Increase to dhufish boat limit imminent?????
Submitted by ricey on Tue, 2016-08-30 16:28
Check out recfish west story here!
http://recfishwest.org.au/dhufish-boat-limit-update/
____________________________________________________________________________
Wise man says - first take the plank out of your own eye before trying to take the speck out of somebody else's.
Wen
Posts: 49
Date Joined: 21/10/10
If they were to increase...
the limit to say 3 per boat...
personally id like to see the min size increase to 60cm... i feel dhus between 50cm - 60cm are a bit small...
Marineboy
Posts: 842
Date Joined: 14/03/14
60cm minimum
sorry but I disagree with raising the minimum size limit, many a trip would have come home fish less if the limit was 60cm. As to not getting a feed from a 50cm fish I suggest people learn to fillet properly !
My spots are so secret even the fish don't know about them !
Wen
Posts: 49
Date Joined: 21/10/10
Roughly calculating
if they start spawing at size 300mm which is 3 years old.. a 500mm size dhue would be around 4.7 years old (3 years of spawning) and a 600mm dhue would be 5.6 years old (4 years of spawning)
so to convince fisheries to increase the recreational boat limit catch to say 3 or 4 per boat... an extra spawn cycle is probably required to compensate...
http://www.fish.wa.gov.au/species/wa-dhufish/Pages/default.aspx
BarraSlayer
Posts: 287
Date Joined: 14/04/14
Would be good to increase
Would be good to increase the demersal limit to 3 fish... long way to go to the 60-100m line for 2 fish
Cheers
BarraSlayer
Gunner966
Posts: 145
Date Joined: 23/04/13
Totally agree with Ren 3
Totally agree with Ren 3 Dhuies max boat per boat if 3 licenses on board still 3 Dhu if more on board. Min size 600 mm. However, lets be mindful of the massive recruitment years which mimicked the bumper crayfish season we are now seeing. I'm interested at seeing what the 6kg - 8kg Dhufish stocks are going to be in 2019/2020 That will tell more in regards to how successful the restrictions have been.
Way too soon to see the affects of the changes.
Gunner
Adam Gallash
Posts: 15644
Date Joined: 29/11/05
cant see it
Can't see it happening, its nice in theory but very hard to prove with science in my opinion.
Site Admin - Just ask if you need assistance
Cruise Control
Posts: 973
Date Joined: 03/11/10
Agree that there are lots of
Agree that there are lots of juvenile dhu's around. Personally I would like to give them the chance to reach the size where you can get a few meals off them. So rather than squandering my single fish limit, I would rather see the size increased to say 600 and the one fish rule stay in place for another couple of years.
hezzy
Posts: 1521
Date Joined: 27/11/09
dunno about it being
dunno about it being imminent lol
i would rather see the 2 month demersal closure on the west coast removed than have the 3rd dhuie on a boat limit to be honest
if given the choice between an extra dhuie over 10 months or a boat limit of 2 over 12 months ? id go the removal of the closure every time & i think it would be a more winnable proposition to put to fisheries for approval
hezzy
OFW 11
evil flourishes when good men do nothing
Adam Gallash
Posts: 15644
Date Joined: 29/11/05
Agreed
Agreed the 2 month ban is a much better proposition to try and remove.
Site Admin - Just ask if you need assistance
C.P
Posts: 345
Date Joined: 04/01/12
Leave it
Im being self centered but Im happy with the rules as they are
Probably every one responds from their own perspective
I mostly fish alone and have only a tinny so cant go too deep
Catching one size dhu is a good day for me and im happy to support the restrictions and leave it at one fish
Increasing the min to 60 cm would mean more fish less days for me - i have enough of those already
Agree with Gunner that its too soon to reach a conclusion about the changes
robert1979
Posts: 224
Date Joined: 13/05/12
I would tend to agree, 2
I would tend to agree, 2 dhuies plus the rest of your mixed bag equals a good feed. The ban and bag limit appears to be helping stocks so I would say leave it as it is. I also wonder how many undersize dhuies survive after being released. Increasing the size limit may actually have a negative impact on stocks, more fished being killed as people hunt for a size fish.
Chinbald
Posts: 317
Date Joined: 21/02/09
1 Dhu per licence holder on the boat 4 max
I'm not convinced the 45 + metre depth fish would stand a chance once free of the release weight. I have travelled 25+ nautical miles off the midwest coast numerous times and caught two good Dhus within 15 min, then what release another six Dhus trying to get another 4 demersals with three on board. Would be happier to take home three or four Dhus then call it a day. Our weather on the West coast rarely allows multiple days to get into them. People who abuse the system are going to do it anyway. Hopefully fisheries catch them out. I know you don't have to travel that far offshore to catch good fish but I enjoy the adventure of fishing the back of the bank and some holidays the weather doesn't allow.
meglodon
Posts: 5981
Date Joined: 17/06/10
I agree with robert1979
I'm of the view that it may be a bit early to make a decision on increasing bag limits or boat limits, let there be a 12 month study of the bio mass and then make a decision if increases can be made on the science obtained over the 12 month .
I readily admit it's a cautious approach but I think such an approach has merit
Rob H
Posts: 5795
Date Joined: 18/01/12
Limits
2 per boat is crap
Today we caught 6 by lunchtime, moving after 45 min trying to pick up something else.
Should be same as coral trout, 1 per person per day.
And get rid of the 2 month closure which is predominately political
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.
Bryce Day
Posts: 812
Date Joined: 01/06/15
Agree with this!
Agree with this!
Madmerv
Posts: 672
Date Joined: 24/01/15
Dhuie
I think the increase to 3 Dhu in a boat with 3 license holders is sensible. We often go out with more than 2 ppl in the boat.
Keeping the 2 months closure would be integral to keeping the Dhu stocks sustainable as the reduction in numbers caught, as reported in the article, is 62%. That equals 62% more fish available to catch for the other 10 months of the year. That is all win win in my book.
Would also be happy with an increase of total dermersals to 3 so 1 Dhu and a couple of the others could also come in but i think that will be way down the track.
Sometimes when the water is quiet, you can hear the fish laughing at you !
Jackfrost80
Posts: 8140
Date Joined: 07/05/12
Considering the majority of
Considering the majority of the ban is during Blowvember it's not as much as a big deal anyway
Officially off the Pies bandwagon
little johnny
Posts: 5355
Date Joined: 04/12/11
2 per person
4 per boat. Reason I say this most times you get 2 dhues go for baldies, kgs ,black ass Ect ,even when you drop hook size another Dhue is on the cards. I don't think they release that well 50 m plus. 2 dhues a boat still good thou. Can't see increase happening . The guys that put the hard work in getting our 2 Crays back was exceptional . First time in my life . First increase I know about. 600 mm wouldn't be bad . Gives them few extra years to breed.:) some good reads and points from everyone:):)
Bodie
Posts: 3758
Date Joined: 05/11/07
I agree, stick with the 1
I agree, stick with the 1 dhu per license on board max 3.
Numbers from what we have seen over the last 3 or 4 years have been sustainable. Overall we are catching more dhu fish, albiet a lot a small, but not far away from legal size.
I've noticed numbers in other species, baldies and black ass seem to have dropped off. Not sure if its just because they have moved on, or fi there is added pressure to these stocks given the change in dhu fish bag limits a few years ago.
Going to 3 limit may keep fishers chasing dhu's a bit more and give other stocks a rest?
Willlo
Posts: 1490
Date Joined: 07/10/11
Should be 1 per licence size
Should be 1 per licence size should be 600 mm.Get rid of the ban or at least have it at a time relavent to dhufish breeding time.As stated above its politically motivated. If they can't do that then keep the regs for the metro area where there is most pressure. One thing is for sure if we get some more of these real winters the fish r going to get a rest for more than 2 months a year. I have managed to get out 3 times over this last winter compared to a dozen or so times in previous winters.
Call Sign - BZ785
Haynes Hunter Prowler CC
Bodie
Posts: 3758
Date Joined: 05/11/07
This wont work, all it will
This wont work, all it will do is see more fish from 500-600 thrown back which means more will die from baratrauma or not being released correctly.
too many times ive seen small dhu fish floating on the surface due to incorrect releasing methods
Gunner966
Posts: 145
Date Joined: 23/04/13
Bodie is on to it!
Bodie is on to it!
Dale
Posts: 7930
Date Joined: 13/09/05
"Just because you are a Character, Doesn't mean you have Character."
Mr Wolf
Bucko
Posts: 144
Date Joined: 08/05/10
How about taking Pinkies out
How about taking Pinkies out of the "vulnerable 5".
Seems to be pinks everywhere, so why are they still part of the 2 fish bag limit?
Precedent for this, red snapper down south, blueline up north ....
Lui_F
Posts: 36
Date Joined: 02/03/08
I concur with Wilo, my belief
I concur with Wilo, my belief is that the boat limit on Dhufish should be removed, if there are 4 people fishing on a boat then all 4 should be entitled to a Dhufish should they catch one, this way no one misses out on a Dhufish feed. Also I agree with the point that Bodie made regarding not changing the size limit.
sea-kem
Posts: 14962
Date Joined: 30/11/09
Yep with Willo on this 1 per
Yep with Willo on this 1 per fisher per boat. Most boats won't fish more than 4 anyway, even an 8m job you're pressed for room due to drift etc. And yeah weather is a major factor living in the windiest metro area on the planet. The ban is a farce as we all know but I'm not really concerned as it's usually blowing it's tits off then and we are all chasing crays.
Love the West!
Bodie
Posts: 3758
Date Joined: 05/11/07
and lets face it, not a lot
and lets face it, not a lot of people can land 4 sized dhu fish in 1 day anyway.
Numbers for us are usually 1 decent sized fish to 4 or 5 smalls but we do move around a fair bit and ofen smaller dhu's can be around some of the KG ground.
sea-kem
Posts: 14962
Date Joined: 30/11/09
That's about the sum of it
That's about the sum of it Bodie, most of us have a had a great day nailing two good one's but it would be nice to know in the back of your mind that everyone on board can have a legal crack at the title. And not every bag we bring in has Dhuies anyway, sometimes it's just baldy's, Pinky's and blackarse.
Love the West!
Scotte
Posts: 1145
Date Joined: 07/12/06
I reckon 2 dhufish per person
I reckon 2 dhufish per person like it was a few years back but a max of 4 per boat. And keep total demersals at 2 per person. Seems like a good idea when you think about it.
If ya get a dhu first up and then drop down again and its another dhu at least you can keep it and not have to release it not knowing if it will survive or not.
Deleted
Posts: 6265
Date Joined: 26/04/14
Yeah this is my thoughts as
Yeah this is my thoughts as well. Make it 2 demersals across the board
JohnF
Posts: 2836
Date Joined: 07/07/10
All seems a bit like the Y2K
Boston Whaler 235 Conquest......getting the flogging it was built for.
JohnF
Posts: 2836
Date Joined: 07/07/10
All seems a bit like the Y2K
All seems a bit like the Y2K saga. When there were very few issues on 1 Jan 2000, everyone complained why so much money spent on the problem..... Now dhu stocks are JUST starting to recover, and everyone is calling fora free for all. I will be on the outer, and I don't really give a shit, unless of coarse Scotto disagrees with me in which case I will be heartbroken
but I think we should keep it as is if not restrict it a bit more until it is certain stocks are increasing. I for one am not convinced released dhu fish survive well in depths more than 30 m, so anything that minimises the amount of fish that get released in the hope they survive would be a move in the right direction. I have no good ideas though......
Boston Whaler 235 Conquest......getting the flogging it was built for.
Hairyone
Posts: 246
Date Joined: 26/12/09
I agree.....1 per person per
I agree.....1 per person per day.
As for raising the minimum size.........Id also rather see people keep and eat 500mm fish rather than throw them back with the risk of dying anyway while trying to get bigger ones.
sphere
Posts: 101
Date Joined: 07/01/15
I am happy with the current
I am happy with the current rules. I would prefer things remain as they are and dhufish stocks can recover greater.
When either myself or group of mates I predominatly go diving and fishing with we take the risk of only coming home 1 dhufish be it the first one in the boat at above legal size 510 or the larger model.
If I'm spearing ill try my best not to shoot the females although it can be tempting and do admit I've shot a few.
Yes it is frustrating burning juice and only getting 1 per person but its recreational fishing not a commercial business. The 2 month ban yes also annoying but its cray season. Plus it gives me a chance to focus on other things.
I like the idea of going out and having a good chance of getting a Dhuie.
If were out fishing and we have 2 for the boat we move to target other species (squid, kgs), go shallower or to some prior success for pinkies and baldies, or just call it a day