19 August 2010

Reef Guardian students from Belgian Gardens State School will be holding their annual catch and release fishing classic this Sunday to improve awareness of responsible fishing practices and raise money for sea turtle research.

The Rowes Bay Junior Rangers, the school’s year six environmental group, will be hosting the fishing classic and expect over 100 students and their families to take part in the event.

Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) Reef Guardian Schools Education Officer Carolyn Luder said the day was a great way for students to show how fishing can be enjoyed responsibly and sustainably in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

“The classic is an annual event for the school community and always results in a great day out filled with fun environmental education.”

Belgian Gardens State School organising teacher Mr Brett Murphy said the students had a variety of jobs on the day such as running displays, assisting weigh-in judges, taking photos, presenting prizes, crimping barbs on hooks and making sure that fish are returned to the water unharmed.

“The students wrote to local businesses asking for their support and as a result have some fantastic prizes for those lucky enough to catch the biggest whiting, flathead, bream, grunter and other species.

“We have practiced our fish handling and identification skills thanks to a visit from representatives from Fisheries Queensland so the students are all set for the big day."

“This is a great chance to teach young people about how to protect native fish and their habitat, whether they’re freshwater or marine fish. Exotic fish are also a problem and these are the kinds of messages the students can take home after this fishing classic.”

The Reef Guardian Schools program is an initiative of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and, in the Burdekin region, it is run in partnership with the natural resource management group NQ Dry Tropics.

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