Educating young people in safe fishing practices and boosting local fish populations is the focus in the Central West this week, with a free fishing workshop to be held in Forbes on Tuesday as part of NSW Youth Week.
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The workshop, which will be run by the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) Fishcare program with support from Forbes Shire Council and the Forbes Aboriginal and Community Working Party, will see the future generation of fishing try their hand at the sport.
DPI Narrandera Hatchery Manager Matthew McLellan said the workshop will cover casting, knot-tying, and fishing safety, plus a practical fishing session in Lake Forbes.
“In addition, DPI will stock 10,000 juvenile Golden Perch into Forbes Lake and Jemalong Creek tomorrow to coincide with the event,” he said.
“It’s only fitting that we continue our regular stocking efforts in the region, ensuring native fish populations continue to thrive and provide good fishing opportunities for the local angling community.
“The fingerlings, which have been bred at Narrandera Hatchery, average 40mm in size and will grow into larger fish that can be caught in the future.”
Fourteen-year-old local angler Clinton Hooper, who is a member of the Forbes Youth Action team and attending the event, said it’s an important occasion for young people to learn the techniques for his favourite sport.
“Workshops like this help people to know how to catch a fish, what to do with them when they catch them, and to learn the rules,” he said.
“Stocking more fish in Forbes is also good for our community because it gives us more opportunity to catch a fish.”
The workshop is aimed at kids aged 10 to 16 and participants are encouraged to stick around following the event to enjoy fishing the boosted waters.
The workshop will be held at APEX Park on Tuesday, 17 April, from 11am, and is supported by funds from the NSW Fishing Trust.
