The mullet are coming down the Manning HARRINGTON-TAREE
Ian Pereira ianpereira@aapt.net.au
The past few mullet runs have not been spectacular to say the least, but this year should produce a big run of mullet. I have spent a couple of weekends up in the freshwater reaches of the Manning and the number of mullet schooling up is nothing short of amazing. There are many thousands of larger sized fish that will run this year, as well as heaps of smaller fish that will not be ready to run until next year.
It has been a particularly dry year for the country above Wingham and this means all the freshwater parts of the Manning. The river is only trickling from Mount George
up to the headwaters of the river. While several good showers of rain have been experienced by the coastal areas, not enough rain has fallen upstream to put a run
Mulloway were absent on the last full moon, but may well make a return this cycle. Photo: Kris Hickson
U-Make-Em Fish Take Em Save $$ and gain a rewarding hobby!
lures! Make your own Star kitster from
$31.4
5
Soft Plastics
Moulds of Every
Vibes
Shape & Size
Spinnerbaits
Lure Making
Hard Bodies
Components
Jig Heads Ph: [02] 6258 7515 Mob: 0427 580 580
Check us out at:
www.u-make-emsoftplastics.com.au email:info@u-make-emsoftplastics.com.au
in the river. Consequently we are experiencing water restrictions which will become more severe if we don’t get good falls in the headwaters of the Manning. It must rain soon or there will be no run in the river and the mullet will not be able to get out to spawn when they want to. ESTUARY Because of the lack of run in the river, the water is much more salty up towards Wingham than it usually would be. Consequently, the fish are concentrated further up the river. Good catches of bream and flathead have been made up around the islands and up towards Abbots Falls. Some anglers have been taking good bream on surface poppers and flathead on soft plastics. A flathead of 1m in length was caught and released just upriver from Harrington and 5 other big fish were seen departing the scene when the big fish was hooked. Luderick have been biting mostly at night on fresh yabbies, but a few fish have been taken from outside the weeds at Chinamens Point. Mulloway were absent on the
ALL YOUR BOATING & FISHING NEEDS
UNDER ONE ROOF! COME IN AND SEE KRIS & THE TEAM FOR EXPERT ADVICE! ABT DISCOUNT UP TO OFF
15%
13 VICTORIA ST TAREE NSW 2430
admin@manningrivermarine.com.au
02 6552 2333
www.manningrivermarine.com.au 24
APRIL 2014
last full moon and I can only suspect that the schools of baitfish offshore kept them too busy to come into the estuary. BEACH AND ROCK Beach fishing is all about tailor at the present time. Fish to a bit over 2kg are being taken on chromed lures spun where the birds are working. Occasionally fish are taken on pilchards and bonito strips but the big bags fall to lures. The bite is not confined to sun up and sun down; any time the birds are working the tailor will be there. OFFSHORE The main species on the bite at this time are teraglin and mahi mahi. The mahi mahi can be caught around the FAD and are better than legal size. The trag are mainly coming from the northern grounds and are around the 2-2.5kg mark. Snapper have been off and on the bite with the best fish going 6kg. Bonito and slimy mackerel are around in big numbers and are easy to catch for bait for snapper and jew. The mullet will run by ANZAC Day and it should be an exciting time at Harrington as they will come down the river and get in behind the sandbank in the mouth of the
Snapper have been off and on the bite with the best fish going around 6kg. Photo: Kris Hickson river. The sharks and jew will have a great time tearing into them while they are trapped up against the sand bank. Tailor will be plentiful and
jew of all sizes will be chasing the mullet. There will also be plenty of bream in the lower reaches of the river as they run after the mullet have left.
FISHING FILL-ITS
What’s this about organic fish? We’ve all heard of line caught and farmed fish, but now there’s a new kind of fish on the block. It’s certified organic fish. For the first time the rulebook that guides most of the organic production in Australia, the Australian Certified Organic Standard, includes a section on aquaculture. Health authorities promote fish for cardiovascular health, especially because of its omega-3 content, yet some wild caught fish may have unacceptably high levels of heavy metals and other chemical residues. Some environmentalists support aquaculture over wild catch because of its potential to relieve pressure on the oceans of the world, while others criticise it as a source of pollution from spilled feed, for the introduction of alien species, and for the spread of fish pathogens into aquatic ecosystems. Australian Organic spokesperson Joanne Barber says, “Global consumption of fish is now more than 150 million tonnes including 60 million from aquaculture. Total fisheries production is now more than beef, pork or poultry, and aquaculture is becoming much more important and is predicted to soon overtake capture fishing.
“Scandinavian and European countries have articulated organic standards on aquaculture, it was time we did too so that consumers can be assured it has been caught or farmed sustainably and without synthetic chemicals.” The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) estimates certified organic aquaculture is worth over $500 million dollars internationally, producing well over 60,000 tonnes. Shane Buckley from Wapengo Rocks became the first Australian Certified Organic producer of certified organic Sydney rock oysters in 2013. He says, “Organic is the way I can see all aquaculture
going in the future. We are privileged to farm in a way that respects the estuary and the environment, and when we do simple things, such as reducing our impact on the lake bed allowing the sea grasses to regrow, it is actually good for the oysters and the health of this beautiful estuary. “Organic is not really so hard but it does involve a cultural shift. Because I am a younger grower, and new to the industry, I have found it easier to adopt organic methods. “For me, organic certification is acknowledgement for the work we have done to produce oysters in the most sustainable way that we can.” - Australian Organic
The organic seafood market is growing globally. The strongest potential for sea-based operations in Australia is for mussels and oysters.