Corner Inlet - Nooramunga Fishery
"I'm a third generation fisherman. Generally speaking the fishermen are really keen to keep it going for many years to come. The word sustainability means a lot to me."
Neville Clark, Corner Inlet Fisherman
"I'm a third generation fisherman. Generally speaking the fishermen are really keen to keep it going for many years to come. The word sustainability means a lot to me."
Neville Clark, Corner Inlet Fisherman
Corner Inlet fishers have created their own haul seine gear and fishing technique, although there are some that share methods with the other Bay and Inlet fishers from Port Phillip Bay and Gippsland Lakes. Haul seining is a traditional style of fishing that has been used in Victoria’s Bay and Inlets for over 100 years. In shallow water, the haul seine is deployed, in a place based on fisher knowledge and experience. The haul seine forms an arc, and is used to surround fish and draw them towards the boat, avoiding fish getting stuck in the net, which means the fish are alive once encircled. Then the fish are sorted while in the water. The fish of market value are removed using hand-held dip nets and are placed into the ice slurry box. Non-market fish are returned immediately to the water without harm. Research has been shown that 97% of released fish survive, making the fishing method highly environmentally friendly (Knuckey et al, 2002).
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Mesh nets are one of the oldest forms of fishing and are highly selective. It is a panel of net that is held vertically in the water. The mesh size and the way the netting is constructed determines what size and species of fish is caught. Knowledge of fish movements is needed so that the net is set in the correct position. Fishermen in Corner Inlet use a range of mesh nets depending on the season and what they want to catch.
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