Onslow youth catch the benefits of fishing

Recfishwest has been running its fishing clinic program since 1999 promoting the important message of 'FishSmart SunSmart' and in the most recent year the 'Addicted to Fishing not Drugs' message. When a free moment arises I jump at the opportunity to get out of the office and be a presenter at these clinics. The clinics cater for school children and are an avenue to promote responsible fishing practices and also the health benefits of fishing both socially and physically.

Seeing the excitement on child's faces when they catch their first fish or their enthusiasm to learn a new technique is extremely rewarding. One of the great things about fishing is that you don't have to be the smartest at school, best at sport or even best looking to catch fish. It is amazing what catching a fish can do for a child's self-esteem and confidence. Fishing can be an extremely valuable hobby for children as they face many social challenges in their youth.

As part of National Youth Week in April 2007 I was lucky enough to be involved in a three day Recfishwest fishing clinic program in Onslow to launch the Shire of Ashburton's Youth Outreach Project. The three day 'Gone Fishing' program provided 25 local children the opportunity to try their hand at fishing and learn new and exciting skills and techniques whilst at same time providing a fun and healthy activity during the school holidays. Through funding from local mining companies BHP and Chevron the Youth Outreach Project was able to purchase two plaka boats for the community.

The Shire of Ashburton requested that Recfishwest return to Onslow for a more intensive fishing clinic program following the 2006 Northern Tour. The reasoning behind the longer program was to develop relationships with the local children to talk about social issues and teach them valuable life skills. The program funding facilitated three Recfishwest instructors to teach the local children the ins and outs of fishing so they could make the most of their wonderful natural resource.

Many of the children were already keen fishers, however, their only previous exposure to fishing was a handline, a hook and a piece of bait. The three days of clinics broadened their horizons with many kids fishing with a rod and reel for the first time. The children were taught how to fish with lures and soft plastics, tie fishing rigs, set up a tackle boxes, conduct maintenance on fishing gear and fillet a fish. When not fishing the group were listening to talks about the importance of fishing "today for tomorrow", proper fishing handling techniques and the social benefits of fishing.

The week turned out to be an overwhelming success and the children all thoroughly enjoyed themselves. With the great fishing that was on offer in Onslow it would have been hard not to enjoy it. The queenfish were smashing nearly every lure that was cast at Beadon Creek, every child caught at least one and many more busting off the 6 kilo outfits.

Some of the notable captures included a 41 cm mangrove jack, golden trevally up to 2 kg and a barracuda over a metre. Others species caught during the three days of clinics include giant trevally, fingermark, estuary cods, flathead and blue line emperor.

For some photos see Fishing Clinic Shire of Ashburton (Onslow) 2007

The program's end culminated with a seafood cook-up kindly donated by local commercial fishing operators and an awards presentation for the participants. Each child received a Recfishwest gift bag including a tackle box filled with lures, soft plastics, hooks, swivels, sinkers as well as stickers, fish rulers and pamphlets.

Through the Youth Outreach Project each child also received their own rod and reel so they could continue to practice all the skills they had learnt over the week. We are hopeful that this can be made an annual event with the Shire of Ashburton and allow more of the local children to reap the benefits of fishing.

The fantastic natural resources available in Onslow make fishing such a great activity for the local children, it is fun, healthy and a reliable food source if the resource is looked after.

The future for recreational fishing receives a boost

On the 29th April the Federal Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation Senator Eric Abetz announced funding for Recfishwest to administer two programs to assist the future development of recreational fishing in Western Australia.

The first program is a continuation of the highly successful "Addicted to Fishing not Drugs" fishing clinic program run in 2006. This program has already reached approximately 1500 students and young people from Esperance to Kununurra teaching them the right ways to fish and to believe in themselves and their abilities. This additional funding will involve regional, aboriginal and youth at risk participants to promote fishing to today's youth.

This is great news as more children will enjoy the benefits of recreational fishing and have an avenue to discuss problems they may be encountering in relation to drugs. The funding will facilitate another northern and southern fishing clinic tour in 2007/08 and build on dedicated clinic programs like the one recently run in Onslow.

The second project "Western Australian Young Future Leaders in Recreational Fishing" project will bring together the next generation of recreational fishing leaders in a workshop at the Abrolhos Islands.

Recfishwest has long identified that there is an urgent need to build capability at the local and regional level to address real and practical issues that are impacting on recreational fishing. The current situation relies upon the same group of people to do an ever expanding range of tasks, projects and strategic issues at state and local levels.

This program is a succession plan to involve more young recreational fishers in management issues facing recreational fishing and help reduce the reliance on so few.

The selected participants between the ages of 20 and 35 will be educated and mentored by a group of experienced leaders in recreational fishing. This project will help to ensure that there is a well prepared group of people able to assist in the advocacy and leadership of recreational fishing for many years to come.

I will have more information on the application process for this program in coming months so keep an eye out in future Hotbite articles and on the Recfishwest website.

Kane Moyle



This page last updated on 11 May 2007.