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Fishing ban imposed around Chambers Creek ‘carp cage’

Wednesday 12 August, 2009

In a move to ensure the safety of the local community, a ban has been placed on recreational fishing activity around the area of a ‘carp cage’ to be installed in Chambers Creek at Barmera.

Under the new ruling, it will be unlawful to take fish from any waters within 150 metres of the proposed cage site in Chambers Creek, adjacent to Napper Bridge on the Morgan Road at Barmera.

The proposed cage is a joint project of SARDI Aquatic Sciences, the SA Murray Darling Basin Natural Resources Management Board, the Murray-Darling Basin Authority and the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre.

Executive Director PIRSA Fisheries, Martin Smallridge, said that the cage will not only provide SARDI researchers with quantitative data on instinctive carp behaviours, it will also trap the carp in a safe, ethical fashion.

“Carp are a noxious fish and it is illegal to dispose of them on the bank or return them to the water,” he said.

“By minimising interference with the cage, we will be able to reduce the likelihood of carp avoiding the area, and in turn maximise the effectiveness of the cage.

“It’s only a very small area of water covered by the ban, however it is important that we put measures in place to protect the safety of commercial fishers and researchers who will regularly be working in the vicinity of the cage.

“We still encourage local residents to get out there and enjoy fishing within the local waterways, however we ask them to be mindful of this small closure, for their own safety, and the safety of those around them.”