Electronic Bulletin
Number 9, June 2006

IN THIS EDITION:

1. The Proposed 'Wetline" Managed Fishery
2. Rottnest Island Marine Management Strategy
3. RFW Board and Constitution changes
4. Dhufish workshop paper
5. Southern Fishing Clinics tour
6. "Addicted to Fishing not Drugs" Program
7. New Recfishwest policies
8. Some thoughts from a "freshwater" fisherman
9. Catch of the century

1. The Proposed 'Wetline" Managed Fishery
Over the last forty years Western Australia's commercial fisheries have gradually been brought under a managed and regulated regime. This is very desirable because the alternative is overfishing and in many cases the virtual destruction of the fishery.

The last substantial fishing opportunity left has become the "open access wetline fishery". The Minister is now moving to bring this open access fishing under management.

Two committees have made recommendations for West Coast and Gascoyne Demersal (bottom) Fin Fish Fisheries and small West Coast and Gascoyne Inshore Net Fisheries in Fisheries Management Papers 205, 206 and 207.

A major potential benefit for recreational fishers is that these management changes have the capacity to limit the commercial catch of dhufish and pink snapper, which has been of such concern to the recreational sector. The target catch recommended on the West Coast is much less than the commercial catch of recent years.

Some of the main concerns are addressed in the Recfishwest submission:- For full details see SubWetlineReviewMarch06.htm

2. Rottnest Island Marine Management Strategy.
The Rottnest Island Marine Management Strategy and proposed "no fishing" zones was released on 17 April and can be found at http://www.rottnestisland.com/en/ See map of the proposed sanctuary zones http://www.recfishwest.org.au/RIAProposedSanctuaryZonesApril2006.jpg

Recfishwest has been in the forefront of publicity about the problems such as the process used in the development of proposals, the poorly chosen proposals, the lack of science, misrepresentations about many aspects, the faulty and biased documentation and the misleading and biased public consultation process.

Virtually the whole of the document supporting the marine management plan consists of dogmatic statements and selective anecdotal information. The marine plan suggests that sanctuary zones provide the best way to restore fish abundance. Three of the most sought after fish species at Rottnest are herring, King George whiting and rock lobster. All of these have life cycles that take them far outside the Rottnest marine reserve. Many other species such as salmon, tailor and Spanish mackerel share the same characteristics. Sanctuary zones do not provide a suitable fish management strategy for Rottnest for these species.

Changes at Rottnest must be properly integrated into much wider and effective management. Urgent action should be taken to properly address the real threats in the entire greater metro area (at least Cape Bouvard to Moore River), and deliver real benefits.

This must specifically and urgently address excessive fishing pressures and the depletion of some fish species and must include special attention to Rottnest. Through that, benefits for Rottnest will be achieved which will be many times greater than can ever be achieved by the type of isolated actions in the Rottnest proposals.

The information about the impact of sanctuaries on fishing is an example of oversimplification of a complex and controversial issue.

The draft management strategy has no proposals for managing recreational fishing other than the establishment of sanctuary zones. Most of the targeted fish species are recruited from outside the Island's marine reserve. Any measure to influence recruitment must be established on a larger scale.

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3. RFW Board and Constitution changes.
Recfishwest has held a strategic planning session to assess its future directions and how best to meet the needs of recreational fishers in the future.

The proposal is to increase the number of Board members by two. One is to be from either the Australian Fishing Tackle Association (Western Australia) or Charter Boat Owners Association of Western Australia. These two groups have an important role to play in the education of anglers and the capacity to reach anglers who frequent tackle stores or use charter boats.

The other will be an additional Board member who may be a member of a fishing club or association, which is not permitted under the current Constitution.

Amendments will be needed to the RFW Constitution to allow this. Full details of the Board and Constitution changes will be provided in a separate document. (Background information is available on our website)
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4. Dhufish workshop paper.
The proceedings of the Dhufish Workshop held in 2004 have been released. They have been sent to everyone who attended the Workshop.

The proceedings are very interesting but that they do not make definitive recommendations about future management. This will come through the commercial wetline review, the integrated fisheries management processes, and metropolitan management proposals which are a credit to Garry Lilley and Wally Parkin.

Copies of the proceedings have been sent to all public libraries and an electronic copy is on the Recfishwest web site at http://www.recfishwest.org.au/DhufishWorkshop2004.htm

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5. Southern Fishing Clinics tour.
The Southern fishing clinics tour was held from 17 March to 6 April. Further details can be viewed on the Recfishwest website http://www.recfishwest.org.au/PhotosReportSouthwestTourMar2006.htm

Seventeen clinics were run at Esperance, Ravensthorpe, Bremer Bay, Albany. Denmark and Walpole with 543 participants, and an estimated 450 other contacts made.

As usual, safe and responsible fishing for the future was highlighted. All fish caught were released at the request of the fishers, except a few herring kept to feed the Esperance seal which in return provided a wonderful acrobatic display for the children.

Feedback showed how much these clinics are appreciated for giving young people the information about sun, safety and fishing as a healthy outdoor activity.
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6. "Addicted to Fishing not Drugs" Program.
Recfishwest has received Commonwealth funding from the Recreational Fishing Community Grants Programme for an "Addicted to Fishing not Drugs" initiative to be run over the next 18 months.

This will use the resources prepared for and follow the very successful format of the American program "Hooked on Fishing, not on drugs".
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7. New Recfishwest policies.
New policies have been prepared to set out the RFW positions on some important topics, and are on http://www.recfishwest.org.au/PoliciesPage.htm

"Taking Fish by Free Diving" puts this into the perspective of catching fish by other methods and any special limits.

"Artificial Reefs and Habitat Enhancements" allows proposals which come up and look for support from RFW as the fishing peak body to have some guides on what sort of information and approach is needed to get that support.

"Catch and Release Fishing" sets out the issues involved and informs anglers about the potential impacts of activities some believe has little or no impact.

"Wilderness and Low Impact Fishing Policy" covers the concepts of establishing some Western Australian coastal areas or rivers as wilderness or low impact fishing areas where populations of fish species would be only lightly exploited and be very close to their natural state before human exploitation.

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8. Some thoughts from a "freshwater" fisherman
The Freshwater Fishing season has now mostly closed until 1st September. The public dams and most of the rivers and streams are currently out of bounds so many freshwater fishermen use this time to check and repair gear, tie flies and dream about the new season.

Why do we do it? Why do approx. 20,000 normally sane West Australians pay and average of $22.00 for a licence, spend goodness knows how much on rods, reels, Fly vests, waders and all the trimmings and then drive hundreds of miles crisscrossing the South West of the State just to catch a fish, which many put back anyway. Some call it insanity, others, the love of the sport. Whatever the reason, whether one is a fly fisherman, a "spinner" or a coarse fisherman, we all share something in common. A love of the environment and a responsibility to ensure that no harm comes to it.

The difference between "salties" and "freshies" has been debated many times, vigorously wherever a stubby or bottle of red has been opened. It has never been resolved and maybe never will. In today's world, the lines of demarcation are certainly becoming blurred with the increase in popularity of salt water fly fishing, and most "freshies" will fish the sea at one time or another. Most are aware of the pressures that currently abound concerning the "recreational sector" with restrictions on traditional fishing venues, bag limits etc. Many if not all "freshies" are sympathetic and when called upon will help were ever they can.

"Salties" however, seem to be oblivious to the "freshwater pressures" and very few out of the approx. 600,000 people who currently fish the sea and estuaries of this State even worry about whether a Dam should be closed or not. It seems a little sad that this is the case but I suppose that it is understandable.

Whether you cast a line, bait a hook, tie a fly on a leader or spin for salmon, tailor , trout or perch, we are all "fisherpeople". Most of us fish for a feed and most of us never catch our bag limit.

All of us however, are concerned with preserving the right to enjoy our chosen sport in the immediate future and in the long term. Let us all work together, irrespective of how and where we fish, to ensure that these rights are not diluted or cancelled completely.

It would cause me tremendous heart ache if I believed that my grandchild or great grandchild could not sit on the riverbank, dam edge, marine breakwater or sea splashed rock of their choice and "wet a line". We all fish in "beautiful places", let us keep them that way.
Harry Vosper, WATFAA.
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9. Catch of the century?
Working right on the ocean front, and all being keen anglers, the RFW boys have a very early fishing morning every so often. They come at first light, fish for an hour or so down in front at Watermans, then clean up, have some breakfast and put in the day's work.

Thursday 13 April was one of those early fishing days. Fishing was not very productive, so in time off they went to breakfast. Meanwhile Frank had arrived a bit later and noticed some people pointing excitedly into the water, and soon saw why.

When the boys came back from breakfast, there was Frank with salmon caught from in front!

There was an amazing sight in the ocean between Triggs and Sorrento with fish breaking the surface as far as you could see, baitfish jumping, trying to escape and stranding themselves, and good sized salmon everywhere.

The boys from Recfishwest were lucky to be there to experience this amazing sight and fishing. In total, 35 salmon were caught and released and a few kept for eating over the Easter long weekend.

Was this what the salmon run was like back before settlement? Plenty of people have stories of big schools of salmon and catching lots from these schools, but these fish were spread over such a large area and so actively chasing bait fish it was more like the big schools of northern pelagics.

This day was the start of a fantastic metro salmon run with lots of catch and release fishing for these superb sporting fish. It has given many metro anglers their first local encounter with salmon.

Recfishwest has been working for years to get reductions to the commercial catches of salmon on the South and South West coasts, mainly used for cray bait and pet food at about 40c per kilogram or just over $2.00 per fish. Compare that with what recreational anglers spend chasing them.

Let's hope that more people now understand what the fuss is all about, and why letting more of those salmon schools swim past those nets could make such a difference to the quality of fishing further up the coast.

Let's hope experiences such as had by the RFW staff happen more often in future so that people can say "Catch of the century? No, it happens quite often now."



This page last updated on 27 June 2006.