Support for fish stocking and waterway health

Council has reaffirmed its support of the Cairns Area Fish Stocking Group (CAFSG) with a three-year, $45,000 funding agreement.

The funding will support the group to deliver fish stocking events over the next three years, including the stocking of barramundi fingerlings in local waterways.

Operating for more than a decade, CAFSG is a voluntary community organisation which aims to create, maintain and monitor sustainable, recreational fisheries within the Cairns region.

Every year, the organisation hosts community awareness and education events where the community is invited to participate in the release of barramundi fingerlings across several significant catchments in the Cairns region.

The stocking of fish, such as barramundi fingerlings, is essential to keep native fish numbers high, which also assists with the suppression of noxious species such as tilapia in local waterways.

The organisation has enjoyed marked success in the past year, with a 400% increase in community participation at fish stocking events in 2023/24, with over 300 people, many of which were families, attending.

Council has a history of supporting CAFSG for many years, most recently though the Community Partnerships Grant stream with an agreement from 2021 to 2024 of $10,000 per annum.

Expenses associated with the fish stocking community events have increased significantly since 2021, especially with the costs of fingerlings, and Council has consequently endorsed increased funding of $15,000 per annum to assist the group successfully deliver its programs.