Recreational fishers in the Mid North Coast area will have the chance on Sunday to swap their old and unwanted opera house yabby traps for an Oar-Gee Plow lure at the upcoming Gone Fishing Day at Manning Point.
For this year's Gone Fishing Day, the OzFish Manning Chapter wants to inspire the next generation of young leaders in our fishing community by sharing sustainable fishing practices and the importance of habitat for our favourite fish species.
October is also World Mental Health Month, so we want to shine a light on the role that fishing and being in nature plays on our wellbeing. It doesn't matter if you are new to fishing or never fished before – this is a safe an inclusive event for all to join!
Come along and learn about OzFish Unlimited, the work we do, and tips and tricks on being a sustainable fisher. Bring along your rod/kayak for a few hours of fishing in the river afterwards. Don't worry if you don't have a rod, we will have plenty of rods, tackle, bait and ice for you to use.
*If bringing a kayak or canoe, please remember it is compulsory to wear a lifejacket.
This event is also a Yabby Trap Drop Spot where fishers can bring down any old and unwanted opera house yabby traps and swap it for an Oar-Gee Plow lure to support sustainable fishing practices.
Opera house nets are now illegal in NSW and those collected will be recycled into useful products for anglers, with the proceeds being used to support habitat restoration.
The popularity of yabby fishing has put pressure on native wildlife which can unwittingly get caught inside opera house traps.
Alternative devices, such as open-top pyramid nets and hoop nets, are a more environmentally friendly design, allowing non-target species to escape if they swim in while also being effective at catching a tasty feed of fresh yabbies!
"Yabby fishing really gets going in the summer so now is the perfect time to update your gear and rather than have it go to landfill, give it another life," said Cassie Price, Director of Habitat Programs at OzFish.
The Yabby Trap Round-Up program is an initiative of TierraMar in collaboration OzFish Unlimited and the NSW DPI, supported by BCF - Boating, Camping, Fishing.
If you would like to know more about the project or get involved become a member of OzFish online at www.ozfish.org.au or contact 1800 431 308.
About us:
About OzFish
OzFish Unlimited is a national environmental conservation charity established to improve the health of our rivers, lakes and estuaries. It is a member-based organisation dedicated to make our fishing grounds healthy, vibrant and more productive. Their active work includes; habitat restoration such as resnagging, riverbank planting, clean-ups, fishways, shellfish reefs and educational and community capacity building programs.
