Minutes Sept 2013

ANGLERS ALLIANCE TASMANIAMINUTES OF GENERAL MEETINGSunday 15 September 2013 at Zeps Campbell TownPresentMike Stevens ATFA Chair, Terry Byard STLAA Vice Chair, Gary France TGALT Exec Committee,Malcolm Crosse Exec Committee, John Diggle IFS, John Broomby Northern Forum, Charles and Sheryl Thompson NWFA, Amos Mapleston STLAA, Alan Gordon Break O’Day FFC, Bruce Gilham Corralin Fly Fishing and Casting Assoc. Roger Butler TGALT, Frank Hussey Guest,Colin Shepherd DPIPWE Guest, Denis Edwards Exec AssistantApologiesMichael Caminada, Greg Peart, Phil Williams, Adrian Hope, Leroy TirantMinutes of previous meetingMotion “to accept the minutes of the meeting held 2 June 2013”Moved, Gary France. Seconded, Terry Byard.FinancialsFinancial statement tabled showing –TRADING A/C 17-1550 $21,153.66 CRMonies Due $12,000GRANT A/C 47-7934 $ 331.32 CRMike Stevens suggested that projects be found to use this money.Inland Fisheries ReportJohn Diggle tabled a comprehensive IFS report that included the following –Anglers Access The Mersey River Anglers Access project was opened by Minister Bryan Green on 16th August, and brochures are available on the IFS and AAT websites.Work has commenced on the Derwent River Anglers Access project and an application for TCF funding for the South Esk Anglers Access project is under way.Recreational Boating Fund MAST funding has seen the construction by IFS of a new concrete ramp at Woods Lake. MAST has completed a new ramp at Lake Burbury camp ground and installed Fleximat at Tooms Lake.MAST funding to IFS will see a new ramp and pontoon at Bradys Lake and navigation lights at 27 inland water boat ramps. Hydro has contributed $80,000 and Central Highlands Council $10,000 in kind support.Lake Kara will have screens installed on the spillway and track clearing has improved foot access. Regulations will be reviewed for the 2014-15 season.Lamberts Dam A crossing is proposed for use when dam is spilling .Arthurs Lake Following four winters of ideal spawning conditions the falling size of fish, due to increased recruitment during these cycles, is being addressed by proposed control infrastructure on the relatively small number of major spawning creeks. This will also allow the transfer of adult browns to other waters.Monitoring of brown trout spawning runs in Great Lake and Arthurs Lake showed a downturn in the average size, with a predominance of young fish 3-4 yrs old in good condition predominant.In the last week of Sept a netting and electrofishing survey of Arthurs Lake will be carried out.River electrofishing surveys of 11 rivers were carried out late in Feb 2013 and showed low numbers of brown trout throughout the state and is thought to be due to the high population of cormorants in the state. Previous studies have found that within 5yrs of high cormorant predation a full recovery can be expected.Policy review of farm dam stocking across the state is under way.Compliance statistics for 2012/2013 were tabledBiological Consultancy IFS carried out the following services –• Assessment and transfer of native fish from below the Bastyan Dam to Lake Pieman.• Monitoring of the threatened native fish populations at Great Lake for Hydro Tas.• Surveys for the presence and distribution of pest fish in the Rubicon, Sassafras and Winnaleah irrigation districts for Tas Irrigation.Hatchery report The hatchery has produced the best hatch to date – 480,000 brown diploid fry and 260,000 brown triploid fry. Rainbow trout ova harvest will begin in mid Sept and should fulfil the annual stocking plan of 400,000 rainbow diploid fry and 70,000 rainbow triploid fry.Stocking Latest stocking charts were tabledRegulation changes 2014/15 season A wide raft of changes being considered was tabled and clubs that want input should contact Rob Freeman at the IFS ph 6261 8050Angling Licence Sales To date IFS has issued 46% of the full year figures of the 28,652 licences sold in 2012/13, including 958 five season licences.Four Springs Survey of the % of tagged and released trout from Liawenee spawning run in May gave an estimated population of between 13,500 and 22,700 adult brown trout, which is higher than anticipated with most trout in the 1-1.8 kg range. Rainbow trout captures were low at 8-11% of the catch.Native Fish Conservation Summary 2012/2013 was tabled for the Peddar galaxias in the Strathgordon Water Supply Dam ; the saddled galaxias and the Arthurs paragalaxias at Arthurs and Woods Lakes; the Shannon and Great Lake paragalaxias in Great Lake, Shannon Lagoon and Penstock; the Golden galaxias at lakes Sorell and Crescent ; the Swan galaxias in various waters and the Clarence galaxias in a number of locations.Fisheries Performance Assessment Statewide River Surveys-2013 was tabled and an enlightening comparison with previous surveys clearly shows a significant decline in trout numbers in Tasmanian rivers, and this was confirmed by the 2011/12 Angler Postal Survey. Anecdotally it appears that cormorant numbers have already reduced and evidence from previous surveys indicates that recovery from post cormorant population explosion takes at least three years.Discussion followed on some rivers eg Rubicon that are suffering low or no flow due to on stream irrigation dams with apparently no environmental or cease to take flows. Terry Byard will check with DPIPWE flow records.Bureau of MeteorologyAAT attended a BOM meeting that reviewed the use of AAT webcams and possible improvements and additions such as weather stations and possible future camera locations.Malcolm Crosse will meet with Simon McCulloch to discuss.The new BOM forecast site MetEye with 3 hourly forecasts was reviewed and is a great tool for anglers - www.bom.gov.au/australia/meteye/World Heritage Area ExtensionColin Shepherd the DPIPWE project manager for the new WHA management plan review gave an interesting and succinct overview of the management of this complex area and is calling for submissions from all interested groups.A number of topics were discussed including netting in Macquarie Harbour, Kerrisons Hut,Bernacchi Lodge, Gunns and Little Lakes etc .The meeting resolved that AAT do a submission to the Management Review.Trout Sesquicentenary Roger Butler introduced Frank Hussey and they outlined TGALT’s plans for events and activities to celebrate this milestone. Under way is a 60 minute documentary on the introduction of trout to Tasmania which will be widely distributed and publicised.Following the 150th Stakeholders meeting at Tourism Tas Frank Hussey has produced and submitted, on behalf of TGALT, an Events Grant application to prepare a major Events funding application that it is then hoped will allow the employment of a manager to co-ordinate the year long activities.Should this be successful, TGALT/Frank Hussey will be seeking further input and support from AAT in a major funding approach to the Government to allow co-ordination of the 150th state wide activities.AAT will investigate the possibility of a re-enactment of the ova delivery on the Derwent River and Salmon Ponds as part of the Derwent Valley Autumn Festival.Webcams and Kashmir troutMalcolm Crosse reported that –• The cameras will be reset to operate year round from 0500 to 2200 hrs.• Picture quality is the best 3G will allow• The addition of weather stations would require a rebuild of the camera stations.• Camera in the SW is possible depending on 3G signal eg St Clair, King William etc• Media launch should be done with BOM / ABC• Since the start of the trout season the webcams have had 2000 hits/monthMalcolm also gave a brief and enlightening audio visual presentation of his recent trip to Kashmir, fishing this incredible and under used trout fishery. In his true style Malcolm has got himself involved writing a report, for the Kashmir Director of Fisheries and Minister of Tourism, to explore the tourism potential of the fishery .CommunicationsMike Stevens talked on the need for better communication from the AAT to a wider audience and suggested that the website used in conjunction with Facebook may achieve this. Mike will write a paper to flesh this out.Habitat FundThe transfer of this fund is painfully slow but underway.Correspondence• Walls of Jerusalem NP Recreation Zone Plan2013, AAT submission has been lodged.• Lake Lea, letter written to owner of private land.• Liawenee Ranger, awaiting a reply to a reply to the Ministers reply.• Gowan Brae, Mike Stevens having difficulty in getting a reply.• Quarantine, awaiting a reply• River flows, awaiting a reply from DPIPWE• Mersey- Forth newsletter tabled• PowerCom, thankyou letter writtenTrout ExpoGary France reminded us that the Trout Expo is on this weekend at Brumbys CreekConstitution and Code of PracticeThe revised Constitution and Code of Practice were tabled and the amendments and adoption of these will be voted on at the AGM on Sun Nov 17th 2013.NEXT MEETING is the AGM on Sun 17 Nov 2013ACTION LISTALL CLUBS Any IFS Regulation changes neededCheck Constitution amendments and Code of PracticeTB/DE WHA submissionRiver flowsDE Sesquicentenary , liase with Derwent Valley CouncilMC BOM/ABC meetingMS Communications paper