Have your say on South Esk Management Plan

UPDATE: The closing date for South Esk comment has been extended until the 18 December 18 2009.

The South Esk Draft Management Plan has been released and input from anglers is invited. We urge all anglers and clubs to look at the plan on the Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment web site.

Anglers Alliance Tasmania will be making comment but the number of submissions received from anglers will have a direct effect on the future of the plan and so your input is vital.

We suggest that you pay particular attention to:

  • Science recommends a no take level of between 100 and 160 megalitres but the plan is reducing this to 40 megalitres — a drop of at least 60 percent against the evidence.
  • Ground water considerations are not entailed which may be a significant concern given the monoculture forests in the headwaters of the system.
  • The trial period is 10 years!
  • The abstraction of water is a very poor balance when water legislation gives the environment a surety level of 2 and irrigation a level of 5 and over.
  • Given the amount of abstraction being suggested this would appear to be at severe odds with both the environmental aims and social objectives of the Plan.

We appreciate that such matters are a demand on your time but you will have only a single chance to air your views on the future of this important river system.

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