January 10, 2008 on 8:04 am | In Fishing Report | No Comments
Commercial fishing ban for Darwin Harbour
Darwin Harbour will be off limits to commercial coastal net fishing from next month.
From February 1 operators who breach the edict will be fined $20,000.
About one-quarter of all recreational fishing is done at Darwin Harbour and Shoal Bay.
Territory Fisheries Minister Chris Natt says the policy will improve the quality of fish for anglers.
The ban has been made possible by a $1 million buyback of nine commercial net licences.
The Amateur Fishermen’s Association of the Northern Territory wants the ban extended to Bynoe Harbour and the Finniss River.
January 4, 2008 on 11:03 am | In Fishing Report | No Comments
Christmas greeted us with a monsoonal trough and pleanty of good rains.
As I write a cylone is developing to the west of Darwin and we are under a cyclone warning. Predicated track is that a category 1 cyclone will track south of Darwin and east into the Gulf. From there it will probably reform and head wherever it chooses.
Wish all the great rains before the new year and now a cyclone/low tracking east just south of Darwin all is heading in the right direction for a great 2008 Run Off. Most of the big rivers are already in flood and there is no doubt that more flooding rains will fall over the next few days.
Check out the tacking map below from early Friday 4 Jan 08.
If you have been waiting for the rains before booking your Run Off trip you need wait no more.
May 10, 2007 on 3:51 pm | In News | No Comments
Fishing Permits - Situation Normal - For Now
On 2 March 2007, in the Blue Mud Bay case, the Federal Court held on appeal that the licensing system under the Fisheries Act (NT) does not apply regarding commercial fishing in tidal waters overlying Aboriginal land (ie freehold) – being the intertidal zone and tidal rivers.
The court held that the power to grant commercial (and recreational) fishing licences regarding tidal waters overlying Aboriginal land was instead vested in Aboriginal Land Trusts under the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976 (Cth).
This outcome flowed from the court’s finding that a grant of Aboriginal land includes the right to take fish from overlying tidal waters, with the public right to fish being abrogated.
The decision has broad implications, since over 80% of the Northern Territory coastline (including islands) is Aboriginal land to the low water mark, in circumstances where both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people engage in commercial and recreational fishing.
On 16 March 2007 the court declined to stay or suspend its decision pending a High Court appeal since, having declared the law, it had no power to order that the law was not in effect.
On 30 March 2007 the NT Government filed an application for special leave to appeal to the High Court, which will be heard later in 2007.
In conjunction with the NT Government and the NT Seafood Council, the Northern Land Council has identified a temporary commercial and recreational licensing regime which, insofar as feasible, will maintain the status quo until at least two months after the High Court decision.
If the Government’s legal action is successful, then the law will be overturned and go back to the way it was before.
If the legal action is not successful, then a new arrangement for fishing will be required.
What’s happening now?
The Territory Government has begun legal action to overturn the court’s decision.
In the meantime, discussions have occurred to minimise disruption to Territorians and allow fishing to continue unaffected.
What areas are affected?
Approximately 80% of the Territory coastline and tidal rivers but not Darwin Harbour.
Can I still fish now?
Yes, absolutely. Following discussions between stakeholders, all fishing will continue unchanged until 31 May 2007.
Recreational fishers do not have to do anything until 31 May 2007.
All current controls – such as bag limits – remain in operation.
What happens by 31 May 2007?
After 31 May 2007 recreational fishers will require a once only, temporary fishing licence and permit issued by the Northern Land Council.
Visitors to the Top End fishing with licensed guides are covered under their permit. These permits are being automatically issued to all licensed fishing tour operators.
Where from here?
Well until the high court looks at this later in 2007 it is pretty much situation normal. When it does go to the high court lets hope that sanity prevales and the decision is overturned.
If not the NT may just be the thin end of the wedge.
May 10, 2007 on 3:05 pm | In Fishing Report | No Comments
With the big rains in March we were all looking forward to a mind blowing Run Off. Well the weather gods threw another curly one at us with the rain in March followed up by next to nothing. Whilst this didn’t spell total gloom for the run Off I am sure that if we had had more follow up it would have been a bumper season.
Whilst in general fish numbers were down and guides had to work hard to put clients onto fish there was still some quality Barramundi fishing coming from the usual places like the Sth Aligator, Shady/Camp and the Daly.
On the neap tides the Black Jew fish were also on the chew on the reefs at both Shady and the South. Numbers up around 20 a day were not an uncommon occurence.
Well a photo tells a thousand words so here are just a few from the 2007 Run Off.
Bob Thompson 113cm 23kg Barra from the Sth Aligator
