Landcare and OzFish partnership to restore 40 waterways in two years

OzFish and Landcare New South Wales will restore 40 creeks and rivers across the state over the next two years, following the announcement of support from the NSW Recreational Fishing Trust.

OzFish welcomes the support announced this week by Minister for Agriculture and Regional NSW, Tara Moriarty, and Minister for Recovery, Small Business and the North Coast, Janelle Saffin, as it will help to make NSW waterways healthier—and more fishable.

In the past five years, OzFish chapters and NSW Landcare groups have worked together to make 100 NSW waterways more fishable, planting 63,795 native trees and shrubs, restoring 100 kilometres of riverbank and installing 198 habitat structures for native fish.

OzFish NSW Coast Manager Ryan Lungu said, “This support will allow us to return to 40 of these creeks and rivers to expand upon the work that has begun, and to continue to grow the partnership between recreational fishers and local Landcare groups.”

“These community-driven projects increase populations of fish by restoring habitat and provide a platform for long-term fisher stewardship over waterways by increasing the capability of local fishing and Landcare communities, and combining our efforts. These projects also raise awareness of both the need and value of fish habitat rehabilitation in communities across NSW, and the role that recreational fishers are playing in this work.”

Landcare NSW Chair Gareth Johnston said, “Since 2020, Landcare NSW has worked in partnership with OzFish to initiate 100 partnership projects across the state, empowering grassroots Landcare groups to collaborate with recreational fishers and their communities on local fish habitat restoration projects.

This partnership combines the skills and experience of Landcare members with the passion of recreational fishers working together to address significant ecological challenges affecting our waterways, resulting in stronger, healthier waterways and thriving fish habitats across NSW.”

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About OzFish

OzFish is a not-for-profit member organisation that partners with fishers and the broader community to invest time and money into the restoration of waterways, counteracting decades of degradation with projects in habitat restoration, re-snagging, riverbank planting, clean-ups, fishways, shellfish reefs and educational and community capacity-building programs.