According to a survey, Sydney’s fishos rate the city’s Harbour as their favourite fishing location in NSW. Those surveyed also rated the famous waterway as a quality fishery that delivers the highest number of fish caught per square kilometre of any waterway in the state.
According to Primary Industries Minister, Steve Whan, more than 500 anglers were interviewed for the survey, conducted over summer in 2008. “Given the easy access to Sydney Harbour, the large human population that surrounds it and the healthy fish stocks, it’s no wonder Sydney Harbour is a popular place to drop a line,” he said.
Those surveyed had been asked to rate the harbour in terms of number, size and variety of fish. It found that over 300,000 hours of fishing was done in the harbour over the summer of 2008 and over 32 different fish species were caught.
Fisho were told by NSW Industry & Investment that the 2008 survey is one of a number of surveys currently underway or undertaken. Results indicated the following:
• The Sydney Harbour estuary has the highest density of recreational fishing effort and harvest per square kilometre compared to other NSW estuaries such as Lake Macquarie and Tuross Lake.
• 62 per cent of harbour fishing is shore-based and 38 per cent boat-based.
• About 300 000 hours of fishing effort were expended in the Sydney Harbour estuary over the 3-month survey period.
• 96 per cent of fishers were found to be residents of the suburbs of Sydney.
• About 74 tonnes of finfish, crabs and cephalopods (squid) were caught.
• About 225 000 finfish, crabs and cephalopods were kept and another 293,000 individuals were caught and released.
• More than 70 per cent of the fishers rated the quality of the recreational fishery as “good.”
• There were 33 different species of fish caught and kept during the survey period.
• The ten species most commonly caught and kept were yellowtail scad, yellowfin bream, snapper, tailor, dusky flathead, kingfish, trumpeter whiting, slimy mackerel, sand whiting and yellow-finned leatherjacket.
The survey covered the area west of the Sydney Harbour Bridge,including the Parramatta and Lane Cove Rivers and the east of theBridge, including North and Middle Harbours.
Results also revealed that fishos were ignoring foodsafety guidelines and keeping fish caught west of the Harbour Bridge. Commercial fishing was banned in Sydney Harbour in 2006; anexpert panel advised the Government that people could continue to eatfish from Sydney Harbour and Parramatta River providing they followstrict dietary advice.
A number of fishers were also found to bekeeping undersize fish.
