Stop Press, just in from Jaime:

Spotted this on the MAS website. Rod Whiteway has penned an excellent piece summarizing the past season on the lower Monaro around the Kybeyan River. Rod is on the MAS executive and expresses his concerns in respect to the effects of the current drought and paucity of insect life.

Here.

Recently received from MAS. The EIS is a huge document but the Society Executive have been able to identify some key issues. The relevant section of the EIS is reproduced along with the MAS response. Quite easy reading.

MASResponsetoEIS

All the info here.

DETAILS
Date:
November 23
Time:
10:00 am – 4:15 pm
Cost:
Free
Event Tags:
talk wild trout, Trout, trout conference, trout fishing, wild trout
Website:
https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/talk-wild-trout-2019-tickets-62898338624/amp

VENUE
Mansfield Performing Arts Centre
View Street
Mansfield, VIC 3722 Australia

There has been a change approved by the committee to the program for May 2020. I have corrected our events web page in accordance with Stefan’ advice:

For May 2020, the CFA Interclub is scheduled for 1 -3 May at Wallerawang, (I will be assisting with the event) and we should again try and entice a participant group from CAA; Fly Fish Aus will conduct their competition 9-10 May at Tumut; and

I will organise for 22 -24 May for a CAA club outing to the usual Tumut region.

This will give people a weekend either side to pursue fish in other environs before the close-of-season bash on 8 June (Queens birthday) as well. Plenty of time to fish!

The latest report is here with a mix of good and disappointing news.

GadenSep2019

The federal Department of Agriculture is doing an electronic survey regarding the sharing of fishing resources. The survey is available at this link.

The survey closes on 21 October 2019

Recently in from Antia

Got this from MAS:

As you will be aware the Monaro Acclimatisation Society Inc has been negotiating with Snowy Hydro for a Recreational Fishing Offset (RFO) to compensate anglers for the possibility of Redfin Perch and/or the Epizootic Haematopoietic Necrosis Virus (EHNV) being pumped into Tantangara Dam when Snowy 2.0 begins operation. An important part of the approvals process being undertaken by Snowy Hydro is the development of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).

(Editor: For those of you who like summaries, the EIS is summarised here)

Snowy Hydro have released the EIS for public comment and it can be found at this link.https://www.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/major-projects/project/12891
This EIS is very lengthy and has over 1,800 pages. The Executive of the MAS are going through the document and we will make a submission. To assist those out there wanting to make a personal or club submission we have skimmed through the document and have identified the following chapters as being relevant to the impact on trout from redfin / EHNV being pumped into Lake Tantangara.

• EIS – Summary
• EIS – Main Report Part 2
• Appendix – G Mitigation measures table
• Appendix – I Stakeholder engagement report
• Appendix – M.2 Aquatic ecology assessment
• Appendix – M.3 Offset strategy
• Appendix – X.2 Recreational user impacts statement

One important thing to remember when reading this document is to understand that while mention is made of redfin and EHNV the scale of impact on trout has not been assessed. This is because the EIS is restricted to the impact on native species. However, reading through the document it will be noted that redfin/EHNV is of concern to the future of Tantangara Dam.
To this end the MAS will continue to negotiate with Snowy Hydro for the protection of the Tantangara trout fishery and we will continue to push for a strong RFO.
Steve Samuels
President
Monaro Acclimatisation Society Inc

(Closes around end of Oct)

Seems there are two currently being conducted and these, amongst other things, will provide evidence of the economic benefits and value of recreational angling. I’d suggest everyone consider participating.

With the first one, randomly selected NSW Licence holders will be asked to undertake the survey … it could be you!

The second is being conducted by the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation. An Australia wide statutory body.

Read more about both of these in the October issue of the NSW RFA newsletter.