Anglers to net new knowledge of Bohle, Ross rivers

Keen fishers are urgently needed for a citizen science project to help improve Townsville’s fish habitat.

KEEN fishers are urgently needed for a citizen science project to help improve Townsville’s fish habitat.

Not-for-profit organisation OzFish is looking to enlist fishers capable of throwing castnets to put their skills to the test and assess the fish diversity in different habitats of the Bohle and Ross River catchments.

OzFish North Queensland manager Dr Geoffrey Collins said waterways in urban environments had changed significantly over the past 100 years and this had negatively impacted fish and aquatic life.

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OzFish is wanting anglers to use castnets to collect fish and other sea life to gather information on what is living in the catchments to guide habitat restoration.

“The surveys are an important component of habitat restoration and waterway management. They provide key information on when and where fish are moving through urban waterways,” Dr Collins said.

Fish netted will be identified and measured before they are released.

Waterways in North Queensland support a diverse range of fish including barramundi, mangrove jack, grunter and flathead.

The first round of surveys will be held on December 11-12.

>>Anglers who would like to volunteer can register at ozfish.org.au or by phoning 1800 431 308.

Originally published as Anglers to net new knowledge of Bohle, Ross rivers