Late on Thursday afternoon, Member for Monaro Steve Whan issued a statement calling on the Snowy Mountains community to get behind his campaign to save the Gaden Trout Hatchery by attending a rally and signing a petition that will be personally delivered to the NSW Premier.

Speaking on Thursday afternoon, Mr Whan said: "Today I am starting a petition to keep the Gaden Trout Hatchery in Jindabyne open, but I will need the help and support of the entire community. I am also organising a rally at the Gaden Hatchery Sunday morning, and I call on all locals to turn up as a show of support against this short-sighted decision made by Sydney bureaucrats."

The NSW State axe fell on Gaden as part of its cuts in the mini-budget announced on Tuesday but Mr Whan said that this was one cut he didn't support.

"I will be urging the Premier to quickly reverse this decision, but in the meantime I will be starting a petition and organising a community rally," he said.

Mr Whan said that he had been inundated with calls and emails about the closure which could affect the region's fishing-tourism industry estimated to be worth $70 million.

Mr Whan urged everyone to attend the rally (on the way to the Snowy River Festival in Dalgety) and collect as many signatures on the petition as possible.

PETITIONS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE IN THE SUMMIT SUN'S OFFICE, LEVEL 2, SNOWY MOUNTAINS PLAZA, JINDABYNE TOWN CENTRE.