Anglers anger after recreational fishing is branded a “threat” to iconic Murray cod

Arthur Rylah Institute researchers have insulted recreational anglers by claiming their pastime is as damaging as the carp invasion.

Under threat: Anglers are regarded as a threat to native fish, despite funding the restock and protect waterways. Picture: Chloe Smith

Recreational anglers have been branded a threat to Murray cod and Golden Perch, equal in impact of the invasive carp invasion of the mighty Murray River.

Victoria’s Mid-Murray fish recovery plan, put together by the Arthur Rylah Institute, ranks threats to the iconic cod and perch species on a scale of one the least impact to five the worst.

When it comes to Murray cod the report gives recreational fishing a threat score of three, along with invasive species, reduced flooding and river flows, cold water pollution, restricted movement and sedimentation.

Mid-Murray Fish recovery plan threat scores. Source: Supplied

The threat scoring has incensed the recreational angling community, whose clubs volunteer thousands of hours each year to riverside revegetation work, restocking and sitting on committees to advise catchment authorities and government to help maintain healthy native fish stocks and habitat.

Peak recreational angler lobby VRFish chief executive Ben Scullin said the scoring was “one of the dumbest things I’ve ever seen”, given it was sure to put fishers off side.

“Recreational fishers are putting back, through stocking, which is funded by rec fishers to putting habitat back in place,” Mr Scullin said.

Anglers have contributed millions of their recreational fishing licence fees towards revegetation works along the states waterways, plus native fish restocking programs, with the Victorian Fisheries Authority database shows 17.4 million Murray cod, 26.4m Golden Perch, plus two million other native species had been released into the state’s waterways since 2000.

In its submission to the plan VRFish chairman Rob Loats stated: “the inclusion of recreational fishing as a ‘major threatening processes affecting fish and fish habitats …’ is absolutely rejected”.

“Absolutely rejected”: VRFish chairman Rob Loats has commented on the “insulting” addition of recreational fishing as a major threat to fish and fish habitats. Picture: Chloe Smith

“To suggest that recreational fishing has an impact on Trout Cod of the same magnitude as altered flow seasonality or loss of riverine lentic habitats or invasive species on Murray cod is insulting,” Mr Loats stated.

In defending the report a Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning spokesman said: “Murray cod and Golden Perch are especially vulnerable to overfishing, particularly in isolated waterholes or during droughts”.

But Goulburn Valley Association of Fishing Clubs chairman Roland Huber, who lives on the junction of Deep Creek and the Murray River downstream of the Barmah Forest, said he was “absolutely fuming” about the claims made in the ARI Mid-Murray report.

“There are so many things that have far more of an impact than anglers that don’t even get a mention in the report,” Mr Huber said.

“There’s no mention of wake boarding, with boats designed to create big waves, which erode the banks every time they pass, filling in our (fishing) holes.”

Mr Huber said there were also numerous rock causeways across Barmah Forest and other creeks that disconnected fish from the Murray River that were not mentioned.

He said it would be a simple matter for local councils and Parks Victoria to get an excavator in to create fish passages through causeways on the Tullah Creek through the Barmah Forest and other Murray River tributaries to boost breeding.

“But Parks Victoria tells me they have no money,” Mr Huber said.