THE Murray-Darling Basin Recreational Fishing Council (MDBRFC) will meet with government representatives in Canberra today to demand better outcomes for native fish communities when implementing the proposed Basin Plan for the Murray-Darling Basin (MDB).
The MDBRFC is a cross-jurisdictional body which represents the voice of over 991,000 recreational fishers.
Chair of the MDBRFC Christopher Collins said: “If the MDB Basin Plan is to be effective in protecting and restoring aquatic ecosystems in the Basin it needs to focus on more than just gigalitres. There needs to be more consideration of how and when water is delivered to maximise benefits for native fish. There also needs to be more focus on improving fish habitat. Revegetating river banks. Putting snags back into rivers. Building fishways to improve fish migration.”
“Obviously it’s critical to ensure that our rivers contain sufficient high quality water to sustain our native fish communities too, but the solution to healthy Basin fish communities requires a range of other measures as well”.
It is hoped that today’s meetings will provide recreational fishers with an opportunity to communicate the range of issues that will need to be addressed in the proposed Basin Plan to ensure success.
“Our native fish are of incredible value to Basin communities” Collins said.
“Recent research has shown that recreational fishers spend an estimated $1.3 billion each year when fishing in the Murray-Darling Basin. It is critical that the needs of native fish are given greater consideration in the Basin Plan to ensure that this vital source of income to our regional communities can continue.”
