Demersal proposal by Fisheries-do not engage in survey

 I have put this up as a seperate thread topic deliberately, to avoid my comment being lost in the hundreds of others.
I'm simply gobsmacked at how many people have taken this as;

"we only have 2 options, A-94 days or B-123 days".

Just like the Cray Grab for commercial quota 2 years ago, this is not the case.

This is the point where we will see whether apathy reigns, or people are prepared to actually step up.
People like myself, Hezzy, Brody Laroux and others have already given a considerable amount of our personal time to put a proposal together via RFW which has been completely ignored despite being invited by DPIRD.

Get ready to decide where you sit on t5his.
Mark MacGowan does not like being unpopular.

Don Punch can be just moved on elsewhere like what happened to Dave Kelly when this Gov tried to take the latent commercial effort for themselves.

But Mark MacGowan does not like adverse opinion, and he should be the target of a campaign about this.

Who is prepared to actually put up?

Don Punch Bunbury@mp.wa.gov.au

Mark McGowan wa-government@dpc.wa.gov.au

Mark.mcgowan@mp.wa.gov.au

https://www.parliament.wa.gov.au/parliament/memblist.nsf/WebCurrentMembLC

 

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 Give a man a mask, and he'll show you his true face...

 

 

The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.

Everyone's just winging it.

 


Ericl's picture

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I have written to Mark Mc Gowan

Thu, 2022-08-18 21:29

 Hi Rob

I have just written a lengthy email to Mark McGowan and am happy to get any advice from you as to what else I can do.

Happy to call the premiers office during working hours

Eric

 

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Don't spend all your money on beer, boats, and fishing. Save some to spend foolishly

quadfisher's picture

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Just sent my email,,

Thu, 2022-08-18 22:00

 You have nothing to loose except your lifestyle..

 Ive been to every rally I could make to protect our share and will again .

 I want my girls and there future familys to  be able to enjoy something wholesome and honest in a ever increasing stressful world.

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quadfisher

Ush's picture

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 "You have nothing to loose

Mon, 2022-08-22 15:14

 "You have nothing to loose except your lifestyle" precisely mate well said. 

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Got keen?

Saulty2's picture

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just sent as well

Fri, 2022-08-19 08:36

 people will remeber for many a year to come 

rob90's picture

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 Email sent

Fri, 2022-08-19 12:59

 Email sent

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 Hi my name is rob............. and I'm a........... fishaholic

Saulty2's picture

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wtf email sent

Sat, 2022-08-20 08:53

but their server refused to accept , so non deliverable  

Tom M's picture

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 Done. Has anyone seen the

Sat, 2022-08-20 10:07

 Done. Has anyone seen the evidence printed to show how the fish stocks were measured.

 

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Stock measurement

Sat, 2022-08-20 10:36

The following is a cut and paste from the 2021 stock assessment.

"2.1 Catch and effort data

Compulsorily reported catch and effort data from each commercial fishery that retained demersal scalefish including West Australian dhufish and Snapper in the WCB since 1975 were obtained from DPIRD databases. These fisheries include the West Coast Demersal Scalefish (Interim) Managed Fishery, the Temperate demersal gillnet and long-line fisheries (i.e. West Coast Demersal Gillnet and Demersal Longline Managed Fishery and Southern Demersal Gillnet and Demersal Longline Managed Fishery, West Coast Rock Lobster Managed Fishery, South-west Trawl Managed Fishery and the Cockburn Sound Line and Pot Managed Fishery. Charter catch and effort data were obtained from compulsory logbooks introduced in 2001/02. Catch and effort data of private boat-based recreational fishers were derived from periodic surveys at boat ramps (creel surveys) prior to 2011/12 (Lai et al., 2019) and from integrated phone-diary surveys from 2011/12 onwards (see Ryan et al. 2019)."

You can draw your own conclusions with respect to the science involved.

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Tom M's picture

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 Gee that's rock solid

Sat, 2022-08-20 11:25

 Gee that's rock solid evidence right there.  It would suggest that the biggest impact was from commercial fishing industry and a few people at the ramps. So lets say at the ramp they check 8 boats and 4 boats had caught a demersal do you thing that equates to 800 boats and 400 boats catching demersals. No wonder people don't trust governments.

 

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Tom M

Tom M's picture

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 Thanks Alan. 

Sat, 2022-08-20 11:26

 Thanks Alan.

 

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Tom M

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 They also told us, their

Sat, 2022-08-20 21:16

 They also told us, their evidence that pinkies and dhuies are endangered at the Abrolhos, is due to not receiving any frames for research from there.
I pointed out that nobody brings them in from there because;

  • storage of frames on a multi day trip is difficult
  • Fear of overzealous Fisheries fining people from having more than 2 frames aboard, even if you have eaten the fillets over there.
  • Many people at the islands including me, throw the backbone on the bbq

I have the methodology here somewhere that we were given by the researchers in a powerpoint.

This is the level of assistance the Scientists and Researchers gave us, while shafting us in secret

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 Give a man a mask, and he'll show you his true face...

 

 

The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.

Everyone's just winging it.

 

BlueKiaser's picture

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Devil in the Details

Sun, 2022-08-21 03:36

The fisheries reports and data that I have seen suggests to me that they are manipulating the data to justify these draconian proposals and laws.

For example, take the following quote regarding Dhufish stocks;
"Retained catches of WA dhufish by the commercial sector were below the original catch recovery benchmark in 2020 and are deemed ACCEPTABLE, while the estimated recreational catch range (95% CI) in 2017/18 was close to or above the catch recovery benchmark. Considering the additional increases in recreational release rates (and thus associated mortality) after management changes, the recreational catch range exceeds the catch recovery benchmark and is deemed UNACCEPTABLE."

Note the part I have bolded, because what they appear to have done is a change from retained catch rates to now include their estimates of associated mortality.
And keep in mind, much of this associated mortality is a direct result of their previous draconian law changes causing a far greater number of fish being released instead of being retained as catch. eg. you have caught 1 Dhufish and continue to fish for a non-Dhufish demersal and continue to catch and then release Dhufish ... they then assume that 50% of what you release becomes part of this new recreational catch estimates.

I think we need to be challenging the fisheries own data and reasons for their proposed changes.

A small percentage of some 100k RFBL holders sending a whinge to their local politicians is going to be mostly ignored given there are conversely, many times that number of green votes (and likely powerful lobbyists with big dollars) keeping those politicians and bureaucrats in their positions of employment.

BlueKiaser's picture

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And what's with their own sustainability scorecard???

Sun, 2022-08-21 05:02

Right now, if you go to the fish.wa.gov.au website and on their main homepage click on "Sustainability scorecard" they have a link to their Fisheries scorecard with a heading "A positive result for Western Australia".
That scorecard then shows that for the West Coast Bioregion, West Coast Demersal Scalefish currently have their best available rating of 1 (out of a possible 1-4), ie. "Sustainable Stock Levels".
{ source: https://www.fish.wa.gov.au/Documents/sustainability_scorecard/sustainability_scorecard_2016-17.pdf }

These latest proposals appear to me to be agenda and politically driven and are not backed up by even the fisheries own data and information.

 

BlueKiaser's picture

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But wait theres more ... much much more

Sun, 2022-08-21 05:04

Some bits from the FFR316 Report (Fisheries Research Report No. 316 or "2021 assessment of the status of the West Coast Demersal Scalefish Resource");

P37:
"The % of WA Dhufish retained by private boat-based recreational fishers in the West Coast Bioregion (WCB) in 2017/18 was 41% of the 63,068 ... caught."
That is =25,858 ... now let that sink in for a minute people. Given we have about 100-110k RFBL holders for 2022 (p31: 106k in 17/18), that conservatively works out to be less than 1 Dhufish per year per 3 license holders (assuming the majority of those RFBL holders are West Coast Bioregion fishers).
And if we go deeper and look at just Metro Dhufish they tell us it is 10,940 (which would work out to be less than 1 Dhuie per year, per 5 Metro RFBL holders).

The report then appears to me to attempt to confuse catch estimates by complicating the models with their mortality estimates and such. They end up doing 4 different model scenarios to get the following summary;
P66:
"Across the 4 modelling scenarios, stock status of WA dhufish for the northern and southern areas around the period when management was changed (2008-2010) was similar. Given the lack of data increases modelling uncertainty, results from the model scenarios 3 and 4 making use of available fine scale, daily (starndardised) CPUE data appear most reliable in terms of gauging recent trends in stock status. All modelling scenarios indicate a level of stock recovery through to 2030 if catches do not increase, but with consistently better stock status in southern than northern areas."

Disclaimer: I am focusing just on the Dhufish stocks/estimates/catches because in the recreational West Coast Bioregion, Dhufish account for the overwhelming amount of the total demersal catch.

 

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 I hear what you're saying

Sun, 2022-08-21 12:53

 I hear what you're saying but the real take data could be a double edged sword - if actual catch rates are actually much higher than estimated then Fisheries and DPIRD are free to interpret it in one of two ways, either 1) the demersal stocks are actualy higher than estimated or 2) the recreational take is actually much higher than the limit set which then provides them mor ammunition for the proposed changes. I know which interpretation they'll go with!

One thing I've come to realize through all this is I am unlilley to participate in Fisheries surveys in the future. I did over a 12 month period last year, I now believe the truthful and accurate data I and others submitted over that period has now been used against the rec fisho community.

Posts: 126

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This may be a captain obvious

Sun, 2022-08-21 12:46

This may be a captain obvious statement but the survey is open to anyone that cares to participate so while we fishos abstain the "well meaning" greenie "stake holders" will be submitting their votes. Not saying we should participate but the reality is others are participating so as far as I can see the "community engagement" box will be ticked whether we participate or not and one of the two options will be the outcome.

One thing that I think every fisho should ask the relevant minister, DPIRD and Fisheries is whether they will all be vehemently opposed to dredging of Cockburn Sound for the outer harbour. If these fishing proposals are based on science and have the welfare of the demersal fishery at heart then it would make zero sense to follow up these changes with dredging and destroying a critical Pink Snapper spawning ground. You can't have it both ways. If we don't get a satisfactory response on that then it tells you all you need to know about the motivation and "science" behind these changes.

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the key thing to remember

Sun, 2022-08-21 18:38

the key thing to remember here is that this is now down to all rec fishers

, do nothing and it will happen as the dept has put out in their proposal

there are other workable ways to reduce catch and effort , to come closer to achieving the sustainability aim DPID are seeking

i truly hope they get blistered by recs over this , as rob said , initially they will likly hunker down to see how big a wave of opposition they get on it ,,

time will tell , what the end result will be , but at present its hard to see how they came to this situation , its either a minister office cluster fck , or a deliberate agenda to crash through regardless of rec input

hezzy

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evil flourishes when good men do nothing

 

uncle's picture

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Pretty sure I read on fishing wa

Tue, 2022-08-23 07:44

 that they recommend filling out the survey??

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 who is fishing wa?The

Tue, 2022-08-23 08:29

 who is fishing wa?

The "survey" is the classic "have you stopped beating your wife" question.

What could you put in it that won't be interpreted as concurrence.

____________________________________________________________________________

 Give a man a mask, and he'll show you his true face...

 

 

The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.

Everyone's just winging it.

 

Jackfrost80's picture

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I also see it as a "Who would

Wed, 2022-08-24 12:12

I also see it as a "Who would you rather see as the new face of Tourism Australia, Ivan Milt or Martin Bryant"

82% of our respondants would like to see Ivan Milat promoting tourism to Australia.

 

^ Might be logistically difficult on account of Ivan being dead but you get the gist...

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Officially off the Pies bandwagon

uncle's picture

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Their got about 40000 members Rob

Tue, 2022-08-23 11:07

 Interesting days ahead, can't see my self catching herring and whiting.

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 Thanks Uncle but who or what

Tue, 2022-08-23 20:32

 Thanks Uncle but who or what is fishing wa, a website, Youtube channel, Facebook page?

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 Give a man a mask, and he'll show you his true face...

 

 

The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.

Everyone's just winging it.

 

Jackfrost80's picture

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I posted in another thread

Tue, 2022-08-23 12:35

I posted in another thread but this is my email to my local MLA:

 

Hi Margaret

I hope all is well and it’s great to see the progress on the South Landsdale PS build which will hopefully take a fair bit of pressure off the other schools in the area.

You will remember that I wrote to you in April regarding the tightening of restrictions on catching demersal fish species and I anticipate that you were expecting to hear from me again this week. I apologise in advance if this comes off as terse and my issue is with the McGowan govt and not yourself as our local representative.

Unfortunately it comes as no surprise that the McGowan government has yet again made a unilateral, predetermined and overreaching decision lacking transparency and without consulting key stakeholders as you can see in the below media release from Recfishwest (RFW). The attempted government takeover of the crayfishing industry, closing of sustainable old growth logging and the closing of the School of the Air are other prime examples of this.

As you’d be aware, RFW is the peak body for representing the interests of recreational fishing in WA and are government funded through our recreational fishing licences. and it appears that apart from initial discussions, RFW appear to have been deliberately cut out of discussions leading to the proposed restrictions and had not even been provided the consultation papers prior to the announcement. How can the government make a decision so detrimental to recreational fishing without consulting with the peak body they have set up to represent our issues and funded through compulsorily end user fees? Why are we paying such high recreational fishing fees to fund an independent body to represent our interests that the govt will only sincerely consult with when convenient?

 https://recfishwest.org.au/news/recfishwest-rejects-governments-proposals-to-ban-fishing-for-dhufish-and-pink-snapper-for-up-to-nine-months/

The proposals put forward are asking rec fishers who have invested a small fortune on boats and pump over $2 billion into the local economy through local tourism and supporting local business to chose between eating a turd sandwich or a toasted turd sandwich. I for one will not be responding to the ‘consultation’ as neither option makes owning and maintaining a boat worthwhile especially during the colder months when taking the family over to an island for a swim etc is not an option and I believe that the outcome of the ‘consultation’ has already been predetermined.

I respectfully request that you visit locally owned businesses in your electorate and see first-hand how this will affect Tyrone at Tackle HQ in Wangara, Mick at Shore Catch in Wangara, Ben at MACA who are all local business owners and local employers who stand to lose everything they have built up with the stroke of a pen. I’d also suggest opening dialogue with your wider constituents and see what detrimental effect with will have on interstate tourism for small, already struggling towns like Jurien, Kalbarri, Greenhead, Cervantes, Leeman etc, once thriving crayfishing towns that now rely on holiday makers to keep local businesses going. What flow on effect will this have on fish stocks when people just drive further and hammer the fisheries outside of the West Coast Bioregion north of Kalbarri and east of Augusta?

 https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/fishing/fishing-ban-in-wa-fishers-threaten-class-action-against-mcgowan-government-over-changes-c-7934892

I am not in opposition to the reduction of the demersal catch if the data empirically shows that it is on a pathway to collapse and I am happy to take a big bite from a turd sandwich if I have to but the current proposals are a huge over reach and we need our local representatives to make sure that all key stakeholders have been extensively consulted with and all options have been placed on the table and considered in a transparent and accountable way.

 

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davewillo's picture

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 Very well said Frosty. I'm

Tue, 2022-08-23 14:08

 Very well said Frosty. I'm not sure if a turd sandwich is better toasted!

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It cooks and softens the corn

Tue, 2022-08-23 17:05

It cooks and softens the corn kernels 

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 Yeah good stuff Frosty.It is

Tue, 2022-08-23 20:34

 Yeah good stuff Frosty.

It is good to see people actually doing as many unfortunately will be of the opinion that "someone else will sort it" and when it isn't, will look to blame someone.

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 Give a man a mask, and he'll show you his true face...

 

 

The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.

Everyone's just winging it.

 

little johnny's picture

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Far out

Tue, 2022-08-23 12:38

That’s unreal. Well done and written

uncle's picture

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Onya

Tue, 2022-08-23 13:30

 Frosty

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uncle's picture

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Discussion on 6pr

Tue, 2022-08-23 14:49

 sometime after 3 pm today

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uncle's picture

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Sounds like someone

Tue, 2022-08-23 15:11

 Wants harsher restrictions 

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davewillo's picture

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 Yeah that woman is a nutter

Wed, 2022-08-24 11:37

 Yeah that woman is a nutter Unc. Given her way we would all stop any kind of fishing forever.

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little johnny's picture

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Government won’t stop pros ( they make them money)

Tue, 2022-08-23 20:13

Been on a few pro fishing boats over the years ( handlines only) . 4 day trips full to brim every holding box possible full . Up north and local . Say it again, charter boats are pros ( not amature fisherman) .there quotas should go on pro’s ( not us) . They bulk burley same time everyday /same spot . Pinks are very dumb and easy to attract . Few revs of big motor tubs go over .after a few days easy prey . If anyone thinks this will be a one off ,short term thing , there kidding themselves. It will be end of fishing and many other local businesses. Not just local tackle shops .Must be a better way .

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 Definitely some muddy

Wed, 2022-08-24 06:54

 Definitely some muddy waters.I've been on two charters on the west coast as a paying customer, bay limits where reached,skipper says continue fishing and he will take the extra catch under his commercial license.not sure of the legality of this but I've seen it twice on different vessels and different skippers.

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 I thought that was stopped

Wed, 2022-08-24 20:01

 I thought that was stopped years ago.
When I worked out of Coral Bay in the mid 90's we did both charters and drop lining at the same time, the fish was sold to people on the beach and the local restaurants.

As far as I'm aware this was stopped way back in late 90's, early 2000's.

The result for Coral Bay was all drop lined fish was shipped to Perth, processed then restaurants had to buy it back.

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 Give a man a mask, and he'll show you his true face...

 

 

The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.

Everyone's just winging it.

 

Brody's picture

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how recent was this?

Thu, 2022-08-25 23:18

how recent was this?

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 Gday one charter was about

Fri, 2022-08-26 07:30

 Gday one charter was about 2012 and the other 2016 bothe Kalbarri /Gero region. It wasn't rape and pillage but the boats did take extra catch from the paying passenger fishos

little johnny's picture

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I’m not against charters at all

Wed, 2022-08-24 08:30

No way in the world do we catch as much as they say

Da pirate's picture

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Just a question ??

Thu, 2022-08-25 17:39

Question ? What bout deep drop for

greys and blue eye ? Is that Canned

too ?? Or does that fall under the

banner ? Cheers pirate  

little johnny's picture

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Also out

Thu, 2022-08-25 19:52

.

Jackfrost80's picture

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Here's response 1 from

Mon, 2022-08-29 16:56

Here's response 1 from Margaret's staffer/reserach officer:

Thanks for your email.

I recognise the announcement has caused some level of frustration and concern in the recreational fishing community.
 

Our office is ensuring all feedback provided by constituents is forwarded directly to the Minister’s team. I will also provide Margaret with a copy of your email.

 

Here's my response. Note that the opinions within are my own as I see the fishery and I only support a pro/charter buy out if it more than adequately sets them up financially

Thanks for the quick response and I hope that my point about yourself/Margaret talking to local business owners and local employers who stand to lose their livelihoods was also noted.

Another consideration is the Recfishwest have stated that the total demersal catch is 9% recreational fishing and 91% commercial fishing who operate all year round. To add a layer of complexity to this, the catch from commercial charter operators is astonishingly included in the data as recreational catch. The pic below is an example of just one of the charter boats in Perth that takes out 15 people per day. Everyday! I highly diversify my fishing and also chase squid and crabs and only head out 30km+ when the weather allows and I wouldn’t catch that many fish in 3 years let alone every day. WA weather is unpredictable at best and over just 3 months the majority of weekends could easily be wiped out by strong winds.

The question then has to be asked, do we need a commercial fishery here taking 91% of a species that the Minister claims is on the verge of collapse? The Government bought back blue manner licences bar one in the Swan River and we are now catching huge crabs on our doorstep every summer whereas I has previously had to drive to Mandurah.

I don’t know a single person who’s ever bought dhufish from the shops nor have I seen it available and I am assuming that the majority of this precious resource is send overseas or interstate for high profits. It is my strong belief that the government has a huge opportunity to voluntarily buy out commercial fishing licences and allow those operators to retire comfortably, diversify into tourism operators or simply find other areas of employment with a nice bank balance behind them whilst avoiding penalising those who catch only 9% of the biomass.

 

Here's response 2

Thanks for your reply – Yes, the point about working with local business owners is an important one.

Personally, I think government has a responsibility to engage in a transparent and extensive way, whenever it intends to introduce a reform of this nature. The proposed restrictions have received significant media attention over the last week. I trust this pressure will not subside as further questions are asked about the impact on the industry, effectiveness of the consultation process, and the longer term implications for recreational fishing.
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tangles's picture

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Frosty

Mon, 2022-08-29 17:52

 Frosty I think you should do a bit of research into the commercial sector including charters.

I know the charters down there load up with too many people and tap the crap outa the fish but if you come north your statement on buying out commercial licenses is moot!

The govt won't buy out licenses, the operators I know that are commercial wetlines are sole income operators and there is no way they would "comfortably" live if they were bought out!

Aiming cross hairs at the commercial sector is not an effective way of getting your point across!

Are you aware that they are going to be slugged a further 60% reduction on what they have now! A couple families I know are in debt like most business owners and losing over half their quota of hours will put them in a shit position to barely survive!

You need to research license expenses to buy days to fish, expenses to operate, license fees etc and then you will see that these guys make a living and are not millionaires. I can tell you my boss who's charter is second generation and a 30 year operation here is not a money bags business! The govt won't buy him out!

He farms his spots and I know because I see it!

Fish stocks up here are in trouble. You take the pink snapper away and there isn't much left!

You need to remember the AVG size of the main biomass of snapper especially here is between 42-60cm, you fish them out and you are left nothing!

Whether the restrictions are too extreme that's not for me to say but I know after living here for a long time the decline is real!

Dhuis are a moot decision here! Warm water has forced them south. We are now entering more of a tropical species environment here due to warming water, whether the research has allowed for this I don't know. Mate just be careful aiming targets at a sector that supplies fish to a local market, which I know they do, people's livelihoods will disappear because one sector wants it's cake without understanding the other sectors and how and when and where off the coast they operate

Jackfrost80's picture

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I think you misinterpreted

Tue, 2022-08-30 15:58

I think you misinterpreted what I wrote and was suggesting that any govt buyback scheme should be adequate enough to allow the holders to retire comfortably, diversify their boat as tourism operators or simply find other areas of employment with a nice bank balance behind them.


I definitely wasn't saying they are rolling in cash or the govt should take away their livelihood and leave them on their arse.
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Brock O's picture

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I don't think we have any or

Wed, 2022-08-31 09:56

I don't think we have any or many Pro boats working Perth metro Frost, its all down south and up North which goes to local market. Although I hate the proposed restrictions Metro is predominantly at risk from Charter and rec's only.

Going by your reply Tangles it sounds like the restrictions, Rec...Charter and pro are well over due up North also?

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 Interesting Brock. I

Wed, 2022-08-31 14:53

 Interesting Brock. I sometimes buy fresh nannygai from a grocer who says it's caught behind Rotto. Only has fresh fish when the weather is okay and also has dhu and pinky at times. Says it all coms from local up to Jurien. Maybe it's bullshit or maybe he buys it from a rec fisho? I think it's from a pro as he's pretty open about promoting it when he has it, and he also has frozen all the time. Maybe just the location of the source is bullshit. Either way the nanny tastes superb! 

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 Similar story for when I

Wed, 2022-08-31 18:00

 Similar story for when I called seafresh to find out the price of gummy and he told me they didn't have any. He said I needed to keep an eye on the local weather for when the pro boats can go out and catch fish. He said gummy was a bycatch of the demersal fishing. 

little johnny's picture

Posts: 5359

Date Joined: 04/12/11

When I done trip out of gero ( pro boat)

Wed, 2022-08-31 18:32

All the huge crates had buyers ( all big super markets getting the most ) Local fish chips shops also got fair bit .it was all gone . Could be true Dave Willo. .

davewillo's picture

Posts: 2398

Date Joined: 08/09/16

 I think the guy's a straight

Thu, 2022-09-01 11:22

 I think the guy's a straight shooter LJ so I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. He also gets NZ salmon once a week and it is way better than the Tassie stuff IMO.

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 PGFC member and lure tragic

Jackfrost80's picture

Posts: 8143

Date Joined: 07/05/12

Yeah I saw that on Facebook

Wed, 2022-08-31 17:17

Yeah I saw that on Facebook but the Department have taken the simplistic approach of proposing cuts for the entire West Coast Bioregion (Black Point to Zuytdorp Cliffs) so pros fishing out of Cape Naturaliste, Augusta or Geralton are more than relevant to the arguement in my opinion. Anywho I've offered up my take and opinions and won't be banging on about it... except to my local pollies

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Officially off the Pies bandwagon

Brock O's picture

Posts: 3224

Date Joined: 11/01/08

Not saying it doesn't

Thu, 2022-09-01 14:10

Not saying it doesn't exist..although I believe very limited out of cockburn / freo...recon they would go broke pretty quick.

- 59 Pro licenses atm for Demersal fin fish over the whole West Coast Region.

https://www.wafic.org.au/resources/west-coast-demersal-scalefish-facts/

Don't like the fact they can fish any day of the year with the spawning closures being there only restriction. What the FK happened to the catch take after 2002 / 2003....

Da pirate's picture

Posts: 1561

Date Joined: 03/05/15

Wow ..

Mon, 2022-08-29 18:53

Tangles .. been a while on here mate .  
hows those kalbazzas green backs ? 

cheers pirate 

Zac C's picture

Posts: 47

Date Joined: 23/01/10

Outside west coast bag limit reduction

Thu, 2022-09-01 18:54

I see they are looking at reducing bag limits outside the west coast to try to reduce the impact of the proposed demersal shut. Dropping from 5 to 3

 

  1. Around 60% of all Recreational Boat Fishing Licence (RBFL) holders fished the West Coast Bioregion and accounted for nearly three quarters of the total state-wide boat fishing effort during 2020/21. Additional management in the West Coast Bioregion is now required to recover the WCDSR by 2030. With reduced opportunities to fish for demersal scalefish in the West Coast Bioregion, it is likely that many fishers will increase their visitation to the South Coast, Gascoyne, Pilbara and Kimberley Bioregions to fish.

    To manage any impact that a displacement of effort from the West Coast Bioregion into other regions may have on demersal scalefish stocks, it is proposed that the mixed species bag limit for demersal scalefish be reduced from five to three fish per day (outside of the West Coast Bioregion).

    Example of a daily bag limit under this proposal (outside of West Coast Bioregion) 3 x Demersal scalefish 3 x Large pelagic finfish

    16 x Nearshore/Estuarine finfish 30 x ‘Other’ finfish species

    Reducing the mixed species bag limit for demersal scalefish to three also presents the opportunity to remove individual species bag limits. This revised limit leads to more simplified rules and reduces the need to release fish, many of which do not survive due to factors such as barotrauma, post-capture handling, or depredation following release.

    The majority of demersal scalefish outside of the West Coast Bioregion already have an individual species daily bag limit of three. However, an individual species bag limit of one coral trout, one coronation trout, one WA dhufish, one Western blue groper and two pink snapper (from Shark Bay’s inner gulf’s) currently applies. Under this proposal, recreational fishers will be able to retain up to three demersal scalefish each day regardless of species.

little johnny's picture

Posts: 5359

Date Joined: 04/12/11

They need a boat limit ( metro)

Fri, 2022-09-02 05:49

1 of this one of that . Will always fail .

Brock O's picture

Posts: 3224

Date Joined: 11/01/08

Sure I read they were

Fri, 2022-09-02 10:48

Sure I read they were avoiding zone or specific area closure as it was difficult to manage and to avoid people travelling and putting pressure on other regions.

But will go reduce the limits in them anyway....FFS.

Posts: 286

Date Joined: 04/08/22

 Yep proposed three demersals

Sat, 2022-09-03 10:17

 Yep proposed three demersals each bag,max nine fish per boat,remove individual species daily bag wich most are three anyway,possibly removing size limits and this is to protect the vulnerable? In my opinion this won't stop the release of smaller or less desirable fish,this would only encourage targeting the biggest and best fish hence the fact that you can clean a bombie of one specie in a few drops. Do these people just think this shit up around a coffee table 5 minutes before the boss wants it on paper!! Seems like they don't see the the consequences this could have with these changes