Tony and Meredith Thompson

Fish Harvesting

Tony and Meredith Thompson operate a mixed farming enterprise traditionally reliant on cotton production around Bourke. This year’s devastating drought has meant there will be no cotton planted at all in Bourke. With one of their cotton storages 25% full of water Tony and Meredith, after exhaustive nutrient and temperature analysis, arranged with the Department of Land and Water to release the remaining water in order to sustain the permanent plantings of horticulturists downstream. As the water was released they were able to utilize an existing commercial fishing licence and undertook some opportunity harvesting of golden perch and cod from the remnants of the diminishing water storage.

This stands as a superb example of diversification and finely tuned resource management.

“ We were pleased to be able to help the horticulture plantings of the area and the income from the fish will prove very handy in the midst of this very trying time for irrigators of the area.” Tony stated

“…the water storage was stocked with fingerlings a few years ago, and it is a practice that we shall hopefully be able to integrate into our future farm management regime,”