Another donut catch,is this why?

[Day's Fishin]

We fished Lower Portland to Wisemans Ferry and caught virtually nothing.

A couple of small flathead, 2 undersize bream and 1 lone soapie.

I talked to a couple of prawner's and they told me that the river was full of trawlers but were not catching much only a small amount of small prawns.

A lot of shops that normally sell their prawns are sadly out of luck!

I rang my local butcher who I get fresh prawns off and he told me that the trawler that supplied him had told him that his supply is cancelled due to the poor catch.

They tried another supplier who said the same thing.

So it's not only the problem with QLD prawn farms but we have a problem here too!

No prawns in the river means the fish are scattered as well.

Maybe it's time the river had a break from the trawlers for a couple of years and let the prawns regenerate. (my suggestion only)

Jeff

 

[Mike89]

Wow, that's a real shame.

Hopefully stocks will be up again soon.

Better to catch something than nothing at all though!

[GordoRetired]

Talking to a local up in the Hawksburry and he reckons that once the trawlers have been through the area is barren for weeks after. They take everything and its a while before new fish re-establish.

[blackfish angler]

Maybe that's why the prawns are so dear in the shops $ 38 for 1kl.

[Raymondo]

Its like alot of things, a majority suffer so a minority prosper. Same down here at Lake Illawarra. I too reckon a year off from commercial and even recreational fishing would do wonders for an area under pressure. Id be happy to steer clear of an area for awhile. 

[Day's Fishin]

On 12/23/2016 at 0:00 PM, GordoRetired said:

Talking to a local up in the Hawksburry and he reckons that once the trawlers have been through the area is barren for weeks after. They take everything and its a while before new fish re-establish.

Every one is entitled to make a living, however when there is a constant poor catch it's time someone stepped in and stopped the take all attitude of some of these trawlers( not by any means all ) as some of these fishos are trying to stamp out some of the pirate tactics too!

When there was a abundance of prawns near me about 10 years ago I watched 11 trawlers working between Lower Portland ferry and Souths club. They were sweeping the river clean 3 abreast. This part of the river has never recovered from that onslaught. The trawlers were not our local boys but came up the river from Spencer and Wiseman Ferry areas.

After prawn trawlers have fished the river you might as well not go fishing unless you fish for bass up a tributiary where they can not net.

If they do not catch fish then I would like to know what happens to all the fish that were there before they netted an area?

Jeff