Farmers encouraged to make their farms fish friendly

The Iemma Government is encouraging farmers to apply to make their properties
demonstration farms, which showcase fish friendly land management techniques,
Minister for Primary Industries Ian Macdonald said today.
 
Minister Macdonald said it’s the second phase of the NSW Department of Primary
Industries Fish Friendly Farms project.
 
“Farmers throughout NSW will be encouraged to enter a proposal for making their
property more fish friendly by improving rivers, creeks or wetlands to improve fish
habitat,” Minister Macdonald said.
 
“NSW DPI has received a grant of $100,000 from the NSW Environmental Trust for this
second phase of the project to establish demonstration farms.
 
“Four properties will be chosen as fish-friendly demonstration farms: two from inland
catchments and two from coastal catchments.
 
“By establishing demonstration farms the wider community will be able to see in real
terms how to identify fish habitat issues on their properties and what measures to
undertake in order to fix them.
 
“There are many ways landholders can make their farms fish friendly.  
 
“They can provide a fish passage at creek crossings, restore riverbanks with native
trees and shrubs and remove invasive weeds.
 
“Managing livestock access to the waterway with off-stream water and improving in-
stream habitat with snags and stabilising banks, are other fish friendly farming
techniques.”
 
Mr Macdonald said phase one of Fish Friendly Farms project involved farmer
educational field days, workshops and publications on fish-friendly land management,
fish habitats and fish species.   
 
The project is supported by the Murray Darling Basin Commission, NSW Council of
Freshwater Anglers and NSW Farmers Association.
 
Demonstration properties will be chosen where the owners are supportive of
sustainable fish friendly management and where a range of fish friendly management
actions can be demonstrated.
 
To find out more or enter your property as a fish friendly demonstration farm, contact
Charlotte Jenkins from NSW DPI on 02 66261107 or charlotte [dot] jenkins [at] dpi [dot] nsw [dot] gov [dot] au