It was brought to my attention through the week while I dawdled along the Marina in Nelson Bay. 

Staring into the water, as I do, I saw a thumping great whiting nosing over the sand with a few of his mates. 

Nestled comfortably into the weed near the whiting was a flathead, easily 3kg.  Unconcerned in the same area were cracker luderick, mullet and bream lazily cruising without a care in the world. I sat down to watch this gathering of fish. Then I noticed the sign – No Fishing!

No such sign existed on the Salamander jetty when champion Banjo Rimici hooked a whopping bream. Go Banjo!

Thieves

Theft by skin divers has become an ongoing problem for commercial lobster trappers. The thieves reach into the traps pulling the lobsters out and damaging the traps. With NSW Fisheries Compliance short staffed and with a huge area to patrol the thieves have little concern. Commercial fishermen have lost their patience and are on the move to protect their catch with increased surveillance both on water and on land. 

Please report any suspicious activity around lobster traps to the authorities. Stealing a man’s livelihood is a low act.

Fishing writer, author and radio presenter John “Stinker” Clarke can be heard weekly, throughout NSW, on popular ABC Regional Radio fishing program “The Big Fish”. Check him out on www.stinker.com.au or send an email to editor@manningcommunitynews.com with your information and questions.