We see these updates, as an opportunity not only to record our progress but also to inform our followers on the many issues surrounding the health of the Lakes and its fisheries. We hope that as many of you become more informed, you will share and promote the petition to friends, relatives and colleagues who care about our Lakes. Currently we have 1000 signatures (including hard copies). Lets keep up the momentum. So who was Lynton Barr? He was a well regarded retired secondary school Principal with a love of fishing and East Gippsland, particularly the Lakes. He and his wife Dawn moved to Swan Reach from North East Victoria in 1992. Lynton sadly passed away in November 2016 but fortunately we have the legacy of his insightful and informative publications spanning just over 10 years. The full series can be found on the Lake Tyers Beach website managed by Rob Ward by following this link http://www.laketyersbeach.net.au/aroundthejettiesOverall.html It is with Dawn’s permission that we highlight some of the important and recurring issues in Lynton’s publications regarding the Lakes and their surrounds. In 2006 Lynton started a little newsletter to try and bring together information on fishing that was likely not available to all anglers. The first edition was predominantly about the results of research in tracking of Black Bream in the Gippsland Lakes and associated waterways. The aim was to establish movements of the fish and perhaps discover the breeding grounds and areas of habitat that support it. The research by Dr Jeremy Hindells, (currently Senior Estuarine Ecologist Department of Environment and Primary Industries), was considered especially important given data indicating the decline in black bream from the system. (data source, commercial catch 2000/01: 148 tonnes, 2002/03: 30 tonnes). The report on the monitoring of the Black Bream and other information can be found at the following link http://vro.agriculture.vic.gov.au/dpi/vro/vrosite.nsf/pages/marine_fishtrack Interestingly the report identified that Bream are highly mobile, with one fish travelling 3200kms in just over one year. The fish mainly travelled up and down the Tambo, Nicholson and Mitchell Rivers. Another fish demonstrated the speed at which Bream can travel. It was identified that this fish moved at an average speed of up to 3km/hour in its travels from the Tambo river to Hollands Landing via the edge of Raymond Island and back again. Funding for this and other research was made available from Victorian Fishing licences funds. Lynton received such a good response to this, his first newsletter, that he determined to provide an occasional news sheet on issues of interest to anglers not likely to be widely publicised. What started off as a small distribution ended up with over 1000 subscribers by 2016. In issue 2, of Around the Jetties, Lynton reported on an article which appeared in the Lakes Entrance Post on 28th December 2006, from a press release from the then Director of Fisheries Victoria. The article and media release stated that only 3% of black bream caught by commercial fishers in mesh nets did not survive. 70% of the Black Bream caught were over 28cm and of the 30% undersized released, 27% survived. Lynton noted that this was however in contrast to an article in the same paper on 12th November 2003 where commercial fishermen indicated that the death rate, possibly due to higher water temperatures at the time, was 40%. At a Black Bream stock assessment meeting in 2005, where only 2 commercial fishers attended, they estimated a death rate as high as 60%. It would be interesting to know what the actual death rate overall and by species was, including legal and undersized fish. This is relevant given that some nets stay in the water for up to 24 hours with logic suggesting that the longer the soak time the more likely the increased mortality. Lynton reported on the commercial Dusky Flathead catch in the Gippsland Lakes in 2005/6 which at 47 tonnes indicated a coinciding improved recreational fishery in years to come. However he questioned as to whether this was sustainable given there is no limit on commercial sector catch and little is known about the species. He noted that at the time the return on flathead was less than $3.00 per kg. During the same year the commercial catch of European Carp was the lowest for 28 years (barring 1984/5) at 93 tonnes. The head of the commercial carp fishery believed this to be as a result of the drought, with fish moving into the rivers due to increased salinity in the Lakes. In 1983/4 the Commercial catch of Black Bream was 446 tonnes (32 licences), average 13.9 tonnes per fisher and in 2005/6 it was 37 tonnes (10 licences), average 3.7 tonnes per fisher!! Lynton made the comment that when looking at this data it was no wonder it was difficult for anglers to catch a Bream in the Gippsland Lakes or rivers, given the assumption that recreational catch probably equals commercial catch. Catch and Release: Fisheries researcher Simon Conran reported at the 2004 Black Bream assessment, that his research of 1300 Black Bream showed that a shallow hooked bream, carefully released by a recreational angler had a survival rate of 98%. A deep hooked fish with the line carefully cut, has a survival rate of around 70% with the hook dissolving in a short amount of time. It was hoped at the stock assessment that this message could get out to recreational anglers through advertising on TV, particularly during holiday season. Lynton reported that this did not occur. It is a technique in catch and release that we should all aspire to, as responsible fishers, to help keep our fish stocks sustainable. Of interest the only place we can identify where this is promoted (10 years after the research!!) is on the Fishcare website which has been established as part of the Target One Million anglers strategy. See link https://fishcare.org.au/fish-handling/ The second link is to some very relevant information re green angling to protect fish and other species as well as the environment. https://fishcare.org.au/sustainable-fishing/ We are seeking information from VRFish and VFA as to why these are not readily available for adult anglers in the Recreational Fishing Guides and as posters, pamphlets in bait and tackle shops. We will keep providing followers with excerpts from Lynton’s newsletters. We have found that much of the information and themes on fish stocks and sustainability as well as looking after the Lakes and surrounds is still relevant today.