This article was published in a local newspaper in NSW very close to one of Australia's best known land based game fishing spots.

This article reflects very badly on fishos and I have written a letter to the editor to tell them as much.  I have attached the link to the article and copied my letter below for you to read.  I recommend you blokes check out the website that I mention there www.albaa.com.au  These blokes have put together a really good group of people and they are doing some very good things to give fishos some positive press and a good name.  If you can please join their association and perhaps a WA chapetr could be set up to spread the good word and carry out the good actions here.

I would be interested to hear your thoughts.

Gus

The article:

http://www.southcoastregister.com.au/news/local/news/general/deep-sea-dump/1580958.aspx

My letter to the editor:

I write to express my concerns on your article titled ‘Deep Sea Dump’ (SCR 29/7/09).  As a former local of the area I am very familiar with the location mentioned and the amount of traffic that it receives from anglers, bushwalkers, divers and tourists.

As a very keen angler I was disappointed with the one sidedness of the story.  I appreciate that these divers took the time to clean up this area.  Most anglers who fish this area are very keen to ensure this location remains as rubbish free as possible.  There are a number of fishing websites where users regularly discuss the state of this area and most anglers are very concerned with the state of the ledge.  So much so that a number of users have create an organization call ALBAA (Australian Land Based Anglers Association) which is an organization which focuses on education programs for anglers such as environmental care and sustainable fishing and organizes regular clean-up days of popular fishing spots.

On a number of occasions ALBAA have organized clean ups of the area you mention and twice volunteers who enjoy their fishing and diving have planned to dive this area and carry an underwater clean up only to have to cancel it due to safety concerns in very large swell.

I believe your article very unfairly targets all anglers and generalizes up to all be a bunch of cowboys that have no regard for our environment where in actual fact most of us fish not only to catch fish but because we have a genuine love for the locations that our sport takes us to.  We are very concerned about the future of our sport, both for the fish stocks and the environment. 

One major problem being experienced around Jervis Bay is that the closure of many fishing spots in the area has created a concentration of people fishing a very limited number of spots.  This overcrowding has resulted in these spots ending up the way they have.  Another problem is the lack of waste disposal facilities in these areas.

I encourage you and your reader to please not tarnish the reputation of all anglers due to the thoughtless acts of a few very small minded individuals.  I also encourage you to spend some time looking at http://www.albaa.com.au/ and seeing the very great work being done by this organization.