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.

The event will follow the unveiling of Bryan’s plaque. Come for both.
The final Sunday of Fly Casting for the Public will also be held at Googong Dam (at the public barbecues near the boat ramp) from 10:00 to midday on Sunday 29 September. This will be an opportunity to help beginning casters get a line into the water and maybe catch a redfin. The sausage sizzle will be a celebration of the end of another very successful CAA event so bring your coins. The major raffle prize will be a Hawk fly fishing rod with a reel and line and another framed Trevor Hawkins trout fly fishing artwork will be exchanged for a two dollar raffle ticket – WHAT A BARGAIN!!! A NEW FLY ROD AND AN INSPIRATIONAL ART WORK!!!

Note that a NSW Fishing Licence is required for fishing at Googong.

It has been one year since the passing of Canberra’s recreational fishing identity Dr Bryan Pratt. As well as establishing the A.C.T. Parks and Conservation Service he lobbied strenuously to have Googong Dam stocked with fish and opened to recreational angling. Many of you will recall his willingness to provide angling advice from his fishing tackle shops in Canberra and his relaxed and humorous fishing stories from behind the counter.

In memory of Dr Pratt, Canberra Anglers’ Association, of which he was long time President, has arranged for a memorial plaque to be placed overlooking his beloved Googong Dam.

As part of bringing science into trout management DPI have been investing in some very innovative spawning run monitoring equipment. Check out this Facebook post – has an impressive video.

No need for you to have Facebook to view.

https://www.facebook.com/142000969329939/posts/1125445357652157/?app=fbl

The Recreational Fishing NSW Ministerial Advisory Council has been moribund for most of this year. Recall its responsibilities including oversight of spending of licence fees.

Finally, DPI has put out a request for expressions of interest from recreational anglers to join this body. Steve Samuels has been our voice on this body and I’m hoping he’ll re-apply, but others should think about it too.

Expression of Interest site, including remuneration and selection criteria is here.

More about the regions that members each represent is here.

Applications close on 29 Sep.

CAA has been successful in its bid to the $for$ native fish stocking program. Recreational Fishing Trust Funds dollars (ie our licence fees) will provide $2,000 to match $2,000 from club funds (this encompasses around $1,200 granted to CAA for stocking purposes from the wind up of the CRFA).

Jason M is project lead and no doubt will be looking for volunteers to help. Expect an email to all members soon.

Well done to JM for putting together this successful bid – I believe based on last year’s bid put together by Lyall. Last year’s $for$ did not go ahead due to poor conditions and competing demands for fish out of the hatcheries.

Did everyone note that Ash’s 60.5cm yellowbelly beat his 100cm cod this year for the Keith Shield’s Natives trophy? This is all due to CAA Native Fish calculator, designed to level the playing field for our different sized natives. The yella scored 85% vs cod 74%.

The key parameters in the calculator are the legal length in NSW and the length record as managed by ANSA. NSW length rules are unchanged and the record for the fish in the calculator has not been exceeded. So the calculator remains valid. I’ve now updated the page to show it is in effect for trophy year 2019-2020

You may remember our news post about the National Waterbug Blitz and that Jaime was negotiating for CAA to join in.

He tells us we’re in. We’ll be partnering with a local Waterwatch group who have experience in the conduct of the survey.

Pencil in Sat 16 Nov. We’ll be getting access through the Tidbinbilla Road gate for easy access to the survey site around Vanity’s Crossing. More info from Jaime soon.

Meantime read about this national program here:

2019-08-12 Media Release – National Waterbug Blitz Launch

We’ve just received this from Steve Samuels and the MAS.

After discussing with Steve can I dismiss one misconception, it was said to me that the grown out fish would not be permitted to be stocked into Tantangara due to National Par rules on introduced species. 1. Trout are already stocked in KNP eg the Thredbo, besides which 2. Tantangara lake is owned by Snowy Hydro. I should also add that MAS are quite confident that engineering efforts to develop barriers to redfin escaping down the Bidgee or through the Portal will be successful.

You will be aware that the Snowy Hydro 2.0 project poses a threat to Tantangara Dam with the possibility that redfin will be pumped into it from Talbingo Dam. The Monaro Acclimatisation Society (MAS) began negotiations over this with Snowy Hydro the day the project was announced by former PM, Malcolm Turnbull.

The MAS has taken a pragmatic view on this issue. We knew that it would be impossible to stop the project due the high level of commitment from the Federal and State Governments. Instead we started negotiating with Snowy Hydro to see if we could formulate a recreational fishing offset that could be implemented to protect Tantangara if redfin did get in.

Our experience in NSW is that wherever redfin have invaded a trout fishery, the trout (especially the rainbow trout) fail to thrive. The redfin prey on the naturally spawned young as well as the small fingerlings we stock.

We are aware that in Victoria, the preference there is to stock larger trout in redfin affected waters and this has had good success. However, in NSW we are very limited in the number of larger trout we can grow out for stocking. Both our hatcheries are not capable of producing the large number required if we were to make an impact on redfin.

The MAS has presented the idea of building a trout grow-out facility which would consist of grow-out cages to get the trout from 50mm to about 200mm. These bigger trout would be used to stock Tantangara if redfin got in there, but in the meantime they could be used to stock other Snowy waters that have redfin such as Khancoban Dam, or they could be used to bolster our stocking of other Snowy waters.

The attached Joint Statement outlines our agreement with Snowy Hydro to work towards a recreational fishing offset that will compensate anglers for the threat to Tantangara Dam.

At this time the agreement is to investigate the possibilities, but the MAS is committed to providing the best outcome possible to maintain Tantangara as a trout fishery of significance and the MAS will be developing a plan to put forward to Snowy Hydro and other stakeholders such as NSW Fisheries, local communities and the Council.

The MAS will keep anglers advised of our negotiations and updates will be posted on our website. http://www.monarofishsociety.org/

For further information please contact MAS or Burley Line via the CAA website

Media release – Working with fishing community