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East Gippsland Chapter

The Chapter came about because a passionate local fisher realised that he wanted to give back to his favourite waterways. After he chatted to and recruited a couple of mates, the Chapter was ready to get to work.

Members love to be out and about on the water whether they’re fishing, monitoring the health of the environment, cleaning up waterways or just enjoying the great outdoors.

Surrounded by picturesque national parks that connect to the coastline, the region is home to one of Victoria’s two UNSECO Biosphere Reserve. Chapter members love living in one of Australia’s unspoilt wilderness where natural beauty and living culture come together.

The OzFish East Gippsland Chapter is always on the lookout to give back to the community and have a good time doing it. They are a diverse and inclusive group of fishers who gladly welcome new members.

East Gippsland

The area the Chapter covers encompasses all of East Gippsland.

Here, the traditional owners and custodians of the land and water are the Bidwell and Gunai people.

Thus far, the Chapter’s focus has been on the Eastern section of the Gippy Lakes and the main waterways Genoa, Cann, Bemm, Snowy, Tambo, Nicholson and Mitchell. These waterways provide many of Victoria’s best fishing, swimming, camping, boating and scenic attractions.

The 350 km sq which make up the Gippsland Lakes is primarily a black bream fishery, but they are also home to many other native species including yellowfin bream, flathead, King George whiting, luderick (black fish), estuary perch. In recent times, the yellow-tail kingfish have been showing up and in increasing numbers, providing anglers with the chance to tangle with a species normally only available only to the offshore boats.

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Nicholson River Revegetation

Thanks to support from Shimano, Chapter members and volunteers planted an impressive 1000 native shrubs on the banks of the Nicholson River.

Native vegetation along creek banks is a direct source of food for native fish, with up to 60% of some species diet consisting of terrestrial insects that live off plants close to water.

The vegetation will also create habitat for a range of species including fish, prevent erosion, and improve the water quality by balancing oxygen and nutrients.

Clean-Up Australia Day

OzFishers all over Australia host Clean Up Australia Day events every year on the first weekend in March.

Getting involved in a clean up event is a fantastic way to give back to the waterways and fish that you love.

The Chapter hold events in the area each year and are passionate about looking after their local habitats.

If you’d like to lend a helping hand this Clean Up Australia Day, the East Gippy Chapter would love to hear from you.

Working together

The Chapter regularly collaborates with other organisations, local government and Landcare groups to achieve positive outcomes for fish habitat projects,

They have partnered with Victorian Fisheries Authority, helping out with a variety of projects. These include tagging species for the golden tag initiative, and catching brood stock for the VFA’s estuary perch program.

They also took part in the Pesticide Detectives citizen science project providing water samples from the three main feeding rivers in the Gippy Lakes.

Up and Coming

Bushfire Recovery Plans

The Chapter hopes to add support to a local Landcare group to repair some fire-damaged areas along the bank of the Tambo River.

Fish Castles in the King

With the support of the Victorian Fisheries Authority (VFA), the Chapter is going to work with the East Gippsland Catchment Management Authority (EGCMA) to construct a shellfish reef in the margins of Lake King.

LATEST NEWS

Tree Planting Restores Fish Habitat Along Nicholson River

A band of dedicated recreational fishers we will be out planting trees and shrubs along the Nicholson River to restore fish habitat on Saturday 26 October. Some 1,500 trees and shrubs will be planted by an expected 30 community volunteers. OzFish East Gippsland Chapter president Peter Stephens urged any interested locals to get involved.

Find Out More

Continue the conversation with the East Gippsland Chapter by following them on Facebook or tagging @OzFishEastGippsland

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