A fish hatchery, run by Bingara Angler's Club, is set for a $20,000 upgrade after receiving funding from the Government's Communities Environment Program.
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Member for New England Barnaby Joyce, announced the Coalition Government funding would assist Gwydir Shire Council to purchase a new tank, pump and filtration system for the benefit of Bingara Angler's Club.
The club is full of passionate people who've obtained local knowledge through generations of fishing creeks and rivers around the region.
Each year 100,000 plus fingerlings are bred by Bingara Angler's Club to restock the Gwydir and Horton Rivers.
Due to prolonged drought, a great number of breeding female fish have been lost which has impacted stock numbers.
Mr Joyce said with a reliable breeding system, volunteers have the skills, accreditations and time to ensure fingerlings are available to restock rivers across the region and wider NSW.
"This program is all about harnessing the passion of grassroots community organisations to deliver practical local projects that directly improve our local environment," Mr Joyce said in a statement.
"I was very pleased with the high quality of applications received from our local community and environmental organisations, and their enthusiasm to undertake practical environmental projects.
"Community groups across the New England are already delivering many fantastic environmental projects, whether it's planting trees, cleaning up local waterways, reducing litter or protecting native species," he said.
The Coalition Government is investing more than $22 million in the Communities Environment Program to support local environmental projects in every electorate across Australia, with grants ranging from $2,500 to $20,000 per project.
A broad range of organisations were eligible to apply, including local community clubs, not-for-profit organisations, Landcare groups and schools.
Mr Joyce said the Communities Environment Program was empowering local community groups to deliver practical local environmental projects that would not only raise environmental awareness but also strengthen the local community.
"This new funding will help further those outcomes and I look forward to working together to deliver these projects."
