What Recfishwest does for recreational fishing, and for YOU.

Recreational fishing is so important to so many people. It may have given you some of the best experiences of your life.

What has Recfishwest done to help YOUR recreational fishing? Why should YOU support Recfishwest by becoming a member?

The short answer

The simple answer is that Recreational fishing as we know it in WA would not be as good except for the time and efforts of Recfishwest. Some independent recreational fishermen also work very hard for the future of recreational fishing in WA.

Everything Recfishwest does is aimed at the things enjoyable and successful recreational fishing depends on, such as:-

• Healthy stocks of fish of all species, sizes and ages
  
  
• Good environmental conditions so fish can survive and breed successfully
  
  
• Recognition by everyone that regardless of what has been done before, the fish stocks always belong to the whole community, not just to any one group, and the community should decide how those fish are used and shared. Leading to:-
  
  
• Recreational fishing having a guaranteed share of the fish which can be caught sustainably, sharing with commercial and other needs.
  
  
• Reasonable and practical fishing rules which balance the enjoyment of fishing with the need to manage and share the catch and preserve the fish stocks.
  
  
• Access to fishing spots, without unnecessary restrictions or closures which don't make sense.

The longer answer

The summaries on this page, and the much greater details in the links, should help answer those questions for you.

Your recreational fishing future doesn't just happen without people working for it.

It is important that someone is out there looking after your fishing future. That there is someone willing to sit through 10 or 12 meetings to keep across the details and get a small boundary change in a Marine Park to prevent unnecessary closures and allow recreational fishermen to continue fishing in that really good salmon spot on the south west coast.

It isn't easy representing the needs and interests of over 600,000 West Australians with so many different types of fishing. We can't always do exactly what you would want, but that is not surprising when you consider how different fishing is to so many people - from game fishing to marroning!

While we don't win all the time, the results listed show that we do make a difference, and that we work very hard across a wide range of issues right around Western Australia.

Why doesn't Recfishwest do more, or do what I want?

Recfishwest is only a very small organisation to cover a State as large as Western Australia with so many different sorts of fishing and so many different pressures on fishing.

With a small staff, Recfishwest isn't able to do everything we would like to do because we have to allocate our time to things which are important as listed in the "short answer" above.

Despite some very real limits, Recfishwest successfully and professionally handles a great number of issues as listed here and in the Annual report for 2006/2007

Staff. Recfishwest has only 4 paid staff, with ONLY 2 full time people to deal with all the fishing, environmental, marine park, government, media, industry, rules and other topics and meetings, plus 1 full time admin person and 1 part time admin plus fishing clinics person.

Funding. Recfishwest has very restricted funding with little to spare for any advertising, promotions, handouts, giveaways, functions, consultants, temporary staff or any of the other help used by many other organisations to cover sick leave, recreation leave, peak loads and busy times.

The Board members are all UNPAID volunteers with many other calls on their personal time.

Doing what people want. With so many people interested in so many types of fishing with so many very different needs and opinions, it is not possible for RFW to do exactly what everybody wants.

Due simply to the lack of time and people, sometimes we may not meet your expectations for what you think we should do or how we handle some topic.

Please contact us and let us know so we understand your concerns, tell you what we are doing, deal with the subject to your satisfaction, say if or when we will be able to deal with it, negotiate where it fits in with other important work we must do, or suggest alternative ways it can be handled.

Back to the links listing RFW work

West Coast region

• Recfishwest has made a DVD titled "Using the Release Weight to improve the survival of released fish. Proven best practice for releasing demersal reef fish." This DVD will be provided to Tackle Shops (while stocks last) to be given away FREE with purchases of a Release Weight. Recfishwest has made the information and videos on the DVD widely available via this website

• Recfishwest has made a comprehensive submission on proposals for managing and restricting the recreational catch of demersal scalefish in the West Coast Bioregion, which is the most important change for boating fishermen. This link has the submission and all the references

• Recfishwest proposed and supports the protection for western blue groper in waters around Rottnest Island.

• Recfishwest has made a real difference in allowing fishing to continue in a proposed two mile wide no-fishing zone around a submarine cable in the most popular recreational fishing areas in metropolitan waters, through Hale Reef. Perth Submarine Cable Protection Zone

• Negotiated to allow trolling to continue at Rottnest West End sanctuary zone - also proposed total protection for blue groper in Rottnest waters. Submission on Rottnest Island Marine Management Strategy

• Initiated and pressed for special management for pink snapper spawning aggregations in Cockburn Sound. Cockburn Sound Pink Snapper

• Ensured recreational fishing access to new Port Coogee marina including for disabled fishers.

• Got commitment to remove commercial fishing for pink snapper from Cockburn Sound.

• Negotiated for a 5% catch share of western rock lobster resource which will provide time for natural growth of the recreational fishery. Integrated Fisheries Management for Western Rock Lobster and Supplementary submission

• Negotiated that commercial fishing boats without wetline entitlement would not be able to carry any line fishing gear. Outcomes of the commercial Wetline Review (FMP 221).

• Ran highly successful Dhufish workshop, covered in Proceedings of the WA Dhufish Workshop

• Coordinated tagging on snapper, dhufish and breaksea cod with Dept of Fisheries and ANSA, Tagging and Research Program and research efforts into Samson fish spawning aggregations.

• With Garry Lilley, developed and promoted the release weight and its benefits to recreational sector. Release Weight

• Arranged funding from Commonwealth government for the production of a free DVD on use of the release weight. This will be distributed to tackle stores to be given when someone buys a release weight and as part of our general education program.

• Recfishwest is a member of Cockburn Sound Management Council and input into all developments including outer harbour and desalination plant design, access and environmental impact. Outer Harbour Project

• Tried to get decommissioned submarine sunk as specific recreational fishing site off Perth.

• Worked with Dept of Fisheries on tilapia eradication from Bennett Brook.

• Negotiated removal of metropolitan beach bait fishery through buy-out.

• Recfishwest coordinated a community driven clean up at the North Mole in Fremantle. North Mole cleanup

Back to the links listing RFW work

Swan and Canning Rivers

• Recfishwest worked with the Labor party on their policy of removing commercial fishing in the Swan River.

• Large spawning bream in the Swan and Canning Rivers are protected by a slot limit strongly advocated by Recfishwest.

• Stocked over 250,000 black bream into Swan River following a major fish kill.

• If there were to be another fish kill, Recfishwest got the government to implement a coordinated rapid response. If a prosecution results, the penalties are now much tougher because RFW lobbied for the laws to include the full damage to fish and their habitats.

• The Lakes on Heirisson Island have now been closed to fishing, allowing pre-spawning aggregations of large black bream without fishing pressure. Heirisson Island lakes black bream

• Worked with the Swan River Trust for research on river prawns and other environmental aspects of the Swan River ecology also with Murdoch University.

• Was successful in getting total protection for cobbler in the Swan and Canning Rivers. River cobbler

• With City of Canning, got three fishing platforms constructed on the Canning River.

Back to the links listing RFW work

South West region

• Recfishwest negotiated with the Shire of Capel to reverse their beach access plan which would have excluded recreational fishing from large stretches of coastline and restrict vehicle beach access for recreational users and boat launching in the Shire. Supported by Department of Fisheries and local residents.

• With Challenger TAFE and Murdoch University, RFW supported a stocking experiment for the Blackwood River for black bream, which has turned up some major findings for this important river system and important recreational species.

• Recfishwest is pushing for treating acid sulphate leaching, especially in the Serpentine and Murray River systems.

• Got that ugly water pipeline removed from Lefroy Brook.

• Obtained Commonwealth funding for artificial habitats to be installed (with Dept of Fisheries and Water Corporation) into Drakesbrook Dam.

• Ensured trees remained in Harvey Weir and that electric motors would be permitted.

• Negotiated for major changes to marron fishery including increased size limits and reduced bag limits with the support of the community. Future Marron fishery

• Consistent lobbying paid off when for the first time an Easter closure to commercial salmon fishing in the south-west was announced. Geographe Bay salmon fishing closures

• Coordinated responses to Geographe Bay fishing closure, working with Geobay for the Future group. Closure of part of Geographe Bay to commercial fishing

• With local representatives, had significant input into Cape to Cape marine planning exercises. Proposed Geographe Bay/Leeuwin-Naturaliste/Hardy Inlet Marine Park

• Input into Yarragadee extraction implications.

• With government helped facilitate the removal of commercial fishing effort from Leschenault estuary.

• Input into conservation program for Margaret River hairy marron.

• Lobbied for herring to become recreational only species in south-west.

• Lobbied hard against fixed attitudes for prevention of the closure of Logue Brook Dam, including presentation at Logue Brook Dam Forum

Back to the links listing RFW work

South Coast region

• Recfishwest is involved with Regional Marine Planning for the South Coast, a process which is aimed to avoid the problems with marine parks in other parts of the State. RFW gave a presentation at the Advisory Group meeting September 2007

• Worked closely with passionate local Robert Robinson to get the Wilson Inlet pink snapper minimum legal size limit brought into line with the rest of the state. Wilson Inlet Pink Snapper

• Brought up a number of fishing and environmental issues in the draft plan of management for the Stokes Inlet. Stokes Inlet draft management plan

• Recfishwest was part of the Focus Group for the Proposed Walpole-Nornalup Inlets Marine Park, which has proposed a reasonably well balanced plan for the proposed Marine Park. Proposed Walpole Nornalup Inlets Marine Park

• Lobbied for changes to management of Culham Inlet to allow bream to breed.

• Lobbied for Pallinup estuary to become recreational only.

• Coordinating input into Commonwealth South-west bioregional marine planning exercise (from Kangaroo Island in South Australia Kalbarri) and state south coast regional marine planning run by DEC.

• Input into fishway design and construction for native fish on south coast.

Back to the links listing RFW work

Gascoyne region

• Ongoing discussions on Ningaloo management and especially design of research projects.

• Negotiated with GAMEX organizers on shark capture protocols.

• Shark Bay snapper management in Eastern Gulf saw a recovery of Pink Snapper stocks.

• Participated in "Halt the Salt" campaign with commercial fishing industry and conservationists objecting to world's largest salt production facility. "Halt The Salt" and comments on the Solar Salt Environmental Review & Management Programme

• Negotiated on World Heritage issues and potential boundaries at Ningaloo and Exmouth Gulf.

• Attended Gascoyne Muster and working groups on pastoral lease access for recreational fishers.

Back to the links listing RFW work

Pilbara/Kimberley region

• Working on fishway for Lake Kununurra. Helped obtain funds for cultural study and study on fish populations with Scott Goodson.

• Lobbying with East Kimberley RFAC to allow use of opera house traps for red claw (pest) in Lake Kununurra.

• Recfishwest negotiated the 'barra accord' with commercial fishermen to get more areas as recreational fishing only. Hopeful to have first ever catch and release barra area in Kimberleys.

• Working on Scott Reef management with new gas exploration.

• Working with charter sector on management and interactions including with pearling industry.

• Assisted with research into threadfin salmon, estuary cod and mangrove jacks - joint research between Dept of Fisheries and Murdoch.

• Lobbied for total protection of saw sharks and river whaler.

• Made major submissions on Rowley Shoals, not successful. Rowley Shoals

• Changes made to Dampier Marine Park proposals to accommodate recreational fishing sector needs.

• Ran special week long clinic with follow-up for youth at risk in Onslow.

• Working with Dept of Fisheries on Kimberley 2015 regional plan.

• Worked with government on aboriginal fishing policy - not yet implemented.

Back to the links listing RFW work

Statewide

• Ran 87 fishing clinics from Kununurra to Esperance last year, plus 10 events such as the Mandurah Boat Show and Have a Go Day. Special clinics included Mother and Child clinics, Talking Tackle clinics at Recfishwest office. Fishing clinics

• Ensured $650,000, for several years which had been moved from the recreational boating facilities scheme was made available for boat ramp and infrastructure construction through publicity in media statement Funds sunk from recreational boating scheme.

• Represent recreational fishing interests on state marine planning strategic group making real headway on difficult problems.

• Won National prize for SunSmart/FishSmart fishing clinics participation and finalist in Healthway excellence in sponsorship awards for fishing clinics.

• Ran a Pink Fly Fishing Clinic on 28 November 2007 for breast Cancer survivors. Pink Fly Fishing Clinic at Point Walter

• Worked with Fishers with disabilities association.

• Ensured that fee exemption for fishers with recreational fishing licence in National Parks continued to apply.

• Ensured coordinated and agreed common position on fish kill responses throughout the state, including tightening of penalties for fish kills.

• Lobbied for uniform stream side vegetation protection laws and environmental flows from dams. Construction of dams on winter creeks

• Coordinated Joff Weston and Kane Moyle to attend National Future Leaders Course in Darwin - September 2007.

• Obtained funding for WA Young Future Leaders course for 14 young people at Abrolhos Islands in March 2008. Announcement of Young Future Leaders program and Western Australia's recreational fishing future in safe hands

• Recfishwest Annual Report 2006/2007

Back to the links listing RFW work

How can you help Recfishwest? Become a member of Recfishwest.

It's easy to join Recfishwest. See how on the Membership page

Recfishwest is looking after YOUR Western Australian recreational fishing future.

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.

You are the ones who will benefit when Recfishwest succeeds, or you will lose out when Recfishwest is ignored.

While we don't win all the time, we do make a big difference and we work very hard across a wide range of issues right around Western Australia.

If you ask what you can do for fishing in Western Australia, then the answer is Recfishwest.

Tell us what you think about the information on this website and ask us to explain anything you would like explained.

Back to the links listing RFW work

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This page last updated 1 October 2008.