Logan & Albert Fish Management Association (LAFMA) was formerly known as Carpbusters

The Carpbusters "Carp Out-Natives In" concept was formed in 1997 by a small group of concerned anglers from the Rathdowney Hotel Social Fishing Club to get introduced noxious carp out of the Logan and Albert River systems and replace them with native fish. The initial committee comprising: Bernie Panitz (president), Jim Walsh (secretary), and John Hardke (treasurer). Carpbusters was formally incorporated in June 2002.

Carpbusters run seven successful Easter Carp Eradication Competitions between 1997 and 2004, removed more than 10 tonne of Carp from the rivers and raised approximately $65,000 to purchase fingerlings for the native fish stocking program. These Easter competitions became a very popular Queensland event. Around 2005/2006, due to concerns and issues around the introduction of Public Liability Insurance (PLI) and dwindling membership and other priorities for some members, Carpbusters decided to forget about running Carpbuster competitions and concentrate their efforts on stocking of Australian Bass and Mary River Cod and their research project: tagging of Mary River Cod and Australian Bass.

In 2010, Carpbusters decided to change its name to Logan & Albert Fish Management Assoc Inc. to better reflect the concerns of the group, ie. focus on all issues concerning fish in the Logan & Albert, not just the removal of Carp. Wyaralong Dam, situated on Teviot Brook which flows into the Logan River was completed prior to the 2010-2011 Queensland floods. Due to calls and pressure from the general public to create a recreational fishery in Wyaralong, LAFMA was granted permission to stock Mary River cod and Australian Bass in

the dam in 2013.

In 2013, LAFMA re invented the annual pest fish comps of old, but confined to Wyaralong Dam only. Since the dam was created, Carp and Tilapia numbers have exploded. LAFMA continues to do annual stockings of Australian Bass and the endangered Mary River cod in Wyaralong Dam and the Logan and Albert River system.

“Restoring the Balance”.

The 'Carp Out - Natives In' concept was started by a small group of concerned anglers in the Rathdowney/Beaudesert area to get introduced noxious carp out of the Logan and Albert River system and replace them with native fish. Carpbusters run seven successful easter Carp Eradication Competitions from 1997, removed more than 10 tonne of Carp from the rivers and raised approximately $65,000 to purchase fingerlings for the native fish stocking program. 

With money raised from these competitions and other fundraising efforts in the local community, along with some annual funding from the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries (DPI and F) Recreational Fishing Enhancement Program (RFEP), a total of 400,000 Australian Bass and 35,000 Mary River Cod fingerlings were released into the upper Logan and Albert River systems, 1998 to 2007.

As the Carp Eradication Competitions grew, so did the requirements for public liability insurance, event organisation, planning and risk management. These factors, along with changes to family and work commitments of the small core group of committed and passionate people who spent thousands of volunteer hours to make the yearly event so successful, sadly brought to an end an era of Carpbuster Easter Competitions.

Carpbusters then concentrated their efforts on stocking of Australian Bass and Mary River Cod and their newly commenced research project: tagging of Mary River Cod and Australian Bass in the upper reaches of the Logan and Albert River systems.

Note:  Annual Carp/Tilapia Eradication competitions were recommenced in February 2013 at Wyaralong Dam only. All funds raised from these competitions are used to buy Cod and Bass fingerlings for release into the Dam.

A change of name for Carpbusters.

At the 2010 AGM, it was decided to officially change the name of the association to Logan & Albert Fish Management Association Inc. (LAFMA) to better reflect our involvement in the 'whole of catchment', rather than just organising a few carp comps and stocking fish.

Wyaralong Dam.

Wyaralong Dam situated on Teviot Brook, a tributary of the Logan, was completed in 2011. With pressure from the general public for someone to create a recreational fishery in Wyaralong, LAFMA made an application to Fisheries to have it added to our stocking permit. As LAFMA were already stocking Bass and Mary River Cod in the Logan & Albert system, it was a natural progression to continue the practice in Wyaralong. After discussions with DAF, it was decided to make Wyaralong a Mary River cod fishery with Australian bass as a back up species. In January 2013, Wyaralong had its first stocking, 45000 bass only as no cod fingerlings were available that year. Since then, only 10,000 bass have been added annually with all other stocking funds being allocated to Mary River cod. (see other areas of this web site for total fish stocked to date)

Mary River Cod to make a comeback.

At the time of European settlement, cod, similar to the Mary River Cod (MRC) swam abundantly in the waters of the Logan and Albert River system. Cod up to 35kg and bigger are believed to have lived in the local rivers, with catches of fish up to 15kg not uncommon.

Today however, the Mary River Cod is listed by the Federal Government as one of Australia’s most endangered fish. Over-fishing, the construction of infrastructure in streams and habitat fragmentation has decimated populations. The damage is so great that the species is now estimated to occur in less than 30 per cent of its former know range in the Mary River system.

The Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries (now DAF) threw its support behind Carpbusters/LAFMA as both parties work towards creating a recreational fishery in the freshwater reaches of the Logan and Albert River system and Wyaralong Dam.

How you can help when fishing the freshwater reaches of the Logan & Albert rivers.

Be aware of the fishing legislation that applies to Mary River Cod and Australian Bass, apply best practice techniques when handling and releasing fish ie. use barbless hooks, use relatively heavy line to ensure less stress or damage during capture, use wet hands or cloth when handing fish, do not hold fish to be released vertically by the jaw, fully support the body of large fish horizontally at all times, measure the length of fish rather than weigh them. 

Remove from the water and destroy any pest fish captured ie. Carp and Tilapia.

For information on Pest Fish and current fisheries legislation, visit www.dpi.qld.gov.au/fishweb or call 13 25 23.