The Hon Peter Garrett AM MP,
Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts

Dear Minister
Re: Tasmania’s Interlaken Lakes

• Drought breaking rains have thoroughly soaked the catchment with the result that all water storages other than these lakes are spilling.
• Principal irrigators now hold many thousands of megalitres of water collected over winter.
• The River Clyde has been in a state of perpetual flood for some months and given the above these flows are likely to be sufficient to supply domestic, stock and irrigation flows for several months at least.
• The emergency supplies from the Shannon River are still available and indeed work is rapidly converting this supply to permanency thereby negating the need to draw extra water from these lakes.
• We believe that the prime motivating factor for irrigators to access Interlaken water is because of its lesser cost than that available from the Shannon. We suggest that allowing supplies on the basis of cost alone devalues the worth and importance of the environment.

Download the complete letter to MInister Garrett from Richard Dax, AAT Chairman

The new season’s licence period starts on 1 August, which coincides with the traditional opening of the trout season (based on brown trout waters).

You will be able to purchase a new season licence or renew a full season licence from the second week of July via the internet at the IFS web site, or by visiting your local tackle store or Service Tasmania shop.

The annual renewal notice which will be sent to all full-season licence holders in the first week of July, will contain a special offer for a Complimentary 48-hour Novice Licence to ‘take a mate fishing’ this season.

Full season licence holders will also be offered free entry to the Salmon Ponds again this year.

Angling licence costs for the 2009-10 season are shown below. Note that the one day licence has been extended to two days, by replacing the 24-hour Licence with a 48-hour Licence at no relative increase in price.

LICENCE TYPE — FEE

• Full Season Adult — $65.00
• Full Season Pensioner — $35.50
• Full Season Senior — $51.50
• Full Season Juvenile (14-17 yrs) — $12.00
• 28 Days — $51.50
• 28 Days (2 Rod) — $58.00
• 7 Days — $33.00
• 7 Days (2 Rod) — $39.50
• 48 Hours — $19.50
• 48 Hours (2 Rod) — $26.00
• 48 Hr Complimentary — $0.00
• 2nd Rod (Adult) — $13.00
• 2nd Rod (Other) — $6.50

Most inland waters are open in line with the brown trout season from 1/8/09 to 2/5/10.

The exceptions include a smaller number of designated rainbow trout waters, which are open from 3/10/09 to 30/5/10, or waters that are opened for specific periods only and waters open all year.

These irregularities are listed in the new season’s Fishing Code, which is provided free of charge with the purchase of a licence.