Bass Sydney honoured at NSW CFA AGM
At the NSW CFA's AGM held at Penrith on 19 August, Bass Sydney was honoured with the NSWCFA 2006 Award to the organisation that has made the greatest contribution to NSW freshwater recreational fishing, and in particular for the conservation of the bass fishery natural environment in the Sydney region. President Rodney Tonkin presented the award to President of Bass Sydney, Domenic Squadrito.
The nomination was in recognition of Bass Sydney's undertaking of the following activities.
Greening Western Sydney: contributing to the restoration of South Creek, a one time premier Australian bass stream, with the planting of 1600 trees, shrubs and lamandras
Proponent to a successful Commonwealth Grant: in partnership with the Parramatta City Council, Bass Sydney was successful in gaining a grant to establish fish passage in four weirs and barriers on the Parramatta River. Bass Sydney has informally approached NSW DPI to seek co-operation for the restocking of Bass in the river when this work is completed. It is likely that brood stock for this purpose will be sourced from the nearby Lane Cove River that is within the same system. Bass Sydney has been a strong supporter for a NSW DPI's policy in this regard.
Driving force in fish passage developments: Bass Sydney have been effective in supporting the construction of a fishway on the Lane Cove River; negotiating with the Campbelltown City Council and providing labour for the construction of a rock ramp fishway on the upper Georges River; and liaising with various authorities to establish a fishway on the Audley Weir in the Royal National Park. This proposed project has, amongst other problems, the difficulties associated with its heritage value.
Streamwatch involvement: regular sampling for testing water quality has been undertaken at South Creek, Lane Cove and the Georges Rivers.
Participation in the Angler Catch Research Program: data collection on the Hawkesbury-Nepean system for Bass has been an involvement for Bass Sydney for the past 20 years, it being a twice yearly activity. The first club to be involved in this Angler Catch Data Base, Bass Sydney set the pattern for Hunter Native Fish to follow on the Williams River and Wingham Anglers on the Manning, the objective being to establish the quality of each fishery. Bass Sydney was again to the fore raising $5000 in support of Fisheries restocking the Manning from Bass brood stock sourced locally.
Contributing to the re-establishment of a viable Bass fishery: an active supporter of the NSWCFA, Bass Sydney have been very actively effective in supporting the NSW DPI-Fisheries in the efforts to re-instate Australian Bass as a viable fishery in and around Sydney, and in providing leadership elsewhere in NSW. |
