Bowfishing permitted in NSW

BOWFISHERS in NSW will be able to hunt carp following new rules and regulations announced on Saturday September 2.

NSW Minister for Agriculture Adam Marshall said the changes to the sport of bowfishing would help control the carp population and were being introduced following “extensive industry and community consultation”.

“Carp are considered a noxious pest and remain the only species that may be taken using bowfishing equipment,” Mr Marshall said.

“This is a popular activity, and bowfishers will now be allowed to target carp using an upright bow with a specialised arrow attached through a tethered line and a reel.”

Mr Marshall said a successful trial of bowfishing for carp had previously shown it could be safe, effective, and provide economic benefits for rural and regional areas of NSW.

As part of the changes, bowfishing cannot be conducted within 50 metres of a person, or vehicle not part of the fishing party, or within 100 metres of a dwelling, picnic area or campsite.

According to the NSW Carp Control Plan 2010, carp accounted for 49 per cent of the fish biomass (total weight of fish caught) in the lower Murray-Darling catchment.

While carp have been present in the Murray-Darling Basin since the 1920s, it is thought further strains were imported into dams near Mildura in the 1960s before they spread upstream.

As a large freshwater fish, carp are thought to be pests due to their feeding habits which stir up sediments, uproot vegetation and muddy the water.

The muddy waters cause poor light penetration, which is believed to inhibit native fish which rely on sight to feed.

The Department of Primary Industries have also noted that carp, when present in high numbers, may increase the likelihood of algal blooms by preying on animals that eat algae.

Mr Marshall said it was important for anybody interested in bowfishing to first “understand the rules, regulations and technique surrounding the sport”.

Bowfishing remains prohibited in tidal waters, entrances to rivers and lakes, coastal lagoons, all offshore waters and estuaries and all beaches across the state.

Declared trout waters will be off-limits to bowfishing to ensure separation between trout anglers and bowfishers.

A valid NSW recreational fishing licence is also required.