THE Australian Recreational Fishing Foundation (ARFF), the national peak body for recreational fishing and its member organisations has welcomed Charles Sturt University’s announcement of a new Graduate Certificate in Fisheries Conservation and Management in the field of freshwater fisheries.
ARFF Manager Adam Martin congratulated Charles Sturt University and the Institute for Land, Water and Society for collaborating with the recreational fishing sector to help develop such an “innovative and exciting opportunity” for Australia’s passionate recreational fishing community.
“The numbers of recreational fishers who understand the need to improve our freshwater fisheries or are actively engaged in activities relating to fish ecology and management, citizen science, stewardship, water management, habitat restoration and conservation is simply exploding!”
“Recreational fishers need more ways to gain formal qualifications like this to keep them inspired and to provide a platform where their value and experience is recognised. I believe it will also pave the way for the next generation of leaders and managers in the future co-management of this precious resource,” Martin said.
Charles Sturt University’s Course director Matt Hunt described the course as “specialised and targeted” for recreational fishers, but also those who work in fisheries research and management who wish to “hone their skills” in leading river development and fish conservation projects.
“This will be a “hand’s on” course that will deliver practical skills, grounded in the latest theory and advances in fisheries knowledge and we have strong interest from international students, so we will be including study material using relevant overseas examples which can be applied locally.”
The course is now open for enrolment and will commence July 2021. Students can complete the graduate certificate over 6 months (full-time) or 12 months (part-time).
For more details, information and how to enrol, people are encouraged to visit: https://study.csu.edu.au/courses/science/graduate-certificate-fish-conservation-management
