Fishwatch report - undersize crabs in shop.
Yesterday (Wed) RFW took a call from an elderly and concerned individual about under sized crabs being sold at a Woolworths store (think it was Rockingham). He didn't want to ring FishWatch, but Con did to report the incident.
Within 10 minutes Darren from Fishwatch had rung back and immediately went to inspect the store.
Turns out that the crabs were size, and also that some 'undersize' snapper were long-spined snapper from the Pilbara - a species which doesn't grow very big and cause many of those false undersize snapper fish calls!
In the end, Mandurah officers also undertook an inspection of the Woolworths there just to see that the fish and crabs were ok.
RFW was rung back with the report.
We do appreciate it very much when the system works well. Recfishwest's thanks to all at Fishwatch for an excellent job.
=======
TerryF
=====
Beavering away in the background......
Rodrat
Posts: 1672
Date Joined: 13/01/07
Good news terry
Its good to hear that they are doing there jobs and
acting on the calls.
******* RECFISHWEST MEMBER *******
FISH FOR THE FUTURE
Jamie Chester
Posts: 66
Date Joined: 12/11/06
You call that the system working well?
LOL.
www.accessantennas.com.au
mike79
Posts: 241
Date Joined: 30/10/05
why do people always say rockingham
ha ha ha ive often looked at the crabs there and thought they doo look very small. ha ha bout time someone got very concerned
Dean
Posts: 1943
Date Joined: 23/02/07
I call it as the system
I call it as the system working well as someone concerned called in about the fish and fishwatch followed up on their concern...
What else was needed?
Jamie Chester
Posts: 66
Date Joined: 12/11/06
Hmm - one way to see it
Hmm - one way to see it Dean.
Now I am going to get hung for this but......the reality of the situation is that the whole thing was...well there is a word for it....WAFWOTAM.
Some elderly guy rings up (obviously doesnt know his head from his backside) complaining about bugger all - and two taxpayer funded employees from an understaffed dept (two depts if you count RFW) run around chasing their tails in an attempt to "keep the bastards honest"?
This is not an example of the system working Dean - its the exact opposite! Its an example of the system being flawed!!
If it was working you would be able to ring up at 2.30 in the morning re seeing someone acting suspiciously by traipsing a ghost net along the river foreshore - and you would get someone there in 20 minutes. THAT would be making a difference. Or getting some serious investigation into black market fish selling operations.
You are not going to save the world by complaining about what woollies is selling - the whole time I have seen fish displays there I have never seen one clearly undersize fish - not saying it doesnt happen - but undersize fish are rarely going to be consigned to big supermarket chain stores. And if they were - the result would be SFA.
Waste of resources. Crying wolf. Would have been impressed by a response outside of 9-5 alot more.
Thats how I see it....but maybe I'm just working too hard atm and am getting twisted. LOL.
If you want to feel warm and fuzzy about it feel free.
www.accessantennas.com.au
Rodrat
Posts: 1672
Date Joined: 13/01/07
Undersize fish
Some supermarkets and seafood outlets can sell undersize
fish. It comes from commercial fisherman and is caught in there nets while fishing and can be sold as by catch.
pretty sure
******* RECFISHWEST MEMBER *******
FISH FOR THE FUTURE
jay_burgess
Posts: 4648
Date Joined: 18/08/05
I kinda agree with what
I kinda agree with what Jamie is saying, harsh... but true.
Dean
Posts: 1943
Date Joined: 23/02/07
How do you differentiate
How do you differentiate between a call which is true and one which may be incorrect?
I don't see how they could go about this other than physically going down to the store and investigating.
"You are not going to save the world by complaining about what woollies is selling "
Who's talking about saving the world?
The system could work better, as could everything else in the world...
TerryF
Posts: 489
Date Joined: 11/08/05
Fishwatch report
Was talking specifically about this Fishwatch report on that day, nothing else.
Guy rings Recfishwest to report his concerns. I don't know if he was a RFW member or not, but that's irrelevant because RFW doesn't discriminate /differentiate / give different sorts of responses to members and non members.
Option 1. RFW could have ignored the report or told the guy to ring himself. Then the guy could have validly complained that RFW didn't/wouldn't act on his complaint. RFW gets criticised, especially if he was a member. And even if he wasn't a member he could complain that RFW wasn't representing WA's recreational fishermen.
Option 2. Do something about his concerns. Get a good response from Fishwatch. Give credit where credit is due, as in this case. Publicise that. Get irrelevant criticisms about the system for not working at other times - (which it should of course) - and comments about WAFWOTAM which is easy to say with the 20/20 hindsight of the details already given in this particular "no problem" report.
Damned if you do as in this case, damned if you don't.
Giving credit where credit is due and saying thanks can help the acceptance of any criticism when that is justified.
PS. Those particular guys from Dept of Fisheries who helped on Wed aren't responsible for how many compliance staff are employed, or what they work on, or how many are rostered on to answer reports in the dead of night.
TerryF
=====
Beavering away in the background......
fishy fingers
Posts: 1719
Date Joined: 28/04/07
Jamie
would you like people to go round with a crab/cray gauge in there pockets to check what people are selling beore they report it? the old guy did what he thought was right....get over it!
To all the virgins..............Thanks for nothing!
TerryF
Posts: 489
Date Joined: 11/08/05
Fishwatch report about crabs.
I wonder if this item in "Casting Around the Internet with Recfishwest" Issue 25 emailed out to RFW members on Friday 1 February, or the actual Dept of Fisheries media release itself had anything to do with this report to Recfishwest?.
TerryF
=====
Beavering away in the background......
Tony Halliday
Posts: 2500
Date Joined: 14/06/07
missing the point guys
Firslty, I'm impressed that the public is now becoming concenred as well about our fish and crab stocks. a few years back they all complained that the pan-sized snapper where no longer avialble !!! when the size limit went up. Now we have people concerned if they under sized. As for crabs being undersized, I have seen them just size( with nothing to spare when neasured at some large chains!)
Secondly, fisheries did not brush off the complaint as some dodgy old cobber with nothing better to do, THEY Actauly investigated it. Next would be to see them checking some of the fish& chip shops and smaller fish mongers for stocks and where they came from.
Thirdly, eys you right Jamie, it would be nice to get a inpsector out at 3am to catch the pouchers etc, but it will come... and with video phones etc these days, evidence is quick and easy to get.
lastly, Terry, well done. It shows we all getting the info back and becoming aware of the changes in attitude. Only thing I want to know is was the 'undersize' snapper (long-spined snapper ) being sold as "Snapper" or "Red Snapper" or " Northen Snapper" etc, cause I'm worried about the miss representation at times. Good example is when I was offered local Metro waters snapper at Coles and it was in fact North West snapper from Exmouth. ( I could still see the skin on it)
tony
Full-time piscotoral-idiot, in The Vines. "It is always in season for old men to learn." Aeschylus (525-456 BC) Greek poet.
Supporter of Meals on Reels
Tony Halliday: ~Meals on Reels ~
It takes a strong fish to swim against the current. Even a dead one can float with it
"It is always in season for old men to learn." Aeschylus (525-456 BC)
"In a mad world only the mad are sane." Akira Kurosawa (1910-1998)
Salmo
Posts: 913
Date Joined: 15/08/05
Greedy people
I say well done to the old bloke for ringing RFW....and RFW for following it through....
Terry> "In December 32 warnings and 29 infringements were issued in the Mandurah area"
So is that a total of 61 offences in a month???????
If thats true ......there wont be any crabs left in 5 years......
Thats a disgrace
Bill
Posts: 437
Date Joined: 24/03/07
Jamie I think it's time to
Jamie I think it's time to get off your high horse at lease the guy questioned it and it was followed up what would your reaction be if there was nothing done and nothing said. What do you expect the guy to go in and start measuring the crabs himself first I don't think the supermarket management would be overly impressed with that.
!!!!!!!!!!!! NO RED SHIRTS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jamie Chester
Posts: 66
Date Joined: 12/11/06
Look I just dont like the
Look I just dont like the crying wolf aspect of it - it means legitimate complaints are less likely to be followed up properly.
LOL - I'll stop posting now!
PS I'm allergic to horses - but I will get off my high camel if u like!!
www.accessantennas.com.au
tailor marc
Posts: 2979
Date Joined: 27/09/06
Better to be safe than sorry
Better to be safe than sorry !
My photography pictures... http://westernhorizonsmedia.wordpress.com/
Andy Mac
Posts: 4778
Date Joined: 03/02/06
This comment troubles me....
Cheers
Cheers
Andy Mac (Fishwrecked Reeltime Editor & Forum Moderator)
Youngest member of the Fishwrecked Old Farts Club
TerryF
Posts: 489
Date Joined: 11/08/05
Long spined snapper photo and fish IDs
Andy
There's a great photo of a long spined snapper on http://fishwrecked.com/node/4460
Fold the dorsal fin down, display it on/in ice, put a sign saying "snapper" on it, and the reason for confusion with small pinkies is obvious.
After all, many if not most average fishermen can't tell the difference between a herring and a juvenile salmon, tarwhine and a small snapper, etc, etc.
It's all right for those of us who see and handle the fish, read up fish ID books, etc, who can tell the diffence at ten paces, but can be very hard for the average guy UNTIL the differences and specifically what to look for are pointed out.
And once that's done, most fishermen can (usually) easily tell the difference.
TerryF
=====
Beavering away in the background......
Jamie Chester
Posts: 66
Date Joined: 12/11/06
Forget aboud it
It was just a jaded comment about people - forget it!
www.accessantennas.com.au