2015-11-10 - P&O Agenda - Item 7, Attach 1 - Historical Ecology of the Noosa Estuary Fisheries

By the end of the 19th century, settlers also operated fisheries for mullet, jewfish,
tailor, bream, whiting and flathead, in addition to other species. At first, fish were
sold to local residents and as far away as Gympie. However, improved transport
networks, the establishment of the ice works and later the Fish Board at
Tewantin, enabled fish to be transported to Brisbane. The Noosa River and Lakes
provided a significant quantity of commercial fish, and from the 1920s also
supported a large, if seasonal, recreational fishing population, who were drawn
to the natural beauty of Noosa and the high quality fishing.


Commercial fishing records are limited and for the most part do not provide us
with Noosa-specific catch. It is clear from the available records that landings of
the main species have always been variable, and no significant declines in catch
are recorded, although the numbers of commercial fishers have declined over
time. Recreational catches were not recorded in government records, with the
exception of one to two years, but catches were recorded in popular media such
as newspapers, which recorded recreational and competition landings over a
period of nearly 70 years, from 1913-1980. These records, though limited,
suggest a decline in recreational catch rates during this period. While it cannot
be stated definitively why this pattern occurs, interviews with long-term fishers
and residents suggests that this was likely due to declines in fish abundance,
rather than changes in targeting behaviour.


The historical record points to significant changes in the Noosa River and Lakes:
Oysters – once plentiful – are commercially and functionally extinct; commercial
and recreational fisheries still exist, but historical records backed up by
interviews with local fishers, depict a more productive system formally than
exists today. The reasons for these changes are difficult to resolve, but in
addition to over a century of reasonably heavy exploitation, the Noosa River has
been subject to development pressure since the 1970s, and as a result has been
greatly altered from its early state. While historical data cannot provide
quantitative estimates of change for the Noosa Estuary fisheries, they provide
insights into how productive the system once was, and provide the beginnings of
an evidence base upon which more informed decisions can be made.


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