Light up to fish Awoonga

News release | 09 November, 2006

Department of Primary Industries & Fisheries
http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/cps/rde/xchg/dpi/hs.xsl/30_3440_ENA_HTML.htm 

More than 100 fishing vessels a day have been counted on Gladstone´s Awoonga Dam within the past few weeks with reported catches of barramundi up to 130 cm in length proving to be an irresistible fishers´ magnet.

Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries field officer Ashley Wright said that during routine Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol surveillance at the dam, it was noted that a significant proportion of the boats on the water between sunset and sunrise were not equipped with or were not displaying mandatory navigation lights.

Mr Wright said that with such a high volume of boating activity on a dam where visibility can be restricted, it was extremely important that all vessels operating after sunset or restricted visibility displayed the correct navigational lighting.

"Vessels require port (red) and starboard (green) navigation lights as well as a stern light or an all round white light (masthead light) while underway which includes drifting or trolling at slow speeds," Mr Wright said.

"When anchored at night, an all round white light is required to allow other vessels to clearly identify your boat´s position."

Mr Wright said Queensland´s east coast barramundi closed season currently enforced from midday November 1 to midday February 1 does not apply to Awoonga Dam, an impoundment operated by the Gladstone Area Water Board and stocked annually with barramundi fingerlings.

Awoonga Dam is not included in the State Government´s listing of 18 dams and lakes where anglers are required to purchase a Stocked Impoundment Permit to fish.

Mr Wright said the stocked impoundment take and possession limit of one barramundi during the closed spawning season still applied to Awoonga Dam.

"Recreational anglers can continue fishing once they have reached their limit of one barramundi which can be greater than 120 cm provided they then catch and release.

"While in possession of a barramundi from Awoonga Dam during the closed season, a person cannot take barramundi in any other waters besides the dam," Mr Wright said.