Marron poachers hit drink catchments
another article below on marron poachers ,
hezzy
Poachers are smashing through the Water Corporation's gates and fences to steal marron from creeks and dams that are supposed to be protected for public drinking supplies.
The State-owned utility has confirmed that it was grappling with the "issue" of marron poaching from properties it controls across the Perth Hills, South West and Great Southern.
Fishing for marron, a type of crayfish that is found in fresh inland waterways, is only allowed for a brief period between January 8 and February 5 each year.
Fishers are entitled to take five of the crustaceans a day - each with a minimum size of 90mm - in so-called trophy waters, while they can take eight a day of at least 80mm in size in all other open waters.
With this year's season just finished, the Water Corporation said it was investigating several incidents where people had illegally accessed protected drinking water catchments to pilfer marron.
In one instance, poachers crashed a four-wheel-drive through the gate of a Water Corporation property east of Albany after-dark to plunder dams that were full of marron, causing thousands of dollars of damage in the process.
A Water Corporation spokeswoman said the utility did not keep specific records of incidents of marron poaching and could not quantify the costs it had incurred from the activity in recent years. However, she noted that extra "catchment rangers" had been employed to patrol the Perth Hills in recent years.
The spokeswoman also pointed out marron fishing was allowed "in a number" of the utility's dams.
"Water Corporation works closely with the Department of Fisheries to control illegal fishing and marroning in drinking water dams and has initiated a number of successful prosecutions," she said.
"The amount of illegal fishing activities in drinking water catchments does vary throughout the year and from year to year.
"Those carrying out illegal activities in catchments also tend to leave rubbish behind and Water Corporation is also responsible for the clean-up costs."
To report marron poaching call 13 13 75
"Water Corporation works closely with Fisheries to control illegal fishing and marroning and has initiated successful prosecutions
OFW 11
evil flourishes when good men do nothing
crasny1
Posts: 6986
Date Joined: 16/10/08
Didnt know there was
Didnt know there was "drinking" dams in the Collie area
"I would like to die on Mars. Just not on impact!!" _ Elon Musk
grantarctic1
Posts: 2546
Date Joined: 03/03/11
Simple sollution
Simple solution, allow public access into the catchments.
The water corp are a bunch of f@ckwits who poach these dams themselves.
It is well known the best eyes for reporting incidents of poaching and illegal activities is the public.
The fight to regain access to these areas has been going on for decades with the water corp using old bylaws to keep them fenced off. The claim of protecting the drinking water is a farce considering they allow sand mining behind a few of these dams, who pollute more than a few fishers could ever do.
Poltergeist
Posts: 159
Date Joined: 03/12/13
Spot on Grant the current
Spot on Grant the current situation banning access and fishing to all drinking water supplies in WA is a joke. Take a look at SE Qld, their water authority actually stock their drinking water dams with fish and encourage and promote fishing in them. God forbid they even allow boating with 4 stroke motors on them !! Yet here in WA we have to use electric motors on irrigation water like Harvey Dam and are not allowed to even use them on most of Wellington Dam yet you can use ski boats up the other end??? Go figure. As the population in WA continues to increase its just going to be putting more and more pressure on stocks of saltwater fish, by stocking and opening up more freshwater impoundments much of the fishing pressure would be diverted away from the ocean. If this dosent happen ocean fish bag limits will continue to be cut. We have just had Herring bag limts cut and my tip is that Whiting will be next to follow. Freshwater dams are put and take fisheries, angler licence money pays for the stocked fish and stocking occurs every year to keep numbers up. One of these years it will happen.
grantarctic1
Posts: 2546
Date Joined: 03/03/11
Yep agree
But I do like that a few dams are reserved for paddle or electric vessels only.
I do understand its frustrating for the skiers that had waterways closed to them, but am quite happy I can fish a place without them ie: Harvey and Drakes brook .
Exactly like you said , there is a call to reduce ocean catch numbers and they do promote freshwater fishing, but most places are closed to the public. No camping, no fishing, no access etc. etc.
Its a pathetic situation and the water corp seems untouchable doing whatever they want.
Like I said above, I know for a fact workers on these sites are a big part of the poaching problem.
petermac
Posts: 2946
Date Joined: 03/03/10
the truth is
the biggest poachers are the water corp blokes them selfs