Rockhampton hooks viewers around the globe in world-first fishing livestream
Rockhampton is perhaps best known for its beef, but now the Queensland city is angling to become a future fishing hotspot.
On Saturday the Fitzroy River was the only Australian fishing destination featured in what is understood to be the first 24-hour international fishing livestream.
Hosted by Fishing TV in London, the livestream hooked in anglers from around the globe, giving them a glimpse of some of the world's best and most sustainable fishing locations as part of World Fishing Day.
Fishing identity John Haenke, who livestreamed from the central Queensland city alongside presenter Steve Starling, said Rockhampton deserved its place in the event.
"It certainly is a world-class fishery when everything is firing here," Mr Haenke said.
"There's no doubt that people would travel from locations around the world to come and fish here."
The stream also featured locations in New Zealand, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Rockhampton now a 'fishing tourism hub'
Fishing tourism is growing in the region, with the Rockhampton Regional Council putting a strong focus on the sport to lure people to the city.
Rockhampton Regional Councillor Tony Williams said the combination of the Fitzroy River running through the middle of the city and the bite of a big barra was what made Rockhampton a special fishing location.
External Link: Fishing livestream
"[There is] an opportunity to go into a CBD and catch a 1-metre barramundi right on the river bank," Cr Williams said.
"We've got charter boats operating in the river now, we've got more competitions happening, we're catching more fish."
Cr Williams said being part of the global livestream was a unique opportunity to complement that fishing drive.
"To have this event culminating in a worldwide audience looking at what we've got to offer — it's really the icing on the cake," he said.
Sustainable fishing futures
Locally known as the home of the barramundi, it was not just the size or type of the fish in the mighty Fitzroy that hooked the attention of Fishing TV in London.
"They're very conservation-minded and they're looking at sustainable fisheries around the world," Mr Haenke said.
"Because of Rockhampton being a net-free zone … it was right in line with the sort of thing they were looking for."
Mr Haenke said Rockhampton Regional Council had been proactive about sustainable fishing practice.
"They stopped all gill netting in the Fitzroy River and the adjacent coastlines which means there's a much better future for the fish in that area," Mr Haenke said.
"We've been in areas where [netting] is fairly prevalent and I've seen fisheries decline very quickly because of it.
"They were smart enough to realise if they want it to be a sustainable fishery then the gill netting can't continue.
"Now there should be a great future for the fishery here and for our children and our children's children."
Cr Williams said the net-free zones had created a specific fishing tourism potential for anglers.
"It's having that opportunity to catch a trophy fish, get a photo with it and then just pop it straight back into the system for the next person," he said.
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