OzFish Unlimited

Moves toward sustainable fishing practices have started in all forms, from changes to products and packaging to better catch and release handling, but one project is stepping out of the norm and turning illegal yabby traps into new fishing gear.

Check it out via the link below 👊

Hundreds of yabby traps collected, 5000 on target Moves toward sustainable fishing practices have started in all forms, from changes to products and packaging to better catch and release handling, but a project is stepping out of the norm and turning illegal yabby traps into new fishing gear. An Australian Christmas and fishing go together like ‘...

Wondering what we mean when we say 'beachcombing' for our South Australian seagrass restoration projects?

This image shows the washed-up seeds, which get dislodged and then pushed onshore due to wind, waves and currents. These seeds would otherwise be 'lost', which is why we mobilise our volunteers to collect them, so we can process them for regeneration.

Pretty cool right?

Check out the full video on this process over at: https://youtu.be/X9mdQpHo6GY?si=e5HmMlzhnJVoT4-K

Green Adelaide BCF - Boating, Camping, Fishing Recfish SA

And the seeds are starting to wash up in !

These will eventually be re-distributed back into the water via sandbags to allow them to grow in locations better suited for seagrass meadows.

One bucket down, 1000 to go!

BCF - Boating, Camping, Fishing Green Adelaide

Come on Sydney, Let's Keep It Clean this weekend! 👇👇

Sydney fishers called to keep Watsons Bay clean this weekend OzFish Unlimited - Australia’s fishing conservation charity together with NSW DPI Fisheries are calling on recreational anglers to help clean up Watsons Bay this December 9th, 2023.

What a fantastic turnout to kickstart Seeds For Snapper SA for 2023! A big thank you to everyone involved 🤝

For the next few months, we are mobilising beachcombers and boaters to collect the fruit they find – either washed ashore or floating on the ocean’s surface. The fruits are then processed onshore in tanks, and the resulting seeds sewn into environmentally friendly biodegradable sandbags. These are then placed back in the ocean, at the correct depth, at identified locations.

Let's do this South Australia! 👊

Estuary Care Foundation BCF - Boating, Camping, Fishing Green Adelaide Cruising Yacht Club of South Australia Aquatic Biosecurity Pty Ltd Recfish SA

AND THAT'S A WRAP!

The 2023 season of Seeds for Snapper has now come to a close with the last of the seeds being dispersed today. Habitat restoration is no easy feat sometimes, and this year shows that with unprecedented heat making for some difficult conditions.

But like OzFishers always do, we powered through!

The 2023 totals are:

🌱586 000 fruit
🌱670 000 seeds
🌱1551 hours volunteered

And all this effort over just 16 days!

Thanks to everyone who got involved this year, the seagrass ecosystems of Cockburn Sound thank you! 🤝

Daiwa Australia The University of Western Australia Water Corporation MMA Offshore Pte Ltd BCF - Boating, Camping, Fishing Recfishwest Adreno Spearfishing Synergy

Seagrass restoration success despite heat The annual seagrass fruit harvest known as Seeds for Snapper has ended early due to extreme heat but with more than 600,000 seeds being released into Cockburn Sound.

Are you looking to take your leadership to the next level?

Introducing Young Leaders! 👊🏻

The OzFish Young Leaders program is tailored to empower young minds, providing them with the skills, knowledge, and experiences to drive innovation and steer recreational fishing toward a dynamic and sustainable future.

Through mentorship from seasoned professionals, immersive learning experiences, and collaborative internships, participants not only gain a deep understanding of the industry’s intricacies and challenges but also develop the leadership qualities essential for navigating the path ahead.

Applications are now open. To find out more, or apply – head over to: https://ozfish.org.au/young-leaders/?swcfpc=1

This project has been funded by the NSW Recreational Fishing Trusts and BCF – Boating, Camping and Fishing.

Missed the latest edition of Newstreams? Here are some of the leading headlines from around the world 👉🏻👉🏻

Want to receive Newstreams direct to your email? Head to: https://ozfish.org.au/newstreams-subscriber-form/

🤝🤝 Newstreams is supported by funds from the NSW Recreational Fishing Trusts, raised from the NSW Recreational Fishing Licence fee. Newstreams is published electronically every three months by OzFish Unlimited on behalf of the NSW Department of Primary Industries - Fisheries on behalf of the Fish Habitat Network, a partnership of organisations working on fish habitat and a network of fishers engaged in fish habitat issues

Who would have thought that habitat restoration could look this good! How's the water clarity over in Cockburn Sound 🤯

Recfishwest BCF - Boating, Camping, Fishing Daiwa Australia Cockburn Power Boats Club The University of Western Australia MMA Offshore Pte Ltd Water Corporation

The Richmond River Fish Talks are on tomorrow night! 🙌

Here’s your chance to connect with the leading minds in the world of aquatic ecosystems, environmental management, and recreational fishing. We’re bringing together a panel of experts who are deeply committed to securing the future of the Richmond River and its unique fish habitat.

Speakers Include 🌱

🗣Cassie Price, OzFish Director of Habitat Programs, unveiling the exciting work happening at Tuckean Swamp to restore our precious fish habitat.

🗣Chrisy Clay, Rous County Council Flood Mitigation Manager, delving into the rich history of the Richmond River estuary and floodplain.

🗣Patrick Dwyer, from DPI Fisheries’ Marine Estate Management team, sharing insights on how the ecological history of the Richmond River and its floodplain influences fish habitat rehabilitation opportunities.

🗣Jim Tait from Econcern Consulting, revealing strategies to reintroduce the Eastern Freshwater Cod into the Richmond.
Joey Urquhart, Tournament bass fisher and lure maker. Fishing the Richmond system over the years and some memorable catches.

🗣Adrian Melchior, Bassman Spinner Baits ProTeam. Chasing bass in and around snags on spinner baits.

To secure a seat, head over to the link below!

This event is made possible by the NSW Recreational Fishing Trust 🤝

Richmond River Fish Talks Fish, floodplains and the future of the Richmond River: Hear from the experts Here’s your chance to connect with the leading minds in the world of aquatic ecosystems, environmental management, and recreational fishing. We’re bringing together a panel of experts who are deeply committed to securi...

We are thrilled that the Bottle Bend Reserve Committee of Management has finished runner-up after being nominated as a finalist at the NSW/ACT-2023 Community Achievement Awards presentation at the Sydney Masonic Centre last week.

Three years ago, OzFish and Landcare teamed up to make waterway health in NSW a priority and it is great to now see some of the local groups are being awarded for their continuous efforts.

Check out the full story via the link below 👇👇

https://ozfish.org.au/2023/11/bottle-bend-reserve-volunteers-rewarded-for-years-of-hard-work-at-community-achievement-awards/

Landcare NSW BCF - Boating, Camping, Fishing

And the entries are rolling in for the Junior OzFishers Colouring-In Competition!

Have you checked it out? It is an awesome little weekend activity for this kids this summer 👇

https://ozfish.org.au/junior-ozfishers/ozzie-and-friends-competition/

BCF - Boating, Camping, Fishing

We’re super excited to announce that BCF - Boating, Camping, Fishing have just launched Junior OzFishers fishing shirts in-store and online. So to celebrate Ozzie’s success, we’re running a colouring-in competition with prizes up for grabs!

All you have to do to GET INVOLVED is head to the link below, download the colouring-in sheet, and follow the prompts.

🥇1st Place: Junior OzFishers Shirt & $100 BCF voucher.
🥇2nd Place: $50 BCF voucher.
🥇3rd Place: $25 BCF voucher.

3, 2, 1 GO!!!

📲 https://ozfish.org.au/junior-ozfishers/ozzie-and-friends-competition/

BCF - Boating, Camping, Fishing

Seagrass restoration in North Queensland has taken another major step forward following this year’s projects at Mourilyan Harbour and Cairns.

Our Blue Army helped sort fragments of seagrass at JCU: James Cook University, Australia Smithfield campus and assisted with the preparation of seedlings at the two planting sites at Cairns Yacht Club and the Mourilyan Harbour boat ramp.

Check out the full story below 👇

TropWATER

Volunteer efforts propel seagrass restoration in North Queensland Seagrass restoration in North Queensland has taken another major step forward following this year’s projects at Mourilyan Harbour and Cairns.   OzFish Unlimited, Australia’s recreational fishing charity, has been part of the first meadow-scale restoration project in Tropical Australia, led...

An update from the team over in working away on our program 👇

🌱 Total fruit collected = 584 000
🌱 Total seeds dispersed = 441 000

Another big week is incoming 👉 keep an eye on our socials to stay up to date.

Cockburn Power Boats Club BCF - Boating, Camping, Fishing Recfishwest Daiwa Australia MMA Offshore Pte Ltd Adreno Spearfishing The University of Western Australia

CAUTION! Do not eat these or use on salads. These are seagrass seeds, not alfalfa sprouts. Yes - thousands of them collected by our volunteers at Looks similar.... but very very different.

Creekwatch Townsville 👏👏👏👏

Warming seas meant a few years ago Tasmania's giant kelp forests appeared to be on the brink of disappearing. In a desperate bid to save them, a team of scientists have begun replanting large sections of kelp in the empty ocean.

Check out the full story via the link below 👇

Attempting to revive the giant kelp forests of Tasmania Trusted and independent source of local, national and world news. In-depth analysis, business, sport, weather and more.

Looking for something to keep the kids entertained these school holidays? Well, we might have just that!

Recently our mates at Creek to Coast showcased the program, which you can check out via the link below 👇👇

Did you noticed the new fishing shirts 👀👀

BCF - Boating, Camping, Fishing

Be Rewarded for Catching Fish - Creek To Coast  Looking for something to keep the kids entertained these school holidays? Well, our mates at OzFish Unlimited have an amazing program that your young fisho might just love. The Junior Ozfisher program has 10 challenges that kids can work towards to be rewarded with a native fish badge. These cha...

If you haven't had the chance to make it to one of these events, pencil it in for 2024!

Recently we held the Fishers for Fish Habitat Forum alongside NSW DPI Fisheries and Fish Habitat Network and what an event it was.

A range of expert speakers imparted their knowledge to an enthusiastic audience at the two-day conference which included a bus and boat tour that showcased local restoration efforts along the Murray River.

You can read the full re-cap over at: https://ozfish.org.au/2023/11/experts-tackle-big-issues-at-fishers-for-fish-habitat-forum/

🤝 The forum is funded through the NSW Recreational Fishing Trusts and is presented by the Fish Habitat Network.

Did anyone catch our 'Pimp My Jetty' project on the news this week 👀

Both Lake Macquarie and Sydney Harbour are gearing up to hang vertically hanging habitat modules from jetties and pontoons!

You can read all about it via the link below 📲

BCF - Boating, Camping, Fishing

Pimp My Jetty to make a splash at Sydney Harbour and Lake Macquarie Sydney Harbour and Lake Macquarie are two of the most famous fishing locations in NSW and they are about to get a big helping hand from OzFish Unlimited in the form of the Pimp My Jetty project.  After launching successful projects in the Peel-Harvey estuary near Mandurah in Western

NSW recreational anglers surrounding the Richmond River are invited to OzFish’s latest fish talk at Ballina Surf Club on Thursday 30 November 👇

It is the latest in OzFish’s Fish Talk series that brings leading experts to share their knowledge with recreational fishing communities across Australia.

➡️Cassie Price, OzFish, will delve into the plight and progress of the Tuckean Swamp;

➡️Chrisy Clay, Rous County Council Flood Mitigation Manager, will explore the history of the Richmond River estuary and floodplain;

➡️Jim Tait from Econcern Consulting strategies to reintroduce the endangered Eastern Freshwater Cod into the Richmond;

➡️ NSW DPI Marine Estate Management team will share insights on the river’s health and the government’s ongoing restoration effort;

➡️ Local Recreational Fisher will provide tips, tricks and insights into fishing the Richmond

Rego via the link below 📲

OzFish to host free angler event at Ballina Surf Club NSW recreational anglers surrounding the Richmond River are invited to OzFish’s latest fish talk at Ballina Surf Club on Thursday 30 November. It is the latest in OzFish’s Fish Talk series that brings leading experts to share their knowledge with recreational fishing communities across Australia...

It's fantastic to see so many smiling faces participate in this year's project in . The running count looks like this:

👉 Total fruit collected- 352 000
👉 Total seed dispersed- 126 000

Well done to all the legends involved!

If you are wanting to find out more about how this project works, head over to: https://ozfish.org.au/projects/seeds-for-snapper/



Recfishwest BCF - Boating, Camping, Fishing Cockburn Power Boats Club Daiwa Australia Onefishtwofish MMA Offshore A/S Water Corporation MMA Offshore Pte Ltd

Today is , and to celebrate we are looking at what it means to be a sustainable fisho.

Each year, fishing communities worldwide celebrate World Fisheries Day as a way of highlighting the importance of maintaining, monitoring and caring for the world's fisheries.

Would you consider yourself as a sustainable fisho? Check out the graphic below and see how many you can tick off ✅

Seeds For Snapper in is motoring along with over 275 000 fruit collected and 63 000 seeds dispersed into the water for regeneration 👊

Way to go team, this year could be the biggest yet 🌱

Recfishwest The University of Western Australia Water Corporation Daiwa Australia Synergy MMA Offshore A/S Cockburn Power Boats Club Adreno Spearfishing

How did you spend your weekend? The OzFish Unlimited spent a few hours Saturday morning building vertically hanging habitat constructions for the Pimp My Jetty which is about to kick off in the Lake.

What a way to spend a sunny weekend morning! The team learnt new skills, got to meet some likeminded fishos in the area, and most importantly went home knowing they volunteered their time for a healthier home waterway 👊

Do you want to be involved in the next one?

👉 Become a member of the Lake Mac Chapter.
👉 Express your interest in the PMJ project.
👉 Look out for the next events via our website and email.

You can do all this over at www.ozfish.org.au

BCF - Boating, Camping, Fishing

And that is how it is done, Gosford! 👏

On the weekend we had a little army of OzFishers out collecting rubbish in and around Carawah Reserve, with the team collecting over 10 FULL bags of litter.

This is part of our partnership with NSW DPI Fisheries, as we look to make our favourite fishing spots just that little bit nicer this summer 👊

Nice work Gosford, Lake Mac and Sydney - you are up next 🌱

OzFish recently visited the BCF Waurn Ponds store to chat with fishers about the importance of shellfish reefs. Did you know that a hectare of shellfish reefs can remove 166 kg of nutrients pollution a year!
To get an idea of just how affective shellfish are at removing nutrients pollution, check out our shellfish display. The top image shows two tanks, both with dirty water. We added mussels to the right tank. The second image is two hours later, the mussels have cleaned the water, whereas the tank on the left is still dirty!

The project is supported by the Corangamite CMA through funding from the Australian Governments’ Fisheries Habitat Restoration Program.

The OzFish Geelong Chapter had a fantastic day planting trees and shrubs, and watching logs and root balls be installed in the Barwon River.

The Corangamite Catchment Management Authority has installed 700 tonnes of woody habitat into the Barwon, and now we are helping plant 2000 trees along its banks to ensure a healthier system.

The project is supported by the Corangamite Catchment Management Authority through funding from the Australian Government's Fisheries Habitat Restoration Program.