Industry and Investment NSW has sent out a reminder that a three-month ban on taking Australian bass and estuary perch from all rivers and estuaries in NSW starts on 1 June.

The zero bag limit was introduced because of feedback from the community during the three-year review into recreational fishing rules, it's designed to protect the species during spawning.

Both species form schools and migrate to parts of estuaries with the right salinity to trigger spawning which makes them incredibly vulnerable during this time.

The ban doesn't close any waters to fishing and won't affect people fishing for other estuary species such as bream or flathead.

All fish in freshwater impoundments, like Glenbawn Dam and Glennies Creek Dam in the Hunter Valley, Brogo Dam near Bega and Clarrie Hall and Toonumbar Dams in the northeast are stocked fisheries and people can continue to fish for these species in these spots all year round.

Posted 25 May 2010