AAT General Meeting 30th May 2021

MINUTES OF THE GENERAL MEETING

10am Sunday 30 May 2021

Great Lake Community Centre, Miena   

Present

Gary France Chair, Howard Jones Exec Committee, Malcolm Crosse Exec Committee, Michael Caminada Exec Committee, Jonathan Wadwell  STLAA Delegate, Wayne Bellette Tas Fly Tyers Club, Alan Gordon BOD Sports Anglers, Keith Symons Indep South, John Diggle IFS, Guest Speaker Adam Chapman, Environmental Manager Freshwater Operations, Huon Aquaculture,  Denis Edwards Exec Officer     

Apologies

Terry Byard, Mark Rockliff, John Broomby

Guest Speaker Adam Chapman Environmental Manager Freshwater Operations, Huon Aquaculture.

Adam gave a very informative presentation on the management of Huon Aquaculture’s freshwater hatcheries and explained the water testing regime that includes monthly testing above hatchery inlets and below hatchery outlets. The detailed results of sampling over the last 5 years have shown stable or improved outlet water conditions as hatcheries have been upgraded .

AAT’s Position Paper on hatcheries to be reviewed   

Inland Fisheries Service Report

John Diggle talked on current IFS matters including –

• > Licence sales are up and should be 26,000 to 27,000 for the year

• > Stocking program is under way

• > Tooms Lake survey has shown that while the rainbow trout are in good condition, the brown trout are in poor condition and it is thought that this may be due to turbid water, making it difficult for the trout to see and feed on the galaxias. Lake Leake fish are in very good condition.

• > Lake Sorell is recovering well

• > The number of tagged fish, with prize money for capture, has been increased and put in more lakes.

• > IFS have received more funding from the government for Anglers Access

Questions were taken from the floor and all news/information is available on the IFS website.

MINUTES of the last GM and matters arising

The minutes of the previous meeting held on 28 Feb 2021 at the Great Lake Community Centre were tabled

M Crosse moved that the minutes be accepted. Seconded : J Wadwell

Matters Arising:

M Crosse reported that 18 eagle nest sites have now been located on the proposed

St Patricks Plains windfarm and that the latest research may result in increased diameter of exclusion zones, making the proposal less viable. The “No Turbine Action Group” is now pursuing this promising line of action.

Financials

The current balances of the four bank accounts were tabled and accepted.

Little Pine/ Bronte water level management

Lowering of end of the season water levels in Little Pine and Bronte prevented boats from being launched at Little Pine and the Little Pine venue of the  Australian Fly Fishing Championships had to be relocated. Correspondence including letters to the Minister complaining of the un-timely problem were tabled.

Discussions are to be held with Hydro, IFS and MAST to review the matter . J Diggle reported that N Morrow is working on an alternative boat ramp design for Little Pine. 

Van Diemens Dairies effluent storage

AAT’s  Position Paper was tabled which notes that an audit in Feb. this year 83% of the company’s 23 farms failed to comply with the “Dairy Farm Premises Effluent Management Code” with the Welcome River that flows through these properties the poorest performing waterway listed in the 2016 Governments own “Review of Tasmanian River Health Monitoring Program”   

A recent change of ownership requires a review of AAT’s approach and a look at the opportunities that this may present to the problems of management of effluent from the dairy farms.

Hall of Fame

Malcolm Crosse will be inducted into the Tasmanian Angling Hall of Fame and G France explained the HOF Committees selection process leading to Malcolm being selected from  two other nominees.    

Great Lake Tie-In 2021

The Great Lake Tie-In will be held 10am to 3pm Sat 16 Oct 2021 with the Inland Fisheries information session 7pm Fri 15 Oct 2021; both at the Great Lake Community Centre, Miena.  Details on Great Lake Tie-In Facebook page.       

General Business

Bronte Fly Fishing School W Bellette reported that the land that this event is held on is up for sale and may affect future access. N Morrow is looking at alternatives

Webcams J Wadwell reported that some replacement batteries will be needed in the near future. He also suggested that the aboriginal name “yingina” for Great Lake be included on the webcam page. M Crosse reported that the Lake Pedder webcam is still being negotiated with Hydro.

Rural Water Use Strategy  Write letter to Minister asking why the RWUS has failed to respond to initial submissions from respondents to the position paper. 

Eel Fishing M Caminada reported eel traps had been left in Blackman’s Lagoon for over 3 weeks and questioned the length of time allowed.

OzFish representative in Tasmania, Kate Ward, is now talking to clubs about membership.

Highlands Bushfest on again this year on 20 &21 Nov

Penstock Lagoon M Crosse reported that a request to Hydro to remove some dangerous trees near the carpark received a negative response (be careful where you park!)

Gunns Lake and Little Lake access damage  AAT has responded to Hydros request for anglers

suggestions on a solution for this issue 

Heffords Rd dam South Esk River  H Jones advised that dpipwe have taken water samples and remedial action has been advised to prevent highly turbid water from the dam impacting the South Esk. The Break O’Day club is seeking an update on what measures have been put in place.

Next meeting is the AGM on Sun 29 August 2021

Action Items

·      Hatcheries , review AAT position paper and post on website

       Invite Tassal to next meeting

·      Dairy effluent , review AAT position

·      Little Pine/Bronte water level management, follow up

·      RWUS Letter to Minister

·      Junior Anglers review