LAST year Fisho reported NSW South Coast rock fishers were angered over the Defence Department’s decision to stop overnight access to world famous land-based game ledge, the Tubes at Jervis Bay.
The rock platform is one of the few land-based game fishing locations in the world where rock anglers can tackle everything from tuna to marlin and sailfish.
The Tubes also lie within the Department of Defence’s Beecroft Weapons Range (BWR) which is owned and occupied by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). The range has been regularly used for Defence weapons and other training activities since the 1800s.
See earlier report at: http://www.fishingworld.com.au/news/anglers-in-the-dark-over-tubes-access
In response to access changes to the Beecroft Weapons Range, the Recreational Fishing Alliance of NSW has set up a web page which explains the changes to the regulations for fishing the Tubes.
The RFA also says that fishers’ response to the new regulations is being monitored by the Department of Defence and a review is expected to be carried out in coming months.
The web page outlines Department of Defence concerns with rock fishing at Beecroft Weapons Range which in part includes:
There has been a significant increase in rock fishing at the over the past several years. This increased activity has led to overcrowding of the rock ledge and surrounding area, both of people and equipment (including children’s swimming pools for holding live bait). Over-crowding also poses a safety risk to other visitors who wish to see the Outer Tubes, which is a significant heritage site within the Range. The extended presence by fishers at the Outer Tubes poses additional safety risks. Of prime concern is the lighting of fires, which during the bushfire season poses a severe safety risk throughout the range, and hygiene risk due to the reluctance to use the toilet and waste facilities provided. The area immediately above the Tubes has been denuded of the natural tea tree growth, stripped out for fire fuel and fire remnants are routinely found, as recently as the weekend of 13/14 December last year.
Land-based game anglers at the Tubes. Image: Greg Finney
Go to www.fishthetubes.com.au to see the site.
