Viv's Column

POLICING THE SPAWNING STREAMS.

As a Fisheries Inspector with the Inland Fisheries Service one of the main duties this time of the year is to police the numerous spawning streams throughout the state. These days, apart from the cold, it’s a pleasure to police the creeks as we have nowhere near the problems we encountered in the 70s and 80s.

Back in those bad old days it was a regular occurrence for our compliance staff to apprehend 30 to 40 poachers during the spawning season, these days if we are lucky to catch two or three.

I remember two of us in the early eighties apprehended twelve poachers in twelve hours from 8pm to 8am at Hydro Creek, Arthur’s Lake, they just kept coming and we just kept booking them.

In my opinion one of the main reasons for the improvements was the dedication of our compliance team who regularly stuck their neck out day after day as well as higher penalties which hit the habitual offenders where it hurts. Another factor that have no doubt helped in later years are the gun laws, I remember in one spawning season back in the late 70s our compliance team confiscated nine firearms from people shooting spawning fish.

Most people these days are better educated and realise that taking spawning fish is a major threat to our fishery.

For instance an experienced poacher can take as many fish in an hour as it would take the average angler a season to catch on rod and line.

But if that poacher gets caught today, it could cost between two and three thousand dollars and the loss of all gear used in the offence.

As mentioned above people are better educated these days and are very willing to protect their fishery by passing on information to the Inland Fisheries Service.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those people, who regularly contact our staff with valuable information, we are extremely grateful.

Viv Spencer

Senior Inspector

Inland Fisheries Service.