Fishing is Queensland’s most popular past time and Townsville City Council has responded to the community’s interest by establishing a Fishwatch Advisory Committee. The Committee has been set up as a network for local fishers and community interests to discuss recreational fishing and the conservation of fish stocks in the Townsville area.
Members come from community groups and government, and include organisations such as Sunfish, the Twin Cities Fish Stocking Society, the Townsville Sports fishing Club, the JCU Coastal Ecology Group, NQ Water, Department of Primary Industry, Queensland Transport, and the Queensland Recreational Fishing Tackle Association.
Chair of the Fishwatch Committee, Councillor Les Walker said members have been working with organisations such as NQ Water to fund major research projects into local fish stocks, and have helped stock local waterways with barramundi fingerlings.
Fishwatch is also a major sponsor of events such as the Townsville Kids Fishing Classic and the annual Louise Creek Tilapia Fishing Competition, and members are actively involved in events such as the NQ Wetlands Festival and the Townsville Fishing Expo.
