatened catfish, reduce salinity and risk of fish kills, protect riparian bottlebrush

Barmah environmental flood releases (2000, 2005)

Golden Perch breeding

Enviro Flood

What are the key things fisho’s care about when it comes to environmental watering in Victoria?

• Healthy, self sustaining fish stocks, which support recreational angling

• Smart decision making based on evidence and experience

• Real outcomes• Reduced impacts on fisheries from floodplain

watering (ie blackwater)• Evidence that it works – recovering fish stocks

(better fishing)

Shared benefits of ewatering

• Currently watering based around conservation objectives– Conservation/fisheries objectives align

• Growth and survival of stocked fish• Movement of fish through fishways• Flow around Habitat (and restored habitat)• Lateral connectivity• Trout/Impoundment fisheries

What are the key things we are doing that environmental water managers might want to know about?

• Increasing interest (and investment) in fish habitat• Getting best bang for buck from reducing

resources (RFL)• Stocking (rebuilding threatened species)• Understanding limiting factors to native fish

recruitment

What are the best ways to further involve fisho’s in the Victorian environmental watering program?

• Establish reference group (build awareness & advocacy)• Demonstrate benefits (returns on stocking, habitat and

water investments)• Direct participation (monitoring / surveys)• Celebrate & publish good ewater news to the angling

fraternity• Improve social media• Target fishing media / opinion leaders