OzFish Unlimited, Australia’s only fishing conservation charity launches the Thinking Fish - a Series of public talks about fishing and its future across Australia.

The first will have a focus on the Murray-Darling Basin and the plight of our native fish made possible with funding from the Murray Darling Basin Authority.

The seminar aims to generate discussion and debate about the issues facing native fish in the Basin.

Hear from industry leaders about the current challenges and opportunities for our fish within regional and rural communities along this vast river system.

These talks will be about fish and fishing from people who love both. Together the talks will be thinking big, thinking fish and thinking future.

This seminar is a free event for community members of all ages who not only love fishing but equally love their rivers and what they give back to communities across Australia.

Light refreshments will be provided during the event.

Speakers:

Matt Hansen – The new breed of Basin fishers

Matt has loved fishing since the day he could walk. He is a Director of OzFish Unlimited, President of the Inland Waterways OzFish Chapter and founder of the Lake Burrendong Easter Fishing Classic. He was recognised by the recreational fishing sector as the 2109 Australian Rec Fishing Volunteer of the Year, for his efforts in leading habitat restoration as well as fisher and habitat communication in inland NSW.

Dr Craig Boys - Keeping Fish in Rivers

Craig is a fish ecologist based at the Port Stephens Fisheries Institute where he leads a variety of projects concerning the rehabilitation of both freshwater and estuarine ecosystems. Much of his science is interdisciplinary, merging fish biology, ecology and hydraulics in an attempt to improve the design and operation of river infrastructure for the protection of fish. Recent research projects have included understanding and mitigating the impacts of barotrauma and fluid shear on fish as they migrate downstream through irrigation and hydropower infrastructure.

Luke Pearce – Fish in the Murrumbidgee: Before, Now and the Future

Born and bred in the Bidgee, having spent more than 80% of my life living within the catchment. Passionate about everything outdoors and environmental, particularly everything fishy and aquatic. I feel truly blessed to be one of the few people who is able to say that I am doing for a job what I did as a kid, wondering around our creeks and river systems catching critters, on top of catching them I am doing my very best to improve their prospects!

Stuart Little – Why fish matter to a water bureaucrat

Stu’s official title is Assistant Director – Riverine Ecology at the Murray-Darling Basin Authority. But what he really does is lead the Fish ‘theme’ area, providing up to date fish knowledge and expertise to the various sections within the MDBA. Passionate about protecting the environment since his High School project days, Stu was originally a soil scientist and agricultural researcher before joining the Murray-Darling Basin Commission in 2007. Since that time he has developed a love for fish through his work in the monitoring section for The Living Murray environmental watering and infrastructure program and Basin-wide environmental water planning. Stu leads a team committed to incorporating fish needs into water planning and management actions, and is part of the team developing the Native Fish Recovery Strategy.