With East Coast Stock Rebuilding Zone waters opening on Saturday 8 December, it's time to check that your rock lobster licence is up to date. Recreational licences for abalone, rock lobster, scallops, nets and set lines are now on sale at Service Tasmania and online.

Get ready for the new season by picking up a free rock lobster measuring gauge from Service Tasmania. You can check up on catch limits and other rules using the Recreational Sea Fishing Guide or on our website.

Buy a licence here

Biotoxin testing update Lobsters have been sampled from the Maria Island Biotoxin Zone and are now at the certified laboratory being analysed for paralytic shellfish toxins (PST). Results are expected by Friday 30 November 2018. In the Maria Island Zone, PST levels in sentinel species (mussels) were above 0.8 mg/kg (maximum prescribed level for shellfish) for several months, but in recent weeks have dropped to low levels. As a precaution, lobsters samples are being tested as lobsters are much slower to purge the toxins than mussels. No other biotoxin zones are being tested and it is expected all other zones will open in accordance with the scheduled season openings. The East Coast Stock Rebuilding Zone is scheduled to open on 8 December and we are aiming to notify fishers about the status of the Maria Island Zone by 30 November.

https://dpipwe.tas.gov.au/sea-fishing-aquaculture/sustainable-fisheries-management/Biotoxin-Fishery-Events

Venue change and extra tickets for Hobart Forum
Due to overwhelming interest, the Hobart Fishing Forum has been moved to a larger venue allowing extra tickets to become available from 5pm today, Monday 26 November.

FORUM DATE: Tuesday, 4 December, 6:30 - 8:30pm

NEW VENUE: Centenary Theatre, University of Tasmania, Sandy Bay (above the UTAS sports oval, enter off Alexander Street).

Please register using the link below.

https://dpipwe.tas.gov.au/sea-fishing-aquaculture/community-resources/fisheries-forums

In accordance with the Tasmanian Inland Recreational Fishery Management Plan 2018-28, two fishery assessments have been identified for 2018-19, Woods Lake and Bronte Lagoon. We also plan to undertake a follow up survey of Shannon Lagoon following the release of 500- tagged fish in June 2017.

ifs app

Don't get caught out! Recreational sea fishing licences for rock lobster, abalone, scallops, nets and set lines are now on sale online and at Service Tasmania.

Buy or renew licence

Rock lobster - transiting seasonally closed areas

A reminder to recreational fishers that you cannot possess pots, rings or rock lobster in any part of the East Coast Stock Rebuilding Zone (ECSRZ) during the closed season for that area. This includes the D'Entrecasteaux Channel, and waters between St Helens and Eddystone Point - see maps below for boundaries. The ECSRZ boundary line at Eddystone Point is through the lighthouse at 40° 59' 35" S.

During 23-25 July 2018, the Service undertook a trapping survey within South Riana Dam. The purpose of the survey was to gain information on:.

  1. catch per unit effort,
  2. the length structure of the brown trout population,
  3. the condition of fish, and
  4. the brown trout population size.

Before the survey, to help estimate the population, 400 adult brown trout, sourced from the Liawenee Canal spawning trap were adipose fin clipped and transferred to South Riana Dam. These fish weighed an average of 850 grams.

During the survey, 54 box traps were set over two nights with 115 brown trout captured. This equals 2.13 brown trout per trap. This indicates moderate to low abundance of brown trout. We examined the brown trout for the presence of an adipose fin clip with just two clipped fish captured. One individual freshwater crayfish (Astacopsis gouldi) was also captured.

During 17-19 April 2018, we conducted an in-lake survey at Little Pine Lagoon to assess:

  1. the CPUE for brown trout,
  2. the population structure, and
  3. the condition of fish.

Over two nights, we set 104 box traps and captured 482 brown trout, with all areas of the lagoon surveyed. We weighed and measured 362 brown trout for fork length, with the remaining 120 brown trout counted only. The CPUE for brown trout was 4.64 fish per trap, indicative of a high abundance of fish.

During 23-25 July 2018, we undertook a trapping survey within the Pet Reservoir.
The purpose of the survey was to gain information on:

 catch per unit effort,
 the length structure of the brown trout population,
 the condition of fish, and
 an estimate of the brown trout population size.

Anglers Access - River Access

IFS has started assessing sites for extensions of the Anglers Access Program in the North, North West and River Derwent. As part of the Tyenna River willow control program a replanting day was held at Lanoma Estate on 6 June. Native trees were planted to stabilize banks before willow removal.

IFS and the Derwent Catchment Project are planning further field days on the Tyenna River as part of the willow control program. A revegetation day will be held in October and willow control days over the summer months. We will notify anglers of event dates. Volunteers are encouraged to participate.

News from IFS

We have received information that the gate into the Nineteen Lagoons has now been opened. With the settled, overcast weather forecast for the next few days and coming weekend it should be a good place to find a wild brown trout. This opens up easy access to Double Lagoon, Lake Ada, Lake Kay and the greater Western Lakes area.

For more information on the read check out our Angler Access brochure on the area.

https://www.ifs.tas.gov.au/news/2018/oct/02/gate-nineteen-lagoons-open

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