“The local community will benefit from these projects, particularly $15,000 which will be invested to support fish hatchery trainees,” Katrina said.

“This project provides support to increase the number of fisheries students with practical skills learnt in a native fish hatchery.

It will also improve the number and quality of fish produced at the Narrandera hatchery with the extra staff”.

The Cootamundra electorate will benefit from projects including:

• $188,486 for inland aquatic habitat protection areas in the Greater Murray Regions;

• $210,000 for inland waterway habitat action projects, providing community grants to undertake fish habitat restoration;

• $60,000 for an inland small grants project, providing grants of up to $10,000 for small community based fishing projects to enhance recreational fishing;

• $25,376 for freshwater fishing competitions and events, promoting best practice recreational fishing and competition management techniques; and

• $19,780 for freshwater NSW Fishing Workshops. 

70 regional fishing workshops will be held for children to teach them how to fish and learn responsible fishing practices.

“These projects will greatly enhance fishing facilities for the many local fishers and tourists who enjoy fishing in our popular region,” Ms Hodgkinson said.

The projects are directly funded by the sale of fishing licenses and are reinvested back into the recreational sector to improve opportunities and accessibility to recreational fishing across the State.

“This Government remains committed to supporting the ongoing improvement of recreational fishing facilities,” Katrina said.

Since March 2011, funds from the Recreational Fishing Trust have seen around $57 million worth of projects to improve recreational fishing in NSW. 

A full list of successful projects can be found at http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fisheries.