Wentworth, NSW 2023
4 litter
removal events completed
2 community
catch-a-carp events completed
1 yabby trap drop spot
event to remove illegal opera house nets from the Lower Darling region
Empowering Rec Fishers
With over 900,000 recreational anglers in the Murray Darling Basin (NSW DPI 2019), recreational fishers can play a major role in identifying issues, participating in action, and contributing to the protection and conservation of their local waterways.
This project aimed to improve the health of the Lower Darling River by reducing rubbish found in the waterway, reducing invasive pest species and removing illegal opera house nets from the region.
Community events
Utilising our River Repair Bus Program, OzFish Unlimited, local recreational fishers, Landcare NSW, and Indigenous community organisations undertook two community catch a carp-days, four community litter collection events and one yabby net drop off within the Lower Darling River.
We worked alongside our stakeholders and ran free catch-a-carp days to remove pest species. These community events gave the opportunity for locals to learn key fishing activities and fishery science. This involved OzFish employees discussing general fish biology, river ecology, pest species and sustainable fishing practices with attendees.
In addition, we hosted community outreach days, which involved discussing the project outcomes at fish and environmental related events.
This project also value-added to previous habitat restoration projects completed within the Lower Darling River.
Waste removal
About two million tonnes of plastics enter waterways from rivers and creeks each year. Rubbish destroys our favourite waterways by leeching toxins into the environment, and it also breaks down and becomes ingested by organisms such as fish. For fish this can lead to either entanglement or slow starvation, as well as the detrimental effects on water quality. The removal of illegally dumped rubbish will improve water quality and the health of the riparian zone, whilst enhancing the experiences of recreational fishers and other members of the community. .
