Legalities of use of bait in stocked impoundments.

[rayke1938]

Just had a look at DPI website re the use of live bait in stocked impoundments.

Live bait

The use of fish and crustaceans such as spangled perch, redclaw crayfish, shrimp and yabbies as bait (dead or alive) is prohibited outside their natural environment or range. This is to prevent species from becoming established in foreign habitats and causing environmental damage. Currently three species can be used as live bait. They are:

*

redclaw crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus) - native to the Gulf of Carpentaria Drainage Division and some river basins in the far northern portion of the East Coast Drainage Division. Redclaw can be used as bait only in these areas

*

shrimp (Macrobrachium australiensis) - found throughout Queensland and can be used as bait in all areas of the state

*

yabby (blueclaw crayfish) (Cherax destructor) - found naturally in the Murray-Darling, Lake Eyre and Bulloo-Bancannia Drainage Divisions, and some river basins in the East Coast Drainage Division. Yabbies can be used as bait only in these areas.

It is all a bit vague and when you look at the rules on some of the dams they are a lot more strict but in some cases seem to be ignored.

Kiosk at Boondoomba sell live shrimp from a fish hatchery. Kiosks at a lot of other dams sell live worms and frozen shrimp.

Ranger at Lenthalls has been known to search boats looking for live bait being brought in.

Caretaker at Glenlyon will allow live shrimp from a fish hatchery or pet store but not caught from other dams but allows shrimp caught below the dam wall.

I just sent the following email to DPI to try to get some clarification.

I wish to enquire about the use of live and dead bait in stocked impoundments in the following circumstances.

Live worms bred in worm farms and sold through Tackle stores and Impoundment kiosks.

Live shrimp purchased from pet stores .

Purchased from kiosk at Boondoomba. The ones at Boondoomba are not from Boondoomba but are imported from a local fish hatchery.

Live salt water yabbies and used in stocked impoundments such as Wivenhoe,Somerset,North Pine dam,Glen Lyon, Boondoomba, Bejelke Peterson, Lenthalls and Baroon Pocket Bams.

Frozen bait prawns sold through Tackle stores and impoundment Kiosks.

Regards

Ray Kennedy

I will post reply when received.

Cheers

Ray

[rayke1938]

Just received email that questions have been forwarded on so reply will be interesting.

CALL DETAILS:

Thank you for contacting Primary Industries and Fisheries.

Your enquiry has been forwarded for the attention of the fisheries area and you will be contacted as soon as possible.

If you wish to follow up on this enquiry please quote reference number: 495078

Cheers

Ray

[Aaron H]

Confuses the hell out of me mate, Its safe to stick with my shrimp I think

Worms being a terrestrial critter u would think it would be ok to use anywhere as they will not establish upon escaping a hook.

Good luck getting an answer Ray

[rayke1938]

The rules seem to vary a bit between lake to lake. ie the PRFMA rules are quite specific " the aquatic species used for live bait must be caught in the lake" other sites do not specify this.

I think that there is a translocation document somewhere on the dpi site but i cannot find it.

The ranger at lenthalls used to quote it when conducting his live bait searches although I could not fine any reference to it on the Wide Bay Water website.

Cheers

Ray

I can understand PRFMA's stance on this as there is a risk of introducing juvenile carp or other unwanted species if live bait were used from another site.