Mulloway Research Angling Tournament

[NSW DPI]

Mulloway research angling tournament (location wanted).

The Fisheries Conservation Technology Unit of the NSW Department of Primary Industries is looking for an appropriate river or estuary to undertake an experiment to assess the post-release survival of angler-caught mulloway. We would like to do this work over a weekend, sometime between September and December 2005, and involve as many recreational anglers as possible. The experiment will be run similar to a typical tournament, but with anglers asked to catch and release between 50 and 200 mulloway into anchored sea cages, over a period of two days. These fish will then be monitored for any mortalities over 5 days.

If you or your fishing club can provide a location and time to hold such an event please contact: Dr. Paul Butcher, NSW DPI on (02) 66483910 or Paul.Butcher@fisheries.nsw.gov.au

[Hooky.]

They've got to be kinding. EDIT: kinding should read kidding

After the way they had flathead suspended off their natural sea bed in cages at the Botany Bay research weekend just to see if they survived C & R, blimey Charlie.

I have nothing against research but that flathead research was one I just couldn't understand.

Edited August 3, 2005 by Hooky.

[NSW DPI]

Guys

Cant say i was around when that happened with the BB research but in their defence, the data was thrown out due to the stressful affects of this un-natural flooring. Blood cortisol concentrations indicated high stress levels across all hooked and control flathead due to this.

However, a flathead event using natural floors for them to lay on will be held in 2006. I will keep you posted.

[Hooky.]

Guys

Cant say i was around when that happened with the BB research but in their defence, the data was thrown out due to the stressful affects of this un-natural flooring.  Blood cortisol concentrations indicated high stress levels across all hooked and control flathead due to this.

However, a flathead event using natural floors for them to lay on will be held in 2006. I will keep you posted.

60479[/snapback]

G'day DPI

10 out of 10 for your reply.

Thankyou for clearing that up with such promptness and I've always said, "communication with the masses is all it takes to keep most anglers happy."

Thanks again for your reply.

cheers

Hooky

[Ken A]

NSW DPI

[NSW DPI]

Thanks Ken

I am with the NSW DPI Fisheries Conservation Technoolgy Unit. We are looking at the post release survival of fish in NSW. The project has been going for two years now and has just been extended for another three.

Your site gives us direct access to anglers and feedback. I love angling and when im not at work its the one passion i love.

I look forward to talking to everyone here.

cheers

Edited August 3, 2005 by NSW DPI

[Grantm]

DPI,

Geez id love to go in a mulloway comp. Trouble is I cant catch one !

[bung]

Paul, i suppose it would be good to compare the laboratory results vs in-field results. In field results may be more representative as they include the variability in fish treatment prior to release (eg, weighing, handling wet or dry hands, whether fish is carefully handled, time out of water etc), however the extended time taken to transport the fish to to sea cage from location of capture is of concern. I doubt participating fishos would high-tail it from the spot to the sea cage if there was a hot bite! Fish would sit in a live well possibly for hours. Live wells are fine for 1kg bream, but probably not for a 2 ft long jewie. Also, what happens if a 20L bucket is used as substitute for a live well, how do you account for that?

I think you would need to include a time-of-transfer factor in the study, as fish that are released would be released within a few minutes of capture.

[matt_nsw]

well said bung

[the_lure]

:1clap: agreed.

was the lab testing (as per recent magazine article) inconclusive? Cannot we use the existing tagged/stocking program in Sydney to help identify the survival rates of fish released after capture?

Chris

PS : dont pick the Shoalhaven, it has just been raped to the tune of somewhere between 9 and 50 tonnes....

[bung]

one comment about the experiment done and written up in Fisho, it would have been good to see the numbers of fish that died due to deep (in throat) vs shallow hookup out of the total fish that died out of the group that was hooked (noting that gut hooked fish were not counted as a part of the mortality count).

[Martin]

Since we get to go fishing, the hawkesbury/Broken Bay area would be nice.

Maybe a spring season outing for Fishraiders and BBQ at the Basin mid afternoon

[NSW DPI]

A further experiment and update on the mulloway work will be in Fisho this year.

Results are clearly straight cut but you always need that field component to your experiments.

RE: in a tournament fish are picked up by a marshal boat and taken straight to the sea cages and yes there is a component of travel time. All other factors as you said such as play length, exposure to air, bleeding, scale loss, hooking location, line strength, bait type or being netted are all taken into consideration.

cheers

Edited August 4, 2005 by NSW DPI