The Queensland Government has almost doubled the number of stocked impoundments where anglers can fish under the Stocked Impoundment Permit Scheme (SIPS).

The expansion of the program from July 1, 2016, gave fishos access to 63 dams and weirs throughout the state.

“The addition of these fishing spots will see a boost to freshwater recreational fishing right across the state,” Minister for Agricultural and Fisheries Leanne Donaldson said said.

“Anyone over 18 who wants to fish in these waters will require a permit but the good news is that at least 75 per cent of the money received in permits will be directed back into the system.

“This means this money is being used to enhance the stocking program and for the first time, it will allow stocking groups to apply to use some of this money to enhance the recreational fishing experience at their local dams and weirs.

“The expansion of the SIPS will provide increased recreational fishing opportunities to regional communities through the provision of world class freshwater fishing.”

This is a win-win for recreational fishers, local fish stoking groups and regional communities right across Queensland.

“Currently the scheme generates revenue of approximately $1 million each year through the sale of some 50 000 permits,” Ms Donaldson said.

“SIPS will also move into the 21st century from 1 July with permits becoming digital making it fast, easy and convenient for anglers.

Digital permits for freshwater fishing will arrive by email or text message and will be able to be displayed on the phone.

Australia Post will manage the sale of permits which can be purchased online, at any Australia Post outlet or sub-agent in Queensland and from limited locations in northern New South Wales or over the phone.

An annual permit costs $50, $36 for an annual concession permit and a weekly permit is $10.

Permit fees have been fixed for the next five years.

New SIPS stocked dams and weirs …

· Aplins Weir Townsville (North Queensland)

· Caboolture River Weir, Caboolture (Moreton Bay)

· Goondiwindi (Hilton) Weir, Goondiwindi

· Miles Weir, Miles (Western Downs)

· Baroon Pocket Dam, Maleny (Sunshine Coast)

· Cecil Plains Weir, Cecil Plains (Toowoomba)

· Hinze Dam, Gold Coast hinterland

· Surat Weir, Surat (Maranoa)

· Beebo Weir, Texas (Goondiwindi)

· Chinchilla Weir, Chinchilla (Darling Downs)

· Inglewood Town Weir, Inglewood (Goondiwindi)

· Talgai Weir, Clifton (Southern Downs)

· Beehive Dam, Wallangarra (Southern Downs)

· Claude Wharton Weir, Gayndah (North Burnett)

· Jones Weir, Mundubbera (North Burnett)

· Whetstone Weir, Inglewood (Goondiwindi)

· Ben Anderson Barrage, Bundaberg

· Ewen Maddock Dam, Landsborough (Sunshine Coast)

· Koombooloomba Dam, Ravenshoe (Tablelands)

· Woodford Weir, Woodford (Sunshine Coast)

· Ben Dor Weir, Inglewood (Goondiwindi)

· Gill Weir, Miles (Western Downs)

· Lake Belmore, Croydon (Gulf Savannah)

· Wyaralong Dam, Beaudesert (Scenic Rim)

· Black Weir, Townsville (North Queensland)

· Gleeson Weir, Townsville (North Queensland)

· Lake Kurwongbah, Petrie (South east Queensland)

· Yarramalong Weir, Milmerran (Toowoomba)

· Bonshaw Weir, Texas (Goondiwindi)

· Glenarbon Weir, Texas (Goondiwindi)

· Lemon Tree Weir, Millmerran (Toowoomba)

For the latest info visit their website here.

The site has been up for only two weeks and already has 4230 fishing markers, with more on the way.

Comment functionality will be added to markers in due course, along with forum links for important marker discussion.

And then regular fishing articles, from a top team of fishing writers.

Wikifishingspots.com.au is still bare bones, but it is growing fast.

The site has kicked off with the important map items – boat ramps, shipwrecks and stocked waters. We’ll zoom into various spots with more detail once the basics are done.

Please don’t be shy. Sign up and add markers of your own, including your commercial fishing lodge or charter operation. We want it all on Australia’s fishing map.

NSW has gone down the road of installing purpose-designed reef systems.

One of the new reefs is off Port Macquarie.

Here’s the link to NSW Government’s page about the reef.

It was installed in February 2016, with 20 concrete modules each weighing 23 tonnes, each more than 5m tall.

The modules were constructed in Newcastle and loaded onto a barge, which was towed to the artificial reef site.

Each module was “expertly placed” on the ocean floor at a depth of approximately 46m, 6.3km off the coast.

Custom-built systems are possibly the best approach to reef-making, but it is also the top-dollar approach.

While NSW is doing a great job, I don’t agree with their departmental knocking of “junk” reefs.

Junk reefs have been hugely successful.

Steel boat hulls such as scuttled trawlers, oil rig tenders, unwanted concrete culverts and yacht hulls and the like, have been a great success around the world.

In Australia, nowhere have junk reefs done better than in the Northern Territory.

The NT has used scuttled hulls, mooring anchors, concrete culverts, bus stops, concrete pipes, and old mining gear.

One of the best NT reefs is an old bottlewashing machine.

History has shown that some types of junk are unsuitable for reefs, eg tyres. And some items – eg car bodies – don’t last long.

Otherwise, junk reefs can be cheap and effective.

The junk needs a clean-up, and then must be installed in a suitable area.

It’s not that hard to do.

In some cases NT reefs have been sunk by volunteers, working with government approvals.

Obsolete warships sunk around Australia for divers are, by definition, junk reefs. They have worked well.

The Port Macquarie reef is already fishing well.

Great work boys.

But no excuse to be knocking junk reefs.