A Fishy Tale

For Neville and Dalton, fishing sustainably means looking after their fishing grounds for future use. Preserving fish stocks is crucial to the viability of their business. The brothers use large mesh fishing nets which allow smaller fish to swim free. They monitor the number and quantity of each catch and are careful to return undersized fish. Certain species, like snapper, are measured as soon as they are caught and thrown back if too small. Introduced species also threaten the sustainability of fishing resources in the bay. A number of commercial fishermen, like Neville and Dalton, help monitor the spread of the Northern Pacific Seastar, a starfish that can devastate marine environments.If they find any of these starfish, they notify fishing authorities.

Fishing techniques vary, according to the seasons. During the summer months, the brothers fish nearer to the shore. Neville stands on the cliff-top with a walkie-talkie and watches the waves through his polaroid glasses. When he spots something swimming he quickly tells Dalton to cast out the nets from the boat below. Fishing during the winter takes the brothers further off-shore where they cast out large mesh nets. At times, the brothers haul in a bumper catch. But Neville is conscious of only taking what he can sell from his shop as they rarely sell to the markets. They have been known to catch around 100 bins of fish and only keep 10 or 15 bins and let the rest go.

To preserve fishstocks, Neville
measures certain species, like
Snapper. If it is too small, he’ll
throw it back into the bay.

Commercial fishermen share their fishing ground with recreation fishers and over 3 million who live beside the bay. Anglers limit the size and quantity of their catch to sustain fishstocks. Many participate in Fishcare, a program that promotes care of the fishery and the marine environment. They help clean up rubbish that feeds into the bay from stormwater drains and results from heavy public use.

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Smaller fish can swim through large mesh nets and go on to breed.

An ice machine is an important tool for fishermen. They use ice to keep the fish fresh and retain them at the highest possible quality.

Neville and Dalton use this trap to see if the Northern Pacific Seastar has spread into their fishing grounds.

Pollution is a great threat to life in the bay.