On the water

Welcome to our waterways

petercMon, 27/02/2012 - 9:39pm

Welcome to the wonderful waterways of Port Stephens and particularly North Arm Cove.

A great many of us came to North Arm Cove because of the access, scenic quality and relative peace of the place and its waters. The north shore of Port Stephens offers great opportunities for fishing, kayaking (kayaks are a must have in NAC!), waterskiing, sailing or just knocking about in boats from canoes to offshore yachts. The increase in moored powerboats and yachts in the past 10 years has been incredible, and many of the owners are not necessarily locals, coming from places as far...

Is it safe to go boating over the Easter break?

janinerWed, 31/03/2021 - 11:52am
Jimmy's Beach Port Stephens

The flood waters along the east coast are gradually abating, so is it safe to go boating over Easter?

Before making a decision, the first thing I would do is look at the NSW Maritime facebook page. www.facebook.com/nswmaritime . It has a great image of the flood plume off the coast near the Hawksbury River. The water up here may not be as bad, but we still have a lot of flood water coming down the local rivers.

NSW Maritime is still recommending delaying all non essential boating and if you go out, slow down...

Proposed Changes to Commercial Fishing and Aquaculture Laws

janinerThu, 11/03/2021 - 4:03pm

DPI is currently seeking feedback on a range of proposals to amend fisheries and aquaculture regulations. These proposals have been identified by stakeholders and DPI to better manage our fisheries resources and reduce unnecessary red tape. There are two parts to these proposals:

Part A. Commercial Fisheries Business Efficiency Program (BEP)

These proposed regulation changes relate to commercial fisheries and have been identified by the commercial fishing industry to improve their business efficiency. The NSW Commercial Fishing NSW Advisory Council has considered these proposals and recommended that they proceed to broader community consultation.

Part B....

New Fishing Rules

janinerThu, 11/03/2021 - 3:43pm
Blue Swimmer Crab

Some minor changes to recreational fishing rules will come into effect on 30 April 2021 relating to the blue swimmer crab size limit and the use of ‘Opera House’ style yabby traps. These changes are being implemented following consultation with and support from the Recreational NSW Fishing Advisory Council.

Blue Swimmer Crabs size limit to increase to 6.5cm
The size limit of blue swimmer crabs will increase from 6cm to 6.5cm to help assist with protecting spawning crabs and to improve the productivity of the stock through time. It will also provide consistency between the recreational...

You can still go Fishing

janinerSun, 19/04/2020 - 12:00pm

A Message from the DPI Fisheries Team

Fishing & COVID-19

We hope you are keeping well and safe during these challenging times. In early April NSW Police advised that recreational fishing is permitted, as long as people follow all other advice in relation to social distancing and gatherings of two or more people. It is vital you follow NSW Health guidelines around social distancing. Detailed advice on social distancing is available at www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19 .

As well as strictly following social distancing guidelines, all fisheries rules and regulations continue to apply in NSW, including bag...

Please Slow Down

Rant
janinerSun, 26/01/2020 - 9:06pm

In the last few days we've had some lovely high tides in the middle of the day. We've had a lot of people out for a swim, people kayaking and kids playing in the water. Unfortunately we've also had a few hoons driving their boats at speed between the oyster leases and the shore.

If you want to go fast, please go on the other side of the oyster leases and keep the shore side safe for the rest of us and the noise levels down for those onshore. And perhaps a reminder to your visitors about safe...

Medina Bay - No Way!

Opinion
tonyhSat, 26/05/2018 - 3:23pm

Observations by Gary Sylvaney - a NAC boating resident.

Having arrived in the Cove just 6 years ago, my first close involvement with moves for a Community Jetty and Community Boat Ramp occurred with the Royal Haskoning DHV Survey during 2016. Prior to that, it was the disappointment experienced when I discovered the Council Plan prominently displayed at Casuarina Reserve in 2012 for a Community Jetty and Ramp was not going to happen. It had played a large part in our decision to purchase a property across the road from the Reserve.

At the time we...

Leunig Sums Life Up

Humour
tonyhSun, 25/02/2018 - 11:31am
I sit here feeling pretty low about the state of the nation and trying to think up something smart to say about the MidCoast Counci debacle. A jet skier flashes past our house inside the oyster leases where kids are swimming. I'm thankfully distracted as a poem by one of our best loved cartoonists comes to mind: ODE TO A JET-SKI PERSON Jet-ski person, selfish fink, May your silly jet-ski sink, May you hit a pile of rocks, Oh hoonish, summer coastal pox....

Lemon Tree Passage boating facilities

jaybeeMon, 29/02/2016 - 8:34pm

The second most important issue after the weather, when boating, is the facilities available at either end of your journey.
The destination of Lemon Tree Passage is perhaps the best exponent of this need on the Port Stephens waterway .
I am talking about the easy of how you get on & get off your boat plus the launching & retrieval facilities at both start & end of the journey.
Having just attended “Lemon Jam” music day at Lemon Tree Passage & experienced their new , almost completed facilities, I”m impressed.

Apart from good...

More Changes to Crab Trap Rules

News
janinerTue, 11/08/2015 - 1:19pm

Changes to Recreational Crab Net Rules in Port Stephens

New rules came into force in Port Stephens in May 2015 in regards to crab trap equipment. Existing crab traps and witches hats must be modified to lower the risk of turtle entanglement.

Given the high reported drowning rate of turtles in Port Stephens and recognition of the estuary being important for turtles, a trial of new crab gear rules is being implemented in Port Stephens requiring:

1) Recreational witches hats to be modified so that the entanglement net is not inverted when set, that...

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