A boost for recreational fishers
The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries has announced a boost for recreational fishers, with the deployment of four new Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs) off the Darwin coastline.
The devices have been strategically placed around the Fenton Patches and North Gutter, two of the Top End’s most popular fishing grounds.
Designed to attract pelagic species such as mackerel, queenfish, and trevally, the FADs will provide Territorians with more opportunities to target these species while reducing fishing pressure on reef fish that are more vulnerable to overfishing.
The deployment forms part of a trial program testing heavy-duty mooring gear through the wet season to assess how well the devices withstand the Territory’s marine conditions. Two of the FADs also include sub-surface habitats intended to boost baitfish numbers, further increasing their effectiveness in drawing pelagic fish.
NT Fisheries will monitor the devices using GPS trackers and conduct surveys to measure fish abundance around the sites. The department has also committed to working closely with the local fishing community to evaluate the success of the trial.
Coordinates for the new FADs are as follows:
- FAD 1 - 12°09.500′S, 130°44.833′E
- FAD 2 - 12°08.933′S, 130°44.833′E
- FAD 3 - 12°10.300′S, 130°38.500′E
- FAD 4 - 12°06.667′S, 130°34.133′E
Fishers are reminded to follow NT Fisheries’ guidelines when using the new FADs. Boats must not moor directly to the devices, as this risks damaging the equipment or dragging it off its designated mark.
Full rules and etiquette are available on the NT Fisheries website
