PIPI PROHIBITION ANNOUNCED. 14.3.11

[CEO]

  ECOfishers can advise NSW recreational fishers, Fisheries this afternoon announced a closure on the commercial harvesting of pipis from today until June 1 st 2011.  And a new size limit has also just been announced for all pipis. They must now be no smaller than four (4) centimetres along their longest axis. Things are pretty crook among our pipi populations. Little wonder they have lasted so long at the moment. What with every coastal city, town, village etc pumping their sewage into our estuaries or directly to sea, is it any wonder? Of course the real problem with our world today is to many people. As the population increases, so too do the bums on seats (toilet.) And it all ends up in one form or another, in our waterways and seas. Pipis, being filter feeders, suck in all the shit containing who knows what chemicals!
The Labor/Green government initially addressed the problem by banning NSW recreational fishers from taking pipis off the beach and put a bag limit on them. Nothing has changed. Sorry, yes it has. The situation has become measureably worse. Now there is a total ban on harvesting pipis until June 1st and we have copped a size limit of "must be greater than 4 cm across!"
 Surely, the current Labor/Green government will go down in NSW history, as the government which banned everything - but constantly failed to address the real problems!
 Those Chinese market gardners all had the right idea.

[CEO]

Discussions ECOfishers had with NSW Fisheries Compliance staff this morning, on your behalf, highlights the fact Compiance staff know nothing about the Closure, at the moment! Funny way to run our business! Back to the Manager, Estuary General Fisheries and he advises the Closure does not apply to recreational fishers. Does the size limit apply to recreational fishers? They don't know! They will have to get back to us on that one.
       Surely the Department can do better than that. It's apparent the left hand doesn't know what theright hand is doing.

 A call back from the Estuary General manager, shows clearly, the 4 cm legal length DOES NOT apply to recreational fishers. At least their call back system works efficiently!