Issue #73 December 2022
Catch!
Recreational fishing news
Marron season to open soon
The annual wild-stock marron season for 2023 will open from noon Sunday 8 January until noon, Sunday 5 February.
Before you head down to our South West dams and rivers to get a feed, you are reminded that rules apply to protect this valuable fishery.
You must have a licence to fish for marron, and gear must not be set before the start of the season. Bag and size limits also apply and fishers need to be aware of legal fishing gear and areas closed to marron fishing.
Boat-based recreational survey stats published
Thanks to the participation of 8,000 recreational fishers, our scientists have improved our understanding of boat-based recreational fishing participation, effort and catch in WA.
The survey involved the use of log books, boat ramp surveys, and remote cameras to capture data from fishers and expand it to represent fishing activity in WA. These complementary survey methods make it one of the most comprehensive surveys of its kind.
Key results include:
- 80% of Recreational Boat Fishing Licence holders fished at least once.
- 1.2 million fishing hours and close to 470,000 fishing events occurred statewide.
- School whiting were the most caught finfish statewide, with 320,000 reeled in by recfishers.
Thanks to the Edith Cowan University Survey Research Centre staff for conducting the phone interviews. Surveys like these directly benefit recreational fishers around WA and this strong science means we can accurately monitor and sustainably manage a broad range of recreational fisheries, ensuring we all have fish for the future.
Read our Science Update to learn more, or visit our website for the full report.
2022/23 West Coast Zone abalone season kicks off
The 2022/23 West Coast Zone (WCZ) (which ranges from the Busselton Jetty to the Greenough River mouth) abalone fishing season had a relatively quiet start, with the first session on 10 December.
The remaining abalone fishing sessions are scheduled between 7.00 am and 8.00 am on:
• Saturday 14 January 2023
• Saturday 4 February 2023
• Saturday 18 February 2023
If a fishing session is cancelled, a replacement session may be added to the end of the season if catches will not exceed the total allowable recreational catch. If a replacement session is approved, it is tentatively scheduled for 11 March 2023.
Careful management, including ongoing stock monitoring, has helped ensure this highly valued Perth abalone fishery is kept sustainable.
Abalone fishers are reminded to always put safety first and wear the right gear. This means wearing a wetsuit rather than clothing, plus gloves and reef shoes and using a mask and snorkel. Fishers should carry a mesh bag for their catch and keep an eye on ocean swells and the waves that wash across the reef.
Fishers who head to Penguin Island for designated abalone fishing dates need to be aware of potential closures, if the forecast temperature for the day is 35 degrees Celsius or over. Boat fishers can still fish for abalone offshore from Penguin Island, provided vessel occupants don’t go onto the island when the closures are in place. Further information is available on these closures from the DBCA website
DBCA advises visitors to Penguin Island that: Weather conditions can change quickly, making crossing the sand bar very dangerous. The Parks and Wildlife Service strongly recommends against walking the sand bar to reach the island.
West Coast Demersal Scalefish Resource management measures to roll out in new year
A management package to boost the recovery of the West Coast Demersal Scalefish Resource for the recreational, charter and commercial sectors has been finalised after extensive industry and fisher consultation.
Existing size, bag, boat and possession limit rules for recreational demersal fishing in the West Coast Bioregion will remain in place until the new rules come into effect on 1 February 2023.
The current two-month demersal closure will be extended by four months for recreational fishers in the West Coast Bioregion from Kalbarri to Augusta. The closure period has been significantly reduced from the initial eight or nine-month proposal, following consultation with recreational fishers.
Catching demersal scalefish will be prohibited* from:
- 1 February to 31 March (inclusive);
- 1 August to the beginning of the September/October school holidays; and
- end of the September/October school holidays to 15 December (inclusive).
*Note - this does not apply to charter or land-based recreational line fishers who can now fish all year round, apart from spawning closures.
For the charter sector, a catch quota system will be introduced from 1 July, with specific limits on the number of demersal species that can be retained each year on the West Coast.
For the commercial sector, the available fishing hours in the West Coast Demersal Scalefish Fishery (Line fishery) will be reduced from 1 January 2023.
It is vitally important we all work together to recover the resource by 2030.
For management changes in detail please visit www.fish.wa.gov.au/demersal
New signs at Mindarie and Ocean Reef
If you’re heading out from Mindarie or Ocean Reef to take advantage of the Whites’ run, check out the new signs for Two Rocks Marine Park. These signs provide clear advice to recreational fishers about the location of Two Rocks Marine Park and, more importantly, where you can and can’t fish in the Marine Park.
Two Rocks Marine Park is located in Commonwealth waters three nautical miles off the coast, between Ocean Reef and Two Rocks. The park provides an important connection between offshore waters and the shallow inshore lagoons of the Joondalup coast. The marine park protects important habitat for western rock lobsters, including juveniles, which play a valuable role in the marine food web.
If you’re heading out, make sure you know where the park is. Fishing gear must be stowed and secured when you are transiting through the National Park Zone.
Crab caution
Crabbing season is now from the Swan River to Minninup Beach, 15km south of Bunbury.
Crab fishers in the Swan and Canning rivers are reminded to remove the head, guts (mustard) and gills from crabs caught in the rivers before freezing, cooking or eating them, and not to eat mussels at any time.
This caution is due to the toxic algae Alexandrium. Blooms have occurred in the Swan and Canning in recent years and always have the potential to reoccur. Algal cysts exist in the sediment, just waiting for the right conditions.
Consumption of affected crabs or shellfish may be dangerous, as Alexandrium can produce a type of Paralytic Shellfish Toxin which bioaccumulates in crustaceans and mussels.
Take heed of any caution signage, or visit our website for a step by step guide on how to properly clean your blue swimmer crabs.
Fishers are also advised not to collect or consume crabs that are damaged or have shell lesions, as they may be affected by bacterial pathogens such as chitinoclastic shell disease, which was recently identified during authorised routine sampling of blue swimmers in Bunbury Harbour. If you see an affected crab, take a photo, release it and report it to FishWatch on 1800 815 507.
We also ask keen crabbers to keep an eye out for the invasive Asian paddle crab. If you see one, make a note of where you saw or caught it, hang onto it, take photos, and report it to FishWatch on 1800 815 507 http://www.fish.wa.gov.au/Documents/biosecurity/asian_paddle_crab.pdf
50-year celebration of the Pemberton trout hatchery
What started as a school project has left a decades-long legacy, benefitting generations of fishers.
Back in 1927, Pemberton School Headmaster and avid fisher Cyril Allerton Glew, built a trial hatchery on the school’s back verandah, filled it with 10,000 trout ova and later released mature trout into Pemberton’s streams.
The hard work of Glew and many other local anglers laid the foundations for the Pemberton Freshwater Research Centre, which is celebrating 50 years of scientific innovation this year.
Today, the largest freshwater hatchery and research facility in Western Australia is home to our dedicated scientific and technical team. The hatchery focuses on trout production and stocking for recreational fishing in the southwest, as well as supplying trout fingerlings for commercial aquaculture ventures.
Read more in the new e-book - A brief history of the Pemberton Trout Hatchery.
Western rock lobster re-certified for 5th time
The MSC Fisheries Standard is used to assess if a fishery is well managed and sustainable, and is considered to be the most rigorous and comprehensive independent fisheries assessment in the world.
The fishery has held continuous sustainability certification for 22 years. We are committed to ensuring sustainability of this resource for generations to come and work closely with fishers and the Western Rock Lobster Council to achieve this. Twelve WA fisheries now have the MSC eco tick.
The next time you shop for seafood, look out for the blue MSC label, or buy lobster through back of boat sales, which has just launched a new website with secure online ordering.
Hillarys shellfish hatchery upgrades
The new $500,000 shellfish hatchery at DPIRD’s Hillarys research facilities includes improved seawater supply, a new algae food supply system and expanded laboratory and nursery space.
The upgrades mean a new and exciting research project will kick off early in 2023 to trial the production of Southern saucer scallops spat at the hatchery.
DPIRD is partnering with the Fisheries Research Development Corporation and commercial operator OneSea Pty Ltd for the project. Stage one of our research will focus on trialling different techniques to find the best way to consistently grow good numbers of scallop spat in the hatchery environment.
Annual wild scallop stocks can vary greatly each year depending on environmental factors, so our research is vital to investigating options for the enhancement of wild capture fisheries and the ability to speed up recovery of wild stocks following events such as the 2011 Marine Heatwave.
Rock lobster summer survey
Our research staff are gearing up for a busy summer of surveys.
In December and January the team will be out at Hillarys and Woodman Point boat ramps gathering data on an iconic WA species – the Western rock lobster.
Staff will interview recreational fishers at the end of their boat fishing trip, and will ask about the fishing method used, such as potting or diving, plus taking some quick measurements and weights of any rock lobster caught.
This data contributes to long-term understanding of this important recreational resource, ensuring we have plenty of rock lobster for generations to come.
If you’d like more information, check out the Research Report from last summer's survey or our factsheet with key information on our survey design.
FishWatch goes online
For those who follow the fishing rules, there’s nothing more frustrating than seeing others engaging in selfish and illegal fishing activity.
This can include exceeding bag or possession limits, fishing in closed areas, taking totally protected fish, using excessive amounts of gear or using illegal fishing nets.
As well as calling 1800 815 507, you can now report illegal fishers direct from your favourite fishing spot, through FishWatch on the CrimeStoppers WA website.
Reports made to FishWatch have resulted in successful apprehensions, so by reporting to FishWatch, you’re helping to protect our valuable fisheries and aquatic resources. Make a note of car and boat regos as well as dates, times and locations where the illegal fishing activity is (or was) occuring.
Abrolhos management plans released
New management plans for the Houtman Abrolhos Islands National Park, the Houtman Abrolhos Reserve and the surrounding Abrolhos Islands Fish Habitat Protection Area (FHPA) were released in November.
These plans aim to protect the natural, cultural heritage, fishing and community values of the Abrolhos whilst providing opportunities for sustainable tourism and economic development opportunities.
Developed with input from a broad range of stakeholders and the community, the plans will help ensure a collaborative, across-Government approach to managing this diverse and unique part of Western Australia.
Snippets
Seasonal notes
- Baldchin groper Abrolhos Islands – closed 1 November 2022 until 31 January 2023 (inclusive)
- West Coast demersal scalefish closed 1 February to 31 March (inclusive)
- Marron recreational open season from 12 noon, 8 January to 12 noon, 5 February 2023.
BEN signs
Take note of your nearest BEN sign when heading down to the beach. These signs provide important location information in the event of a beach emergency.
Be SharkSmart
Join more than 100,000 people who have already downloaded the SharkSmart WA app. Report shark sightings to Water Police on 9442 8600 or download the SharkSmart WA app for near real time updates of the latest reported sightings.
Rock fishing safety
Keep the sand between your toes and stay off the rocks – but if you do choose to fish from the rocks, fish with a buddy, always let people know where you are going, and make sure you wear a type 1 life jacket, rock boots and follow the rock fishing safety tips on Recfishwest's fish and survive website.
Help keep our waterways pest free
You can help us protect WA’s aquatic environment by emailing aquatic.biosecurity@dpird.wa.gov.au, or calling FishWatch on 1800 815 507, and if you see or catch any ornamental or unusual fish or pest species please do not return them to the water.
FishWatch
If you see something that looks a bit fishy, please report it so we can investigate. Anyone who has information on illegal fishing activities can call FishWatch on 1800 815 507 or report online.
Illegal fishing could include someone netting in the river, exceeding bag or possession limits, taking undersize fish, fishing in a closed area, or selling or attempting to sell recreationally caught fish. Before you report, make a note of as much detail as possible, such as who, what, when, where and how, including registration numbers. All reports are confidential and many reports made to FishWatch result in successful apprehensions. For your own personal safety, it’s not recommended that you approach anyone involved in illegal fishing activity.
Find us on social media
We regularly share information about fishing rules, safety and aquatic biosecurity through social media , as well as information of interest to recfishers. Check us out, like or follow us at Fisheries WA on Facebook and Twitter.
Important disclaimer
The Chief Executive Officer of the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development and the State of Western Australia accept no liability whatsoever by reason of negligence or otherwise arising from the use or release of this information or any part of it.
Copyright © State of Western Australia (Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development), 2022.
