PRESS RELEASE: Recreational fishers to have their say

EMBARGOED UNTIL
1.00pm Sunday, 24 July 2022
Recreational fishers to have their say
SA’s peak recreational fishing body, RecFishSA is encouraging as many anglers as possible to attend its Fisho’s Forum at the Lakes Resort Hotel, West Lakes on 28 July.
The Fisho’s Forum is being held to provide anglers with the opportunity to hear from the government about their plans for recreational fishing and to provide input to important management issues for the recreational fishing sector.
Minister Katrine Hildyard (Recreation, Sport & Racing) will address the forum about the government’s commitment to supporting the $1.2 billion / year recreational fishing sector.
The results of the RecFish SA Priorities Survey which has been running for the past 3 weeks will also be presented at the forum and will provide RecFish SA with the information necessary to represent the views of the recreational sector.
Fisho’s will also have their opportunity to provide input on important issues such as the management of Snapper and King George whiting fisheries, reservoir fishing and fishing in the Port River Dolphin Sanctuary.
Registration for the forum is available on the RecFishSA website https://recfishsa.org.au/recfish-sanews/recfish-sa-fishos-forum-2022/
Recreational fishers who are unable attend the forum can also have their say by taking the online RecFish SA Priorities Survey https://recfishsa.org.au/recfish-sa-news/recfish-sa-recreational-fishingpriorities-survey/ and by tuning into the live stream on the RecFish SA Facebook site.
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Quotes attributable to Mr Barry Brown, Chairperson, RecFish SA
“We’ve been running the on-line RecFish SA Priorities Survey for the past few weeks and have received some very interesting feedback from the sector. This information will be presented at the forum and we want to work with government to take action on the things that best support the sector.”
“Fishing is Australia’s most popular recreational activity; it generates over $1.2 billion a year in SA alone and over $12 billion nationally. People choose to spend their hard-earned money on recreational fishing and this investment is the lifeblood of many small coastal towns.
“South Australian governments have not invested in recreational fishing on a scale commensurate with its social and economic value and we are being left behind by other states and territories which recognise this value.”
“This forum is a chance for fishers to let government know what’s important to them and what they want the government to work on and improve”
“We all want to know how the government intends to sustain important fish stocks such as Snapper, whiting, garfish and squid and ensure that recreational fishers are given fair allocations of these resources.”
Well-known local angler and RecFish SA Deputy Chair, Andrew Harris agrees.
“It’s critical that recreational fishers are kept informed about the science behind fishing regulations and closures. Good management and equitable allocation are important for the sustainability of our fisheries and for our future generations to enjoy recreational activities.”
“RecFish SA applauds the State Government’s commitment to support recreational fishing, it is very important at this early stage to clearly set out what actions the government is taking to maintain and enhance recreational fishing in SA.”
“There are numerous independent, family-owned tackle stores in SA who have many millions of dollars invested in their businesses and who need the government to better manage fish stocks and invest more into recreational fishing.”
Contact
Mr Barry Brown, Chairperson, RecFish SA 0419 560 681
Mr Andrew Harris, Deputy Chair, RecFish SA 0401 762 27