Fishers reject trawling line

Recreational fishers on the Peninsula have reacted strongly to plans to alter the trawling line in Broken Bay.

Ettalong Beach War Memorial Fishing Club secretary Ms Lisa Louden said this rule change shouldn't even be considered.

She has called on fishing clubs from the Peninsula to Gosford to fight the change.

"The trawlers have a whole coastline to trawl," she said.

"The area that this rule change will affect cannot sustain fish stocks for trawlers and recreation fishing."

The proposed change would see trawlers work along the back of Pearl Beach, 250m from shore and, from there, across to Little Box Head.

"It is the trawlers who flaunt this line regularly," Ms Louden said.

"I was nearly wiped out by a trawler while anchored off Little Box at night.

"He came that close he took our lines out with his nets.

"Now they want to do it legally, by changing the rules.

"I fish this area regularly and there just isn't the fish there to cope with this," she said.

A management advisory committee on estuary prawn trawling for NSW Fisheries is investigating the proposed change.

Email, May 26 Malcolm Poole, Lisa Louden, Ettalong Beach War Memorial Fishing Club