Recreational fishing lobby group VR fish has done their part to ensure the continued decline of native fish populations by implimenting a mass release of the introduced predatory species of salmonid Salmo trutta morpha fario commonly known as brown trout.
Want to know about the environmental effects of this introduced fish species on populations of native aquatic inhabitants of our waterways?
Well you could go to the VR fish website for a heaping helping of half-truths, spin and lobbyist’s propaganda, or you could try a credible source.
Negative impacts of alien salmonids on native aquatic fauna (including fish, frogs, spiny crayfish), mainly through direct predation and to a lesser degree competition for resources, have been noted for over 140 years. Impacts on some faunal groups have been severe enough to eliminate entire populations and severely fragment species across their range. Despite these impacts, salmonid management is focused largely on providing improved recreational angling opportunities, whereas management of their impacts is almost non-existent. Management of the symptom of salmonid impacts, i.e., declining native species, begins only after native species have become imperilled.
In lay terms, we’ve known these fish wreck the rivers for over 140 years, no-one wants to do a bloody thing about it because all the money to be made selling fishing tackle, licenses, boats, outboard motors, bait and other miscellaneous crap to yobbos who like to go fishing, and it’s unlikely a bloody thing WILL be done about it until populations of native species have declined to the point where it’s too late to save them anyway.
Albury Wodonga Online 
Jeez, Jack, another turn, another exposé of man as the baddie. Keep right on learning me.
What I find extraordinary JR is that everyone in Australia (recreational anglers included) agree unanimously that an introduced species in the form of Cyprinus carpio or the dirty old European carp (a misnomer, they actually originate from central asia) has done immense (and likely irreparable) damage to our inland waterways, but there is an extraordinary level of reticince in accepting the comparable level of damage done by trout species.
Both were introduced to our waterways by recreational anglers, both have had an enormously detrimental effect on our freshwater aquatic environments.
If a person was to release 50 000 carp into the weir, they’d most likely be lynched, but for doing the same with trout, they are lauded a hero.
The difference between the two in terms of the environmental damage caused, is negligible.
Yeah, but the trout are good eating!
If I am not mistaken, Australia has a couple of native species of trout? And then there is the Murray Cod, if angling clubs engaged in the mass release of those fish… they wouldn’t be able to hunt them because they weren’t feral.
Hence the incentive to release feral animals. But perhaps if we engaged in a national effort, to re-populate native fish and replace the introduced species, on the implied covenant with the fishing industry that eventually Cod and natives would be theirs for sport.
But hey, I know I’m dreaming. At present we can’t even agree to prevent the total death of the Murray with a little bit of water.
“Yeah, but the trout are good eating”
So farm them, it’s easy, sustainable and doesn’t impact negatively on our waterways to nearly the same extent.
“If I am not mistaken, Australia has a couple of native species of trout?”
I assume you’re talking about the endangered trout cod Maccullochella macquariensis.
Why are they endangered? Predation and competition from introduced species….specificly carp and introduced salmonids.
… and anglers – they taste terrific!
they may do Greg, but I wouldn’t know.
Cannibalism is generally considered taboo and therefore frowned upon in polite society.
I think most fishing inspectors practice catch and release don’t they? Fishermen (or women in fairness) doing the wrong thing generally find themselves with a hefty fine at worst, and possibly having their equipment impounded for a period of time. I’ve never heard of any of them ending up on the dinner plate, although, it would be an effective way to stop them re-offending.
You’d need a fair bit of tomato sauce though I reckon.
I quite like the taste of omnivore… Pork anyone?
click this link at your peril