Surveys crucial to keeping tabs on fish stocks

RECREATIONAL fishing in the top-end is regarded as one of the most common weekend past time activities

Surveys are being conducted at boat ramps across the Top End.

RECREATIONAL fishing in the top-end is regarded as one of the most common weekend past time activities.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a competitive angler, catching a feed or just taking the family out for the day, you could be asked to take part in a survey at one of the many boat ramps across the Darwin and surrounding areas.

Extensive surveys of recreational fishing are ongoing. The surveys involve trained interviewers collecting information from recreational fishers at selected boat ramps between Dundee Beach and the Adelaide River.

These surveys will provide valuable information on the number of people that fish, where and when they go fishing and what they catch and release. The survey has initially been run in the Darwin area to help monitor fishing activity and to assist in monitoring our fish stocks.

However, surveys will soon be conducted in other parts of the Territory.

If you are approached by an interviewer at one of the selected boat ramps, please participate, as the information gathered is vital to the ongoing management of the NT’s fish stocks. We want to speak to as many people as we can and it doesn’t matter if you didn’t catch anything, all of the information is important.

At the completion of the survey period, the data will be processed, extrapolated and analysed before a final report is produced. The information will help guide future management of our fisheries to ensure future generations can enjoy the NT’s recreational fishing experience and lifestyle.

For recreational fishing info download the “NT FISHING MATE” app or visit nt.gov.au