Trawlers lament as prawns washed away

STRUGGLING prawn trawlers in one of NSW's largest fisheries face losing up to 50 per cent of their income this year

STRUGGLING prawn trawlers in one of NSW's largest fisheries face losing up to 50 per cent of their income this year.

The loss would be a result of the devastating floods that continue to plague the state's north.

Fishermen in the Clarence River estuary, after their "worst season in living memory" last year, fear ruin if the rains continue.

Almost 7000 people remained isolated across NSW yesterday, and 1350 evacuees were still unable to return to their homes.

About 70 homes in the evacuated town of Boggabilla, near Goondiwindi on the Queensland border, were surrounded by water last night, and water flowed through homes in the nearby Aboriginal settlement of Toomelah.

John Robson, manager of the Clarence River Fishermen's Co-operative, a big supplier to Sydney Fishmarkets and Woolworths, said the floods were wreaking havoc. "The water quality deteriorates with all the rubbish, sewage and pesticides in the water, and the force of the river washes all the prawns and fish out to sea. We could lose 50 per cent of our production this year."

Fourth-generation prawn fisherman George Baker, who has been trawling the Clarence for 50 years, said his boat would be idle for weeks. "It's up to the prawns what happens then," he said.

A colleague, Neville Law, said he feared the prawns would not come back. "Right up till last week there were beautiful prawns in the river, but now they're all flushed out to sea. No doubt they'll have a bonanza out there, but we'll have to struggle," he said.

Elsewhere in the Clarence Valley, the news was more positive. The all clear was issued for Cowper and Ulmarra, where about 500 evacuated residents were allowed back to their homes.

SES crews continued to use boats to ferry supplies to the isolated communities of Maclean, Iluka and Yamba, and trapped residents and holidaymakers were expected to be able to leave Maclean at the weekend.

SES spokesman Phil Campbell said floodwaters affecting the Clarence River area would shortly move out to sea.

But he said water in the Darling River catchment was moving slowly, so they had time to plan.