We're Hooked On Fishing But There's Only One Catch
Sydney Morning Herald
Tuesday August 5, 2003
Australians love to fish, but few heed Rex Hunt's advice to kiss their catch and throw it back.
Only one third of fish caught are returned to the water, according to the first National Recreational and Indigenous Fishing Survey, released yesterday.
If fishing is to be kept as a sustainable sport, said the federal Fishing Minister, Ian Macdonald, this trend needs to be tackled.
``Recreational fishing has so far been sustainable, with 60 million fish being released in one year," Senator Macdonald said. ``But to ensure further sustainability . . . bag limits and size limits may be extended."
One in five Australians are recreational fishers, and NSW has the highest concentration of anglers in the country.
An estimated 3.36 million people fish in rivers and the sea at least once a year, and most catch flathead or whiting.
``Fishing obviously forms a substantial part of our leisure time and economy," said Senator Macdonald. ``Seventy per cent of people said they fish to unwind, enjoy nature and spend quality time with their families and friends. It's not really about catching fish to keep and eat."
The fishing industry, bagging 30,000 tonnes of finfish, baitfish, prawns and crabs each year, injected $1.86 billion into the economy in 2000-01, the $3 million survey found.
© 2003 Sydney Morning Herald