How to boost tourism through Fishing – The Northern Territory nails it

I saw this idea on the news over recent days, and the more I see it, the more I think it’s a bloody fantastic idea.  The Northern Territory is putting $1,075,000 up for grabs for people who throw a line in the water up North in a bid to boost fishing related tourism.

There will be tourism boards around Australia, in fact in places around the world thinking “why didn’t we think of that” because it’s really bloody simple.

76 Barramundi will be caught, tagged and tossed back into the waters around the Top End.  Fishermen who catch a barra during the competition period can check any catch and have 75 chances at $10,000 and there’s one fish swimming around with a $1,000,000 price tag on its back.

Aussie cricket great Matthew Hayden is an NT Ambassador and has been out promoting the idea which will boost tourism by numbers that might surprise many.

Turns out 14% of Aussies would streak across a footy field for a million bucks.  40% of women would shave their heads for a million.  So just going fishing seems a pretty easy way to give it a go:)

The challenge commences in October and Matt Hayden has some tips for those who are thinking of taking part:

1. During the build-up season in October, hit the inland waterways and billabongs for freshwater barra as they warm up there ahead of monsoon season
2. When monsoon lands around January, places like Darwin Harbour are barra hotspots where you’ll find them hiding amongst the mangrove creeks and estuaries
3. Take a few weedless lures on your trip as some parts of estuaries are full of roots and hidden obstacles which can make your day not about fishing, but retrieving expensive lures
4. Switch to noisy surface poppers or troll along a moonlit patch of lilies to attract the barra to the surface
5. Engage a local ‘fisho’ to take you out because not only can they provide all the fishing equipment you need, they hold all of the local knowledge about where the best places to fish are!

Seriously, why not give it a crack?  The odds are long, but you can’t tell me it’s not worth trying!

If you are heading up – register first at www.milliondollarfish.com.au.