The original strategy was started in 2003 and delivered a basin-wide approach to rehabilitating native fish communities in the Murray-Darling Basin, aiming to achieve 60 per cent of the estimated pre-European fish populations.
Shooters Fishers and Farmers Party candidate for Murray Helen Dalton said it was abandoned under a directive from then Nationals Minister Katrina Hodgkinson when funding was withdrawn.
The strategy had support from fishing groups, including the Edward-Wakool Angling Association. Its president Troy Bright said governments should re-commit to the strategy.
“The Native Fish Strategy brought a basin-wide approach to fish and management of fisheries, which we lost in 2012, and look where we are now. All state governments need to re-commit to the plan and provide funding for a 10 year phase to start straight away.
“Our local Members of Parliament should be fighting for this, for the benefit of native fish and the recreational fishers in the basin.”
Mr Bright said he was contacted by Mrs Dalton and they have met twice to discuss recreational fishing and the actions needed to encourage native fish populations.
“Recreational fishing is important for towns like Deniliquin and surrounding districts, and we need both local and basin-wide projects to protect our native fish.
“At present we don’t have that, and the situation at Menindee is a stark reminder that we are failing native fish in the basin,” he said.
Mr Bright believes we need agreed targets to achieve a guaranteed end of system flow, with appropriate contributions for all systems including the Darling. With annual rainfall in the northern rivers averaging 4000 gigalitres, Menindee should rarely go offline, and embargoes need to be placed on small to medium translucent flows during dry periods.
“We did it here during the drought in the Wakool River, so why can’t it happen now in the Darling? Flood plain harvesting also needs a real shake up, as it is these flows that make or break the system,” Mr Bright said.
Mrs Dalton said she was keen to work with local people who know the rivers to achieve effective solutions.
“When I talk to recreational fishers I am continually impressed at their knowledge of local and basin-wide issues. They get involved in local projects such as restocking and habitat works, showing what can be done when governments support local groups to help manage the rivers and wetlands.
“I will fight for more localised project approaches, but also push for a return of the Native Fish Strategy.”
Mr Dalton also expressed concern at the impacts on the environment of current water delivery.
“For example, flooding of the Barmah Choke as they try to push water down to South Australia is undoing the good work from local projects. Not only is it limiting access in the forest for fishers and other visitors, but fishermen are telling me they are catching small carp in their shrimp traps, as they breed in these summer floodwaters.
“We have to stop providing ideal carp breeding conditions, which is sacrificing the local environment purely to send huge quantities of water to SA for its recreation.
“We are forcing water down to the bottom end of the system, but at the same time we are wrecking the top end. This doesn’t make sense and it has to stop,” Mrs Dalton said.
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