NSW Recreational Fishing Saltwater Trust Expenditure Committee

AFTA’s NSW Representative Damian Kerves, updates us on a couple of items from the last meeting of the Recreational Fishing Saltwater Trust Expenditure Committee.

Is there a need for additional research on ‘do fish feel pain’ from a recreational fishing perspective in NSW?

This was raised due to some recent negative sentiment created by some ill-informed action groups.

Following further review and based on the fact that there is an exhaustive number of peer-reviewed publications on the subject, there is no consensus on the topic with cases for and against being proposed.

An ongoing advisory approach will therefore be the most likely course of action undertaken to address some of the perceptions around fishing and fish pain.

This item will remain on the agenda for the next meeting with further advice to follow.

The RFA is seeking advice on-Funding of mitigation of environmental damage caused by irrigation pumps in NSW waterways.

A few of the main points they are chasing clarification on include;

1/ Who is liable for any offences associated with the killing of fish and other aquatic organisms through irrigation pumps?

2/ Whether the use of trust funds under section 233 of the Fisheries Management Act to meet the cost of installing screens on irrigation pumps to prevent the killing of fish and other aquatic organisms is permitted under that Act?

3/ What remedies are available to prevent further killing of fish and other aquatic organisms through irrigation pumps.

The RFA will be releasing further comments through its social media on this subject as it feels that this important issue needs to be addressed quickly by the relevant government bodies.