Fishing stockton beach - NETTING - allowed?

Submitted: Sunday, Mar 22, 2009 at 20:34

ThreadID: 67086 Views:4636 Replies:6 FollowUps:4

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Stockton Beach

Stockton Beach is the 4WD and dune buggy playground capital of Australia. Just 2 hours north of Sydney via the freeway, this huge expanse of sand dune area is open for camping and frolicking.

Stockton Beach

Section: Treks

Stockton beach is the 4WD and dune buggy playground. Just 2 hours north of Sydney via the freeway, this huge expanse of sand dune area is a great place to get some sand driving experience.

Ozboc

Greetings guys - this one i am curious about - i was at stockton beach yesterday and i happen to see something i though was actually very interesting

I seen 2 4x4's( with tinnies on trailers) trolling up and down the beach with about 3 other 4x4's in tow - they find a spot - they launch 1 boat and a guy throws a very long net out of the boat just outside the breakers ( the other end is back at the beach - the net looked to be about 100 meters long the boat returns to the beach where one of the 4x4's hook the other end of the net to the 4x4 and start to tow the net in a little then about 6 people then jump into the water and start to bring both ends of the net in ( including some kids ) which we then seen hundreds of fish jumping within the area of the net

They pulled this of with a precision you would see of the army - and they certainly got themselves a very large haul of fish - although i didn't see them throwing any of the smaller ones back( if there were any) They clearly have done this before - so my question is this covered in the scope of your average guys fishing license or would this be classed as professional fishing as it looks like they do this on a daily basis

It looks like a great idea with with a better reward than sitting on the beach with a rod for 5 hours to catch 3 fish :)

your comments ?

Boc

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Reply By: Madfisher - Sunday, Mar 22, 2009 at 21:16

Sunday, Mar 22, 2009 at 21:16

Amateurs are not allowed to use nets. Sounds like pros to me.
Cheers Pete

AnswerID: 355530

Reply By: Member - John T (Tamworth NSW) - Sunday, Mar 22, 2009 at 21:17

Sunday, Mar 22, 2009 at 21:17

G'day Ozboc

From your description you were watching a commercial beach hauling crew at work. They usually start looking for schools of Bully Mullet this time of year - a nice sea run bully mullet fresh into a smoker - Gods Tucker.

If you see it happening again wander over - don't get in the way - and ask if you can have a fishor two - most will give you a feed.

There are a whole bunch of rules and regs that dictate what and how they can use the nets.

I'm a Fisheries Officer and have watched these blokes on and off for years working the nets along our beaches. They make it look so easy but I can tell you that it's hard yakka and the rewards $$ wise are not great

Cheers

John T (Lifetime Member)
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AnswerID: 355532

Reply By: get outmore - Sunday, Mar 22, 2009 at 23:41

Sunday, Mar 22, 2009 at 23:41

"It looks like a great idea with with a better reward than sitting on the beach with a rod for 5 hours to catch 3 fish :) "

ever wondered why you only catch 3 fish in 5 hours when theses blokes are pulling them in by the tonne?

AnswerID: 355563

Reply By: Rangiephil - Monday, Mar 23, 2009 at 10:02

Monday, Mar 23, 2009 at 10:02

They are also highly regulated.

There are limits on the size of the boat and the size of the motor and there are a very restricted number of licences.

it amazed me when I was seconded to Fisheries for a while how detailed the regulation was.

Regards Philip A

AnswerID: 355602

Reply By: madcow - Monday, Mar 23, 2009 at 12:40

Monday, Mar 23, 2009 at 12:40

the same thing happens at Seal Rocks. The missus was taking some pics and we were confronted but once we explained we had not seen it before they were quite friendly. Geez you would not buy one of the utes secondhand eh?

AnswerID: 355640

Follow Up By: get outmore - Monday, Mar 23, 2009 at 13:11

Monday, Mar 23, 2009 at 13:11

why should you have to explain anything taking pics on a beach?
and being confronted?

sort of confirms my opinion of the sort of people that will net beaches for a living

FollowupID: 623655

Follow Up By: Member - Ian W (NSW) - Monday, Mar 23, 2009 at 19:39

Monday, Mar 23, 2009 at 19:39

Perhaps because these same picture takers often then front the local Police or contact Fisheries with tales of illegal net users decimating their grand childrens fishy heritage and proffering photographic proof.

Have seen it happen a couple of times on the NSW Sth. Coast near Jervis Bay.

That aside I'm not sure that I would not want to know from a complete stranger what their intention was by taking my photo numerous times.

As explained in the previous posts, these fishermen are subject to incredibly tight regulations when it cames to beach hauling, they put food on others tables. It is not illegal.

Do you have a similar opinion of those who farm cows which release immense amounts of methane into the atmosphere?

FollowupID: 623751

Follow Up By: get outmore - Tuesday, Mar 24, 2009 at 01:03

Tuesday, Mar 24, 2009 at 01:03

no - but then ive taken pictures of cows and no ones come and harassed me about it either

also cow farmers buy the land, fence the land buy the cows, create dams for water for them breedthe calves

they dont just rock up and take take take

yes its legal but then so apparantly is headbutting coppers almost to death - doesnt mean much

FollowupID: 623798

Follow Up By: Member - Ian W (NSW) - Tuesday, Mar 24, 2009 at 14:33

Tuesday, Mar 24, 2009 at 14:33

Possibly because the graziers have not had to defend themselves against false charges of "illegal cowing".

FollowupID: 623885

Reply By: Johnny boy - Wednesday, Mar 25, 2009 at 17:54

Wednesday, Mar 25, 2009 at 17:54

I have been camping at Easter at Stockton Beach Caravan park it backs on to the beach and is right near the Big break wall and on the 1st morning there I thought I was Western Sydney Eastern Creek Drag way, buy the roaring sound of the 4WDs and very weird looking and load boats ,so I went for a look on the beach and Yep I saw the same as you Boc the boats would circle and head straight for the shore the boat had a cage over the prop so it wont get damaged and the amount of mullet !!! I was told it was all legal and when my sons went over to check out the catch one fella smiled at the boys and gave them a Mullet each :)

Great breakfast.

AnswerID: 356136