The Hon Katrina Hodgkinson MP

Minister for Primary Industries

Minister for Small Business

MEDIA RELEASE

Tuesday, 13 December 2011

Native fish across NSW are set to benefit from almost $550,000 worth of grants for onground fish rehabilitation projects, Minister for Primary Industries, Katrina Hodgkinson announced today.

Ms Hodgkinson said Habitat Action Grants will be provided for a range of projects across NSW using funds from the NSW Recreational Fishing Trusts.

“Twenty-five Habitat Action Grants have been allocated this year to recreational anglers, community groups, landholders and local councils to restore and rehabilitate freshwater and saltwater fish habitats,” Ms Hodgkinson said.

“The Habitat Action Grants are another great example of how money raised from the recreational fishing fee is being used to support the improvement of fish populations across NSW.

“Rehabilitation of fish habitat will provide long-term sustainable benefits for native fish stocks which will ultimately provide a substantial benefit for anglers and provide more opportunities for rural and regional communities to promote local tourism.

“Recreational angling is the backbone of many local communities, stimulating the local economy and bringing jobs and investment.

“The ultimate outcome of these projects is more fish in our waterways,” Ms Hodgkinson said.

The 25 projects that were funded cover many popular fishing spots in NSW and include:

• Saltmarsh and mangrove rehabilitation in a number of coastal estuaries;
• Opening up nearly 100 kilometres of habitat for fish through the remediation of three fish passage barriers in the Hunter and Central West catchments;
• Enhancing in-stream habitat through river bank stabilisation and the installation of woody habitat such as the construction of snag complexes in the Macquarie Rivulet and the Hunter, Talbragar and Queanbeyan rivers; and
• Restoration of fish nursery areas such as significant coastal wetlands at Tomago Wetland in the Hunter Estuary, Belmore Wetland in the Macleay catchment and Tambourine Bay Wetland on the Lane Cover River.

All money raised by the NSW Recreational Fishing Fee are placed into the NSW Recreational Fishing Trusts and spent on improving recreational fishing in NSW.

For more information on the Habitat Action Grants visit www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fisheries.