REC fishers are up in arms following a concerted haul netting effort at Brou Lake on the NSW south coast. The landlocked waterway which is a popular destination for local and interstate anglers was last week re-opened to the sea for the first time since 2012.
According to a report by the Narooma News, local rec fishers were angered by the amount of fish taken by netters working the entrance of Brou Lake where large numbers of black bream had congregated following dredging works by National Parks NSW.
The lake was re-opened to prevent flooding of roads upstream following recent heavy rain – see footage below.
Bermagui Fisherman’s Cooperative manager Rocky Lagana confirmed that pro fishers had come down from as far Wollongong to target the black bream. Lagana confirmed the co-op had processed significant numbers of the fish in recent days and sent them to fish markets in Sydney and Melbourne where they were expected to fetch as little as $7 a kilo.
While this slaughter of Brou Lake’s black bream by haul netters has understandably angered rec fishers, the practice is not illegal under NSW Fisheries commercial regulations.
In Fisho’s view, this incident is yet another example of sacrificing a valuable recreational fishery which helps sustain the tourist economies of small local townships, for the short term profit of a select few.
Local fishos now view this as the beginning of the end for the Brou Lake fishery with most black bream believed to have been netted or escaped to sea.
Narooma News report and images here: http://www.naroomanewsonline.com.au/story/2517230/bream-targeted-by-haul-netters-on-brou-lake/?cs=1489 and previous Fishing World reports on the netting issue here and here.
