MEMBER for the Dubbo Electorate, Troy Grant, said fish habitat in the Macquarie River will be given a helping hand with the investment of $33,348 in grants allocated to the Inland Waterways Rejuvenation Association.
“The project being undertaken will see the installation of snags in the Macquarie River at locations identified through habitat mapping to be deficient in this key type of fish habitat combined with willow control activities,” Mr Grant said.
“The habitat rehabilitation project being funded this year will greatly improve popular fishing spots in the region, including along the Macquarie River.
“This is great news for our region which will see major improvements to local riverbanks and better access for fish, which will improve fish habitats and ultimately produce more fish.
IWRA President and co-founder Matt Hansen said that “this project is exciting news for our small, but dedicated group of volunteers, who have come a long way since starting out with a simple raffle down the main street of Dubbo in 2008. It is a real honour to now be selected and entrusted by the state government to administer a serious river health action project such as this, which will make a huge difference to the breeding opportunities for our local native fish”.
Mr Hansen also said that “with over 400,000 keen recreational anglers across the Murray Darling basin, fishing is now noted to be a major economic driver, with thousands of jobs being created by what some see as a sport, and others a leisurely pastime”.
A total of 31 habitat rehabilitation projects are being funded this year, covering many popular coastal and inland fishing spots in NSW, with nearly $1.9 million committed as in-kind support from the successful applicants.
This year the NSW Government’s Habitat Action Grant Program was highly competitive with 60 applications submitted across the State, strong support by local recreational anglers for the applications and an increase in applications directly from recreational fishing clubs and associations.
In total, the 31 projects funded will:
• provide 470 kilometres of enhanced access for fish
• control over 375 kilometres of invasive riverbank weeds
• implement 1.2 kilometres of bank erosion control
• revegetate 10 kilometres of riparian zone
• install 40 complex woody habitats
• restore over 2000 square metres of seagrass
“Funding for these grants was provided through the Recreational Fishing Trusts, where all money raised by the NSW Recreational Fishing Fee are placed into the Recreational Fishing Trusts and spent on improving recreational fishing in NSW,” Mr Grant said.
“The Recreational Fishing Trust – Habitat Action Grant Program is a great example of how anglers’ money is being invested back into recreational fishing, supporting the improvement of recreational fish populations.”
A full list of successful projects can be found at www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/hag
