Whilst I also detest seeing these pics, I must say that if 20 people caught that much fish once a year on their annual charter trip, I reckon I must take that much and a fair bit more in fish kilo's as one angler doing 20 trips a year. (There is also a lot of ice under the fish which makes it look a bit worse than it probably is). I am just trying to keep a balanced argument here and perhaps playing a little bit of devils advocate.

Food for thought and puts my own angling pressure into perspective. And I am pretty sure that in 43 years of fishing (started at 2yrs) I have never ever bagged out on anything apart from gardies once, when I was collecting bait for a trip up to Quobba.

Just to satisfy my curiosity, how many others think they might go close to that many kilo's in a year's fishing effort. I'd say there is between 70 and 100kgs in that pic. I reckon I would pull that amount out of the ocean in a year easily all of which is devoured by my family I might add. But it certainly gives me chills when I add it up.

More evidence for the support of greater restrictions, self-imposed or otherwise.

You bring up an interesting point for me Andy. I think that I would probably go between that 70-100kg per year, maybe more.. But if you aren't out there catching it, then I guess your buying it. If your buying it, your supporting the industry which gives people incentive to go and get more to increase profits which inturn results in more rape and pillage? There was another article in the news this morning saying that fish could be wiped out in 40 years, but made a statement that currently 50% of fish stocks going to restaurant tables are bred in aquaculture tanks. It seems that we are damned if do and damned if we dont. Where to from here?

I agree on the wiping out of whole schools issue and I would release 90% of those fish if they came aboard my boat, but I still have to be open and honest enough to say that in kilo's (not numbers) of fish I would easily get to 100kgs in a year.
Hmmmm.....still sounds bad no matter which way I say it.
I reckon a total of about 20 - 30kgs worth of fish in the last four trips out, so that gives you an idea and that is one fish of a couple of species each trip. say three fish per trip. Soon adds up dosn't it.

how many fish to fisherman?? looks mighty close to exceeding bag limits...even with 20 odd anglers on board. 
A lot of people only go out on charters once or twice a year, and with the price they pay don't they deserve to come back with a good feed each. Most people wouldn't go out too often if they didn't come back with something worth while. Then where would the charter boat operaters be?
Think about when some of you have a good day out and then multiply that by twenty or so and think what that would look like.
Danny.

No Danny its not your god dam given right,the question that has to be asked is it sustainable, if it is, fair enough, if it isnt, well do sumfin about it.

Wally

Well, i guess weather and client dependant, charter boats operate each day, so maybe its not so much about how much each person takes home for his or her $150, its about how much that boat would take over time.
I dont reckon paying money means you deserve the fish.

But all this is nothing compared to commercial fishing and what it removes, by line or by net/trawl. That amount of fish there wouldnt be worth a commercial fisher checking the weather for, let alone getting out of bed! Might be a bit of an overstatement but you know what i mean...!

Ewan

No Danny its not your god dam given right,the question that has to be asked is it sustainable, if it is, fair enough, if it isnt, well do sumfin about it.

Wally

Fair enough Wally do sumfin about it, but I hardly ever go out on Charters and I don't begrudge anyone that does go and get his limit once in a blue moon. Thats what limits look like when multiplied by lots of people. Whats the difference if they go on a charter or they go out in there own boats and get there limits. One boat at a time.
Lower the limits even more.... No fishing for anyone....Whats the answer....I don't know... But I do still want my kids to be able to catch a fish in there lifetime too.
Danny.

In that photo there is a lot of ice under those fish and it looks worse than it is. It looks to me that there is 70 or so fish there roughly,maybe just a few more and devided between twenty or so they would be well within their limits. It looks bad and sad when you see it all at once though.
Danny.

Does anyone remember when a charter company in mandurah used a photo like that of jewies for there advertising, that got them into a bit trouble.

i counted at least 60 fish and even if there was 20 ppl on board it is still overkill......most boats these days dont take 20 ppl so it still dont look good......i say keep 1 decent fish for a feed and let some1 else have a chance of catching something in the future....1/2 these fish look like they needed to grow up before they're caught..........makes ya sick when people do crap like that
he who dies with the most toys wins

Size limits need to be increased IMO. I don't think there is any reason why they should be allowed to keep pinkies that small... bit of a wast keeping them when you consider the size of the puny little fillets that come off them :/

-----------------
Jay Burgess

A 41 cm Pinkie can feed 2 people EASY , if you know what your doing .

______________________________________________________

Strap yourself in , and feel the GGGGG's

The lying scumbag that I am .

If your on a charter and you pull in two just size snapper to start what do you do? Do you put them back hopeing for the big ones and risk going home with nothing or do you keep them and try catch the big ones aswell. Also the snapper in the photo look under size to me.

What are all the little pink floats and blue line in the photo? It looks a bit like wet-line rope.
Where did the pic come from?

Is hard to agree with I admit but as stated they are within there (well we hope) limits then thats that. We can argue all we want but that what the punters are paying for and putting them onto fish is the only thing that keeps them in business.

Only way to stop it is to lower the bag limits - which should and needs to be done, then and only then will it change. Sanctuary zones and the likes also need to be implemented to at least give fish somewhere to 'grow up' without hooks and the likes whipping past there noses. We need to face reality that these changes are needed or its a simple case of no more fish!

Gully

there only babies id rather take nothin home than take the little just size fish ,there the future if u are that hungry go buy a snapper ffs

I reckon the regulated or soon to be regulated changes will help the sustainability and move us forward. Never going to be perfect but better imo. Commercial got a massive cut, charter cat 1 to be cut and recs in the future to take another cut on cat 1 so if this happens/is happening then alls good imo

I like keeping fish, i release fish and i self moderate what i take....many wont so the gov needs to step in and step up.....for the sustainability!

JMO

* Oceanside- Advice, Knowledge, Experience.......that's our difference *

Owner/Operator "Oceanside Tackle & Marine"
364 South Street, O'Connor, Perth Ph# 9337 5682

 this was a good thread had some good views, enjoyable read.

good points of view put forward by all

 i know if i went on a charter, depending on what i was doing on that charter but if it was bottom basing i'd be pissed if i didn't get a feed of a couple of fish. Correct it doesn't look good but i guess we don't know the full story of that pic.