WA invited to attend public briefings on Sustainability
MEDIA RELEASE
Western Australians were invited to attend public briefings to have their say about how they wanted offshore recreational fishing to be managed in the future, Fisheries Minister Jon Ford said today.
A series of public briefings would be held this month, with the first briefing to be held in Hillarys on October 9, followed by briefings in Fremantle, Mandurah, Bunbury, Busselton and Geraldton.
At the briefings, the public would have the chance to discuss future options for sustainably managing recreational catches of demersal scalefish such as pink snapper, dhufish and baldchin groper. These species were generally found in deeper offshore waters and targeted by boat fishers.
The Department of Fisheries would also outline the findings of new research which showed that key demersal scalefish were being over-fished in the West Coast Bioregion, between Zuytdorp Cliffs, north of Kalbarri, and Black Point, near Augusta.
Mr Ford said this research showed that stocks of key demersal scalefish were at risk of collapsing in four to five years if action was not taken.
“With the increase in WA’s population, particularly along the coastline, we now have more people in more boats out in our waters and many of these boats are well-equipped with fish-finding technology,” Mr Ford said.
“While bag limits and other methods of controlling recreational fishing have worked in the past, we now have to find a new set of tools that are more effective in managing recreational fishing, and I want Western Australians to be a part of determining these new tools.”
In the first step towards developing a new and more effective management strategy for recreational fishing by mid next year, Mr Ford released a discussion paper last month.
Mr Ford said this month’s public briefings would provide more information to people to help them submit their responses to the discussion paper.
“It’s vital for Western Australians to get involved in shaping the future of recreational fishing,” Mr Ford said.
“But before I even get close to releasing final recommendations on the long-term management strategy early next year, I want to find out from the public what their ideas are to ensure we have fish for the future.”
While these meetings were open to all interested people, the Department of Fisheries would hold a series of separate meetings with commercial wetline fishers to discuss new fishing arrangements.
Submissions to the discussion paper can be made through the post or online at http://www.fish.wa.gov.au
Fisheries Management Paper No.225 - ‘Managing the recreational catch of demersal scalefish on the West Coast’ - and the ‘Fisheries Research Report No.163’ on the stock status of key species - are available from the Department’s website.
The schedule of briefings is:
Hillarys – October 9 – Naturaliste Marine Discovery Centre – 5pm-7pm
Fremantle – October 10 – Fremantle Sailing Club – 5pm-7pm
Mandurah – October 11 – Royal Australian Airforce Association Club – 5pm-7pm
Bunbury – October 16 – All Seasons Sanctuary Golf Resort – 5pm-7pm
Busselton – October 17 – Broadwater Beach Resort – 5pm-7pm
Geraldton – October 25 – African Reef Resort Hotel – 5pm-7pm
Andy Mac
In the Diary
Cheers
Dean
Hopefully them come up with
Hopefully them come up with better management of the Cockburn sound pink snapper, I don't think it is right that the sound is open when there are big schools of breeders in there, and the sound becomes like a parking lot of boats, this isn't fishing for the future.
JMO
Cheers
Dean
Adam Gallash
Dont worry
Dont worry Dean, this is the last year it will be like it, take that as gauranteed!
Dean
Thats good! Protection of
Thats good!
Protection of brood stock for dermersal species is required, I am not sure on breeding methods for baldchin and dhufish, but if it is controllable like the pink snapper is, then it should be.
ROCKPOM
Adam Ive heard a rumor of a
Adam Ive heard a rumor of a total closure in Cockburn will this happen??
Ive helped with research in Cockburn sound for the last 7 years and dont think a total closure
is needed.More refinement of the closure date against moon phases would have helped this year
and last year.
With all the fus on protecting pink snapper the thing that annoys me the most is the total oversight
of an island that will be placed on top of this breeding area for the Freo outer port project(This
includes breeding Dolphins)!!
A good friend of mine who was doing his PHd on snapper went to a meeting to stress this, only to be ignored due to the amount of money that can be made from this project.
Dont get me wrong the fishery needs to be protected for the future but a total closure thats how CALM do it because of lack of resources(they know how to use padlocks).Fisheries use managment I hope!!
Sorry guys but it hits a nerve.
(The Pro still fishing in there didn't help the fish in the past fortnight !!)
Salmo
You raised a bloody good point Pom
Whats the point of new closures/limits/etc etc ....if the government is just going to build a big anchourage in the sound anyway...
Has anyone every checked out the outflow pipes of the de-sal plant????? Whats the temp like??????
jimbo1
Certainly would be a shame
Certainly would be a shame to close the sound all together, Especially for the recreational fisherman! I can understand the pros not being alowed to fish the sound or changing bag limits for everyone. But a total closure is just ludicrous.
THE LAZY FISHERMAN * Proud supporter of BAILEYS BAIT BOX * MSN/
Dean
Well I have to disagree, I
Well I have to disagree, I know the frustration of not being able to fish for snapper in the sound, but you have to be thinking of preserving future stocks, I think it is in best intrests to stop fishing in the sound for pinkies when they are breeding.
Adam Gallash
Suggestions
I dont know if thats what they're planning, but one would think that it would be a potential off limits zone considering its importance as a breeding ground.
jimbo1
can understand breeding
Can understand during breeding times Dean, but not all together all year round! Perhaps the closure should run from the end of august through to end jan surely that 5 month period would be more than adeqaute. And change the bag limits out of these times to be similar to the shark bay regulations.
THE LAZY FISHERMAN * Proud supporter of BAILEYS BAIT BOX * MSN/
Dean
Yeah Jimbo, thought you were
Yeah Jimbo, thought you were against closing the sound for fishing during the breeding times.
I don't see a problem when the snapper aren't breeding, and changing the limits is a good idea also.
Cheers
Dean
GOATRUTAR
As Rockpom said, there is a
As Rockpom said, there is a bigger picture here!
The Sound may become the next Freo port along with all the ships it already caters for.
They wan't to build a new facility which would mean claiming some of the sound back and effecting the water flow.
The more pressure that is placed upon the sound the more chance there will be a disaster.
This may not only be in the form of additional polution but the ability for water to flush in and out of the sound.
The snapper are there because it is a suitable enviroment for them to spawn but if they get it wrong we won't have to worry about closures as there won't be any snapper in there anyway!
Maybe the odd three eyed one!
It will be interesing how this will effect the mussel farms.
IF IT SMELLS LIKE FISH IT MUST BE GOOD FOR YOU!
GOATRUTAR
BUMP!IF IT SMELLS LIKE FISH
BUMP!
IF IT SMELLS LIKE FISH IT MUST BE GOOD FOR YOU!
TerryF
Fishing rules changes
Public meetings on the Fishing rules changes THIS WEEK Tues-Thurs
Hillarys – Tuesday October 9 – Naturaliste Marine Discovery Centre – 5pm-7pm
Fremantle – Wednesday October 10 – Fremantle Sailing Club – 5pm-7pm
Mandurah – Thursday October 11 – Royal Australian Airforce Association Club – 5pm-7pm
Be there or they'll say it isn't important enough to you.
If those times/dates don't suit - tell the Dept of Fisheries and ask for more meetings.
TerryF
=====
Beavering away in the background......
Recfishwest - looking after YOUR recreational fishing future. http://www.recfishwest.org.au/
You need Recfishwest to look after your recreational fishing interests. Who else has the time, the knowledge, the professional approach, the realistic alternatives, the willingness and the contacts?
Recfishwest needs YOUR support. We would really like you to become a member, get involved and help us.
For $20, you can join by post, by phone 9246 3366, by email , in person, or fill in a website form. See http://www.recfishwest.org.au/MembershipDet.htm
Tell us what you think and ask us to explain anything you don't agree with - you may give new details which will change Recfishwest's decision.
You are the ones who benefit when Recfishwest succeeds, or you will lose out when Recfishwest is ignored.
SPESS
Who will be going to this?
Who will be going to this? Ill be there i just thought if a few fishwrecked boys are going we could meet up and sit together.........
Keep it tight, reeeeeeel tight!
Maverick
Me
If any of ya's see me come and introduce yourselves .
SPESS
Ill be at the hillaries
Ill be at the hillaries tomorrow night at around 4:45pm. I suppose we all can catch up out the front, just look for the fishwrecked shirts i guess.
Keep it tight, reeeeeeel tight!
Maverick
No Shirt
I don't have a fishwrecked shirt ????
I'll just look out for you guys , maybe I could wear my fishwrecked hat
If anyone needs a lift over there from B/boro I have room for 1 in my ute.
sherbert
And 10 in the back
LOl
steve
Born to fish forced to work
ROCKPOM
Working offshore at the
Working offshore at the moment
Is there any chance of some minutes being posted to keep us informed!!!
P.s. heaps of yellatail tuna and huge Dollies up here at the moment!!!
SPESS
Yeah rock i can do that for
Yeah rock i can do that for ya.....was sort of planning to anyway. Cheers for the heads up, how far you out?
Keep it tight, reeeeeeel tight!
ROCKPOM
38kms north west of Exxy in
38kms north west of Exxy in 450meters dropping to 550m
I can see land and the light house from the deck
GOATRUTAR
I'm just so glad you can't
I'm just so glad you can't fish whilst working
IF IT SMELLS LIKE FISH IT MUST BE GOOD FOR YOU!
ROCKPOM
Not Me Mate!!
With most of the bulls looking around 10kgs easy!