Anglers push for river protection

Major angling organisations have promised ‘an army of volunteers’ to help authorities protect Victorian waterways from circumstances that have devastated the Darling River in New South Wales.

Victorian Inland Fishing Alliance partners, Native Fish Australia Victoria and the Australian Trout Foundation have provided assurances they are ready to help.

Their pledge coincides with a Wimmera Catchment Management Authority warning that the Wimmera River system was far from immune to a similar occurrence.

In a joint statement, NFA president Tim Curmi and ATF president Terry George, expressed sadness in the NSW devastation, which involved environmental degradation and a massive fish kill.

They said they had great sympathy for both anglers and conservationists, noting the Darling River system was a premier breeding ground for native golden perch, yellowbelly.

Messrs Curmi and George stressed that Victorians should take the utmost care to avoid a similar event in Victorian waters.

They said VIFA members worked closely with Victoria’s catchment managers and volunteered thousands of hours annually on a range of projects to improve the health of Victorian streams.

“In addition to ensuring sufficient river flows by restoring habitat along our great rivers, we are working to make sure that our fisheries are resilient against such terrible events,” Mr George said.

Mr Curmi added the organisations also stand ready, united and side-by-side with fisheries, water and catchment managers should Victoria’s streams come under threat during dry conditions.

Scientists are studying the causes of the fish kill on the Darling River near Menindee Lakes after news of the incident in January quickly spread across the country.

Some estimates are that up to a million fish, many of them native species, have died in a 40-kilometre stretch of the river.