Reef Catchments hosts Tilapia Takedown to control exotic pest fish
A Mackay conservation group is hosting the free event to help control an exotic pest at the Gooseponds.
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Calling on all Mackay anglers – break out the tackle and cast your lines to help take down an exotic pest fish from the Gooseponds.
Reef Catchments is hosting the Tilapia Takedown on September 4, 2021, in what is tipped to be a fun day of competition fishing for the whole family.
Keen fishers should gather at John Breen Park for the event that will feature music, jumping castles, stalls and prizes for best catches of the day – including island trips.
Reef Catchments project officer Carlos Bueno said the free event would be “a reel good time for all”.
“It’s a great community day. We hope the weather will be cracking, and we can get out, have fun fishing and learn something about the environment,” the event organiser said.
“Tilapia are a big issue. This event will help the community learn more about what they can do to protect our waterways from invasive species and stop the spread of pest fish.
“Our native fish are already under enough pressure, with some 4000 barriers in the Mackay-Whitsunday-Isaac’s waterways, so anything we can do to help our native fish out, the better.”
First detected in the Gooseponds in 2014, the 40cm Mozambique tilapia compete with other species like barramundi for food and space and can live and breed for up to 13 years.
Because the exotic pest is a restricted invasive fish under biosecurity regulations, there are guidelines to fishing and disposal of the species that will be demonstrated at the Tilapia Takedown.
“The fish is a known problem in the Gooseponds. We are going to eradicate this fish on this one day, but we can help control it, and we can raise awareness of what you can and can’t do with tilapia,” Mr Bueno said.
“Even just knowing how to dispose of them properly will help, you can’t put them back in the water because they are mouth-brooders – they hold their young in their mouth.”
Participants will need to register for the free event, which is running from 8.30am to 11am. Find out more here.
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