Photo of a happy fisher with her catch of an Estuary Perch courtesy of Peter Erwin Lynton Barr We would like to acknowledge that a good deal of our inspiration and motivation has come from reading the archived newsletters of Lynton Barr’s-”Around the Jetties”, 2006-2016. This archive can be found at the Lake Tyers website http://www.laketyersbeach.net.au/aroundthejetties.html Lynton’s newsletters have provided an invaluable resource and chronicled the decline in the fishery and the pollution and deterioration in the health of the Gippsland Lakes over time. Lynton was an avid recreational fisher with a passion for the Gippsland Lakes, he started his newsletter to share information between fishers and give them easy access to a range of information affecting the Lakes. The many anglers and others, who contributed to his newsletters, supported his “cause” to halt the decline in the Gippsland Lakes fishery, particularly with regard to the Black Bream and Dusky Flathead. His obvious admiration and concern for, in particular, these iconic fish should inspire us all. He recognised years ago, as did some enlightened others, the contribution of commercial netting to the decline of these species in our Lakes. Estuary Perch It is not however, only the Black Bream and Dusky Flathead that are effected by commercial netting. The recent commercial catch figures (VFA ) show a significant increase in the catch of Estuary Perch?! In 2016/17 the catch of Estuary Perch was 5 tonnes, equal to the total catch of the previous 5 years and 10% of the total catch for the past 39 years! It is interesting that the 2016/17 figures also show a slight increase in the commercial catch of Black Bream (up from 33 tonnes in 2015/16 to 42 tonnes in 2016/17) as well as a significant increase in the catch of Estuary Perch. ( 5 tonnes is approximately 14,000 estuary perch -at 350gms ). Perhaps this is the reason.... there was flooding in the Mitchell River and minor flooding in the Tambo and Latrobe Rivers in July 2016. We have always maintained that the 50% increase in The Labour Government's commitment to ban netting at the mouths of the rivers of the Gippsland Lakes was supposed to provide protection to the trapping of Black Bream and other species like Estuary Perch during river flood events. The new exclusion zones were never a ban, simply an ineffective adjustment. (We have already written about this at some length as well as discussed the issue with the VFA and Craig Ingram). Have the Perch Numbers Exploded! We don't believe so. Commercial netters are no longer allowed to net Australian Bass. If found in nets they are supposed to be released alive. If they're dead however due to say long net soak times, they are still “released”......albeit food for the Pelicans! Sometimes the Bass however may get confused with Estuary Perch..... or are what are claimed to be “hybrids!”. (Cross breeding between Estuary Perch and Australian Bass). Unsurprisingly these fish can be legally netted and called “Perch”. The following quotes might give some clarity. From “Delivering on the Election Commitment on Banning Netting at The Gippsland Lakes River Mouths. Report by Craig Ingram: 2016.” The vulnerability of estuary perch and Australian bass stocks to netting was formally acknowledged by Mr H. C. Dannevig Commonwealth Director Of Fisheries, 22nd October 1908. He suggested "that the Gippsland perch, which used to be so plentiful, but which now is very scarce, has mainly been depleted through net fishing. It is my constant experience that perch cannot stand net fishing at all-it is more easily caught by net than any other fish. As soon as they come into contact with the net they are caught, they are full of spines and they rush into the net and the small perch have been cleaned out and killed." Craig states that; "My review of catch returns over the past 15 years indicates there is sufficient inconstancy in the recording of "perch" in statutory catch returns that it is likely that some of the catch listed as perch in catch records are Australian bass or both Australian bass and estuary perch." “Fisheries Victoria Assessment Report Series. Gippsland Lakes (non-bream) Fishery Assessment 2011-VFA” “Fluctuations in catches of Estuary perch are often the result of the species moving down into the lakes region of the system when there are increased water flows. Estuary perch is also often MIS-IDENTIFIED AS AUSTRALIAN BASS (our caps) in commercial log books” Could this also occur in reverse? Help I'm confused.... So we have a situation where professional fishermen can't tell the difference between Estuary perch and Australian bass .......it must be a Hybrid! Re-stocking. Stocking of Australian bass has occurred in most of the Gippsland Lakes over recent years with almost 700,000 Australian bass stocked into the catchment since 2002. This stocking is designed not just for improving recreational fishing experiences but is also aimed at bringing back native fish populations. Lets hope they don't become HYBRIDS!