Local fishers band together to enhance fish habitat at Emigrant Creek
A dedicated team of almost thirty OzFish volunteers and community members came together to restore a critical riparian zone at Emigrant Creek to help native fish.
The volunteers planted 1550 native trees and shrubs along an 800m stretch of creek bank to enhance fish habitat which will aid recreational fishing in the Northern NSW region.
Emigrant Creek is critical habitat for key recreational fishing species as well as native turtles and platypus. The plants are already providing shade, bank stability, overhang and insect fall for local populations of bass, bream, mullet, flathead and more.
The final result will be a healthy, intact corridor of riparian vegetation over 2.5kms long providing significant improvements to the health of the creek as well as improving the water quality feeding into the Richmond River catchment.
OzFish Richmond River President Mr John Larsson is excited at the prospects of making a difference to fish habitat in the area.
“The Richmond River continues to struggle with various stresses affecting water quality and general river health. This riparian work we have underway for Emigrant Creek near Ballina and Tintenbar NSW, will slowly begin to repair this damage,” Mr Larsson said.
“This work adds to the trees for fish program that OzFish members planted on the opposing bank two years ago with the assistance of Ballina Shire Council and major partner BCF. Those two thousand trees are now forming a thriving riparian zone and many are well over 3m tall,” said Mr Larsson.
Local landowners have been working closely with OzFish fish habitat experts for some time to restore this vital corridor.
“Here at Forest Farm we are so grateful for the dedication of the volunteers from OzFish and for the opportunity provided by the Habitat Action Grant to protect and regenerate our section of Emigrant Creek,” said Mr Herrington.
“We’ve already noticed a difference to the water quality in the creek following cattle exclusion from the riparian zone and seeing the native grasses and reeds return to the melaleuca swampland has been a joy to watch.
“Planting 1550 trees in one day was a remarkable achievement,” stated Mr Herrington.
The need for more habitat within the coastal catchments is critical and this project is just another way OzFish and community partners are working towards a healthy, vibrant and more productive fishery.
Funding for this project was provided by NSW DPI Fisheries’ Recreational Fishing Trust’s Habitat Action Grant Program along with cash and in-kind support from BCF – Boating, Camping and Fishing stores and local landholders.
The Habitat Action Grant Program is financed from funds generated through collection of the recreational fishing licence fee in NSW and is managed by NSW DPI Fisheries on behalf of the Recreational Fishing Trust.
