"Bait Free" Areas - What is the purpose?

[twoblues]

I fish in Port Stephens and have been up to Broughton Island once or twice, where you are allowed to fish but you are not allowed to anchor, nor fish with bait.

I like using soft plastics for snapper, and have had limited success.

My question is, given that you can't use bait as such, is it legal to berley in the area, or is berley classed as bait in this instance?

Thanks for any advice that is offered.

Twoblues.

[Noodles]

You had better read the published information about the Marine Park and make sure you understand the regulations regarding the different zones.

I think what you are referring to is the area out in front of Broughton Island where you are allowed to do seasonal trolling. You must be underway by propulsion, ie, a motor is pushing you along. Not drifting and flicking soft plastics around and you are not allowed to use berley.

From my reading of the maps, there is no zone called "Bait Free Zone".

Yesterday, after fishing up that way we came back in to the bay to find a school of Salmon and Bonito boiling up on Nelson Head and around into Little Beach in front of the boat ramp and jetty. This is right in the Sanctuary Zone boundary. There were people flicking lures into them from the shore, the Jetty and from boats. Needless to say the Marine Park Authority turned up pretty quick. The school was moving up and down the beach and at times half the school was in the Sanctuary and the other half was not. It may seem a bit odd but you could legally catch fish from the same school just a bit up from where you were not allowed to fish.

[twoblues]

Thanks for the info Noodles.

the area I am talking about is in front of the Island but right up against the shore. It is (was) an area where you could not anchor, and you could not use bait, but fishing with plastics etc was permissible.

The local tackle shop at Nelson Bay gave me advice on where/what you could do, and sold me the plastics.

This was last summer and maybe there has been a change of rules since then. I was out there one time and the "Inspectors" came over to me and checked that I was fishing in accordance with the above, and they were satisfied I was within the rules.

So now I am more confused than before.

[Noodles]

You may be right. I'll have to have another look at the maps.

The only reason I can see for not allowing anchoring would be to prevent damage to the bottom structure.

As for allowing SPs but not bait, that's a new one for me.

I'll look into it and get back.

[Noodles]

Apologies for delay. Left my map on a mates boat and had to dig out the spare. You are correct. The area in front of Broughton Is. in close is a Habitat Protection Zone with special restrictions on anchoring and bait fishing. So drifting and flicking plastics, flies or other lures is permitted.

[twoblues]

Thanks Noodles, but it still doesn't answer my original question. What is the purpose of "bait free" (my thoughts are that they assume you catch less fish that way?), and does it mean I can't berley there?

Logic tells me I can't berley, but if I do why/what law would I be breaking?

[Jamie_S]

You will find that the area is bait free due to the Grey Nurse Sharks. They won't take a lure but they will take a bait, hence the reason of no bait

[helliconia]

Jamie's probably right, it's a famous spot to scuba dive with grey nurses.

[thylacene]

Northern end of Montague is the same, also a grey nurse diving spot, also has a no wire trace rule.

[twoblues]

Thank you all.

The Grey Nurse idea probably explains it all.

If that is correct then there should be no problem tossing out a bit of burley.

Cheers,

Two Blues.