Friends of Ammo Jetty
Hi all
A small group of us divers and now a growing group of anglers have started a Facebook Group - Friends of Ammo Jetty. This is an offshoot from a page I started called Stop Killing Ammo Jetty Sharks and Rays. At first the concern stemmed from some sharks and rays that had been caught and killed and just dumped off the jetty. This had over recent times become more and more prevelant. The sharks had not been taken for food or any other means, just stabbed through the head (in the case of the Tiger recently) and dumped. This is not fishing but senseless killing, that does go with maiming of other marine life in the area I/we thought it was time to make a stand of sorts.
Anyway we did get some feedback from anglers (and I learnt some new words) and whilst some was rather negative and misguided it became clear that there was and is more at hand. It needs to be stressed at no stage are we or will we ever be anti fishing. In fact from the discussions I have managed to have some of the considerations in our Aims and Proposal will help fishing and the overall environment.
At this stage we are just a Facebook page and are working to move forward to see what steps are involved to move to Not For Profit. I am in contact with Recfishwest to gain further advise off the peak angling body before we look to Cockburn Council and other departments. The concept being if we can get a community group together with a clear defined set of Aims we can work as one singular voice to get better facilities at Ammo Jetty and its environment.
Below is a set of draft Aims and Proposals that have been posted on the page for feedback and also sent to Recfishwest. It would be greatly appreciated if you wish to provide comment you either do so here or even better join the Facebook group Friends of Ammo Jetty.
As I mentioned we are not anti fishing or tree hugging vegans but concerened members of the public who is seeing Ammo Jetty become degraded in both its marine but social environments. And well we have to try.
Thanks in advance
Mick Lee
Friends of Ammo Jetty
Aim
To work as a community to build a safe, sustainable environment within the Ammo Jetty locale for all members of the public to use and enjoy.
Working Towards
1. Take a forward approach to establish Friends of Ammo Jetty as a legitimate community group through formal registration (charity etc)
2. Developing a catch and release culture for all sharks and rays caught at Ammo Jetty. (Note this does not entail a mandatory requirement but the development of a culture)
3. Improving diver awareness through better diving skills such as buoyancy skills and situational awareness.
4. Implement a harm reduction culture (that is to stop the senseless mutilation of unwanted catch) and release for all by-catch
5. A sustainable and healthy marine and ecological environment.
6. Working towards a no litter practise
7. Reducing the amount of vandalism, car break-ins and theft.
8. Building a family friendly community based culture allowing all to enjoy
How will this be achieved?
1. Working as a community group we will lobby relevant parties and government agencies to assist us in achieving these goals. This will involve forming a formal committee representing all parties with a common goal of working together.
2. Developing a proposal for a grant(s) from Recfishwest to assist in better education campaigns (this to include fundraising also)
· Formal education via online medium
· Schools program through science classes studying Cockburn Sound environment
· Fishing clinics run by ‘celebrity’ anglers
· Consideration for a landing platform to limit the need for gaffing and injuring marine life
· Research the possibility for a Fish Attraction Device (FAD) or artificial reef off Ammo Jetty to reduce the need for chumming or burley being added to the waters and attract more marine life to the area.
3. Work with Cockburn City Council to ensure greater public safety measures and introduced.
· Establishment of a Volunteer Ranger or ‘Ammo Watch’ program to spread the message, educate and if required report on misbehaviour.
· Establish a safer car park for all members of the public through more regular and visible patrols, better lighting and installation of CCTV cameras.
· More rubbish bins provided on the Jetty with signage and educating members of the public why rubbish should be disposed of properly.
· Construct fit for purpose fish cleaning stations at Ammo Jetty and anglers to clean and fillet their catch reducing the need to kill and clean fish on the jetty and dispose of off the jetty.
4. Linking with universities, scientific and environmental groups to help spread the message for the need for a cleaner Ammo Jetty.
Swan River Fisher
Posts: 877
Date Joined: 03/05/11
You guys are great people.It
You guys are great people.
It would be a pleasure if i could join a passionate group like you. I have no problem with people taking a feed, but people taking undersize fish and exceeding the bag limits makes me annoyed :/
I think it is a great idea and i hope you succeed with your goals
mickisaway
Posts: 12
Date Joined: 01/02/12
Thanks mate your comments
Thanks mate your comments are appreciated.
Feel free to jump on the Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/366388530055640/ and join that way. I will update through here as well though. Once we get set in a more formal way I will let you all know. Esoecially come sausage sizzle time :-)
Mick
Swan River Fisher
Posts: 877
Date Joined: 03/05/11
Awesome :)Sent a request
Awesome :)
Sent a request through
Cheers
Redemperor000
Posts: 295
Date Joined: 14/01/12
Great cause coz things are
Great cause coz things are getting a bit out of control,
I rekon the landing platform is a great idea,
the_dude84
Posts: 145
Date Joined: 15/03/11
Request Sent
Love alll those Ideas! Been fishing there sine i was a little tacker and it saddens me that those sorts of things go on. (people catching 15cm Skippy and keeping them) We need to preserve what we have so hopefully i can take my son there in few years to fish.
Ric
Posts: 83
Date Joined: 21/11/10
I won't name any names
I won't name any names however I have witnessed 1st hand abuse and this exact behaviour, have been told stories of threatining behaviour, by my 14 year old neighbour (he questioned some people and was told mind your own business or I'll stab you !!!) and witnessed senseless killing of our marine life, and I have only fished there a couple of times... Upon reading this forum, I have seen a few of the young fellas on here that are very much to blame for this problem, and often post there opinion regarding these matters, I'm sure u know who u are, and I think u should grow up, and start to accept some responsibility for your behaviour and treating the ocean and other people with the respect that they deserve , or get another hobby , sorry I'm sure I've stired up and upset some people but hey it's about time they learnt that there's consequences to there actions
pom down under
Posts: 418
Date Joined: 29/07/11
nahh man i agree totally, i
nahh man i agree totally, i dont get the point in keeping sharks or rays to eat, personally i cant kill them, they are too pretty to kill, and im only 16, 95% of my fish go back no matter how big or what species
keep it up guys, i agree with you totally
THE GOON KING
Swan River Fisher
Posts: 877
Date Joined: 03/05/11
+1
I put most of my fish back. i hate the sound of a fish slapping around in the kill tank or bucket
fishing fanatic
Posts: 809
Date Joined: 01/05/09
so true. only fish i ever
so true. only fish i ever keep of ammo jetty is long finned pike and scallies, they just got back as bait though :P its also annoying how some people have the thought that u can only keep a tailor to eat if its over 30cm, but anything under u can use as bait... i see that happen way to often where people have 15cm tailor on a set of gangs or out live
TonyT
Posts: 501
Date Joined: 09/07/10
I think you should name and
I think you should name and shame them mate, maybe if everyone knows who they are, they can stay away from them or give them their own personal opinion on matters.
Cheers
quadfisher
Posts: 1146
Date Joined: 28/09/10
different folks need to be included
as a ammo jetty user , totally agree with and support the ammo jetty friends concept.
However apart from the younger kill it all group,( mainly aussies Im ashamed to say) you may want to include another group of people in your charter
and aims. This jetty is as multi cultural as they come. So how about some signage before the jetty ( on the path) in different languages
written in easy to read , direct fashion.
Not everyone on the jetty has the rules and respect for nature in there different cultures so its all about education.
We pay enough bloody taxs in Australia, so why have I personally only ever seen fisheries there once in 4 years.
(prob been there 4/5 times since xmas, so we go regularly)
On any given afternoon about 1/2 the people going for scalies would have the full ( illegal ) 6 hook baitchaser, as a example
And the rubbish bin idea is great , really needs it.
thanks
quadfisher
mickisaway
Posts: 12
Date Joined: 01/02/12
Signage
Thanks @quadfisher and everyone else so far
The signage is something we are taking about on the Facebook Group Friends of Ammo Jetty now and will be something looked at as the first stage of the grant proposal through Recfishwest as an Education and Extension piece.
I will take one for the team and head down to Cottosloe and Trigg this afternoon :-) and have a closer look at the ones they have in place. Multi lingual is a great idea as well.
I will keep this forum informed of what is happening on the Facebook side for those you are not comfortable with Facebook. Eventually we will look at our own hosted forum and website also.
Cheers
Mick Lee and Friends of Ammo Jetty
Cameron71
Posts: 166
Date Joined: 02/10/10
Can do the Japanese for you if required....
Otherwise, you will presumably be setting up an incorporated association. You need this for liability protection (office holders of associations are liable for association actions unless they are incorporated) an its a way of creating an official corporate body and I think gives you cred for lobbying etc. I can't recall who administers it, but it might be DOCEP. They seem to run everything just about these days. You used to be able to get an incorporation kit.
mickisaway
Posts: 12
Date Joined: 01/02/12
Formal inc
Yeh mate heading down to Dept of Commerce for a chat ang grab some gear. Going to have to go down the Not For Profit line. Not a bad thing gives credibility and sustainability. Into the long term project and hopefully can still be around when some of the younger ones come through seeing the results of what this generation is fixing and keep that going. That will be when we all know we have succeeded.
Mick
Redemperor000
Posts: 295
Date Joined: 14/01/12
They would put bins on the
They would put bins on the jetty but again people ruin the idea because they trash them and light fires in them, great idea but again its the idiots that keep this from happening, sighns in different language is a good idea, but they just need more fisheries officers down there to take action when illegal things go on
Redemperor000
Posts: 295
Date Joined: 14/01/12
I am totally 100% with this
I am totally 100% with this idea because personally i hate seeing marine animals killed. Nothing makes me angrier, keep it up guys
Wes F
Posts: 1067
Date Joined: 07/01/12
Went down this arvo for a
Went down this arvo for a look and to stock up on scalies. will catch just as many scalies on 6 hook rig as 3 hook rig.(don't get more in total). It's not the same as a long line. Only took what I need.
Couple of young fellas where jagging with treble hook, looked like that is what they where using for chum.
Need some setup for bins that will not get set on fire. A fair amount of rubbish on jetty and getting blown into the water.
I enjoy going down there with family and support some action to protect and possiblly improve the jetty.
A lower platform would be very handy to release large rays sharks etc. Agree with multi lingual signage Education and surveillance.
My Hands Up if ya need help and support.
Old fishermen never die they just smell that way.
Redemperor000
Posts: 295
Date Joined: 14/01/12
That remindes me of when i
That remindes me of when i saw 2 guys prob in there early 20's setting an enormous long line off the end of the jetty,, no doubt they were doing it illegally, must av been a good 200 hooks on the line. Thats prob one of the most illegal things iv seen down there,
mickisaway
Posts: 12
Date Joined: 01/02/12
Really?
Mate next time you see something anything like that phone Fishwatch on 1800 815 507.
muzz6108
Posts: 28
Date Joined: 13/05/11
wtf!
200 hooks, only 197 over the legL limit that's just crazy what would they do if a school of tailor managed to snap up all of them and went for a run they'd be skiing. Some people these days. That's when fisheries needs to kick some ass and hand out some massive fines.
Redfin Wrangler
Posts: 144
Date Joined: 21/01/12
Everytime i go there
The place is so crammed i just turn around and walk back.
"No life is so happy and so pleasant as the life of the well-govern'd angler."
Jakeu420
Posts: 270
Date Joined: 03/11/10
Name and shame i know who
Name and shame i know who they are!!! Young kids from 12-18 trying to catch sharks and when they do catch one they put 4 gaffs into it to try bring it up on the jetty and then dont no what to do with it!
mickisaway
Posts: 12
Date Joined: 01/02/12
Name and shame
I actually would not like to go down the name and shame road. It just brings further antagonism and angst. I also have suspicions and from the Stop Killing Ammo Jetty Sharks and Rays page on Facebook most of these have been confirmed.
What we want to try and do - yes pretty touchy feely - is bring back the culture of catch and release to the Jetty and if you do hook a shark or ray send it back unharmed. The four gaffs is a horrible thought and if we can get a landing platform up and running that hopefully will negate that need.
Ammo Jetty is a beautiful spot and having dived around Australia a cracker of a dive site as well especially for macro photography. It is a nursery for marine life of all shapes and sizes and one that needs to be maintained as a healthy environment.
Had some further positive feedback from Recfishwest on our Aims Proposal (above) and a couple of us are working on the next steps such as incorporating the name, putting together a grant proposal from Recfishwest. The level of support from this forum has been fantastic and appreciated.
The main priority I really want to get off the ground is get some face to face time with anglers, divers and members of the community. I will release something over the weekend and more than likely this will be embedded with Clean Up Australia Day on the 4th of March (I think better confirm that) have a heap of us the clean up a bit and then a chat over a sausage sizzle.
Anyway better start work. Have a great day/weekend hope your baits stay on and clear vis always.
Mick
mickisaway
Posts: 12
Date Joined: 01/02/12
Hey all ... sorry I have not
Hey all ... sorry I have not posted for a while but someone at work decided to load my inbox *shakes hand madly*. Anyway I have a mountain of paperwork to get through for to help us down the line to incorporate Friends of Ammo Jetty and start to give us a bit of a legitimate voice.
fishnut
Posts: 255
Date Joined: 22/09/10
clean up
just found out about this. probably worth avoiding fishing there on Sunday morning. Maybe even get involved...
The Underwater Explorers Club (UEC) is organising an Ammo Jetty clean up dive.
This Sunday March 4, 7:00 am to 11:00 am
Divers as well as shore cleaners will be needed so come along if you can help.
Divers - as part of your kit please bring gloves, catch bag or similar, dive knife or scissors to cut fishing line and maybe BBQ tongs to pick up rubbish.
Non-divers - please bring water, sun protection, closed-in shoes, gloves and you may want BBQ tongs too.
The Cockburn Council are on-board and will be removing all of the collected rubbish and providing morning tea for the volunteers.
There will be a sausage sizzle and softdrinks afterwards for a gold coin donation.