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

                              a                                                                b
                             200                                                               40
 N fish fisher-1 session-1




                                                                        N fish fisher-1 hr-1
                             150                                                               30


                             100                                                               20


                              50                                                               10


                               0                                                                0
                                   1900   1920     1940   1960   1980                               1900   1920     1940   1960   1980
                                                 Year                                                             Year

Figure 8. Catch rates of mixed fish caught within the Noosa River and on the
North Shore near Tewantin by recreational anglers and recorded in newspapers.
A) Number of fish caught per fisher per fishing session (n=219). B) Number of
fish caught per fisher per hour (n=72).

Fishing competitions

As recreational fishing increased in popularity, so did fishing competitions. While
many recreational competitions today highlight the importance of catch and
release (including tag and release), or emphasise the targeting of particular
species or sizes over number of fish, this was not always the case and in the past
the winner was judged to be the person with either the greatest number of fish,
greatest weight or a combination thereof. As was the case with recreational
fishing, fishing competitions were also regularly reported in popular media.


One of the earliest reported fishing competitions to take place at Tewantin was
organised through the Queensland Amateur Fishermen’s Association, when 23
members caught 981 fish weighing 646lb (The Referee, 13 Aug 1913). During the
1920s and 1930s, several fishing clubs formed in Noosa and surrounding areas,
and clubs from other regions would also visit to hold fishing competitions in the
river or on the North Shore. Clubs regularly mentioned as fishing in the Noosa
River included, Cooroy Amateur Fishermen’s Association, Cooroora Amateur
Fishing Club, Pomona Amateur Fishing Club, Eumundi Amateur Fishing Club and
the Tewantin-Noosa Amateur Fishing Club. Popular locations fished included
Munna Point, Noosa River at Tewantin, near the mouth, and the North Shore
near Tewantin.


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