I think we were all a bit in disbelief when they bought out the rediculous changes a couple of years ago. Now we will cop it because of the stupidity of the so called experts.

 The science behind the choices that were made was never particularly clear to me. It may have been communicated but not in a forum that I saw. If they made such an egregious error then the whole assessment must be brought into question. What caused the variance from the projected outcome to whats been observed in the stock assessment report? Has the stock continued to decline for one and a half years post the Feb 2024 report with nothing being done? I really do not want to see the decline of Dhu's or any other dimersal for that matter, I'm up for dimersal bans etc but we need some confidence they will acheive the desired outcome, not do nothing or in this case seem to result in further decline of the populations. 

 One thing's guarenteed, we as recs will cop it in the neck whatever the latest assessment is. 

 As I said in anothe post regarding the rally, bans and lock outs will continue UNLESS we actually start to push back and say enough. If you think it wont affect you then wake up. We are over regulated and micro managed beyond belief.

If you wont stand up now then what will your kids have left. 

If not now then when.

It will be peacfull and respectfull but we need to show this arrogant bunch that they work for us, not the other way around.

Dress neatly and bring your wife and kids and anyone else you can think of but turn up.

 All the servays , assessments,  money spent only to find out exactly what most demersal fisherman new anyway is amazing.  This is like any other government department, suck as much money out of it give nothing buck but incompetence...  I agree that we should not be commercially fishing dhufish it's to easy to decimate a local population. Dhufish fillets at $90.00 per klio is a big temptation to keep fishing for them. Now the commercial sector wants us to have a app to record our catches and cameras at the ramps.. got to be kidding.  The development of Cockburn sound will destroy the inshore fisherie the D9 , the barge, and other popular snapper spots will all have to go for the new shipping channel.  Another questionable decision was to open the sound to crabbing? Why? It was like having a sanctuary for them and we have benefited from that with excellent fishing outside for the last 10years!!! No sense at all. Throw in what's environmental  stuff like what's going on in south Australia,  the priorities seem backwards.  I believe the catch for Recreational guys should be 1 dhu each, max 2 per boat.  Western Australia its a big place and closing off access is only last resort not the first...

 they have been at point peron boat ramp for over a month collecting data with very few going out deep , pretty sure we are going to get hit really hard , from what i heard could be 1 dhue per boat - pretty sure snapper and baldy will be reduced down and then to top it off need an app. for real time reporting , they are & have been a basket case , just as 1 example it took them     { scientists } 7 years to work out that dhues dont release well ! 

New restrictions been in place 2 years, did they put a date on it for assessment.

Seasonal Closures:

Demersal Scalefish: Boat-based recreational fishing for demersal scalefish is closed for 5.5 months of the year in the West Coast bioregion, according to the Western Australian Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD). This is to aid in the recovery of the fish stocks. The closures typically occur from February 1 to March 31, from August 1 to the start of the September/October school holidays, and from the end of those holidays until December 15.

So there going to turn around now..already, and say no its not working. Doesnt sound right, no fker wants to share info with them and the research i see at the ramps is voluntry so wonder how much info there getting, zero to fk all. 

Around , more than I have ever seen. Balchin groper ( around rocko) more than I’ve seen. Dhues have declined . In saying that still can go out and get them from spots I have been fishing for a long time. They will do what they want regardless. Oh well wait and see.

From what I here it's Darryl Hockey from some think tank for sustainable seafood that is making all noise,

mind you he hasn't mentioned anything about the commercial sector only recs.

agree with the last bag/size limit changes was stupidity,I believe it was just to give recs enough rope to hang 

and therefore easier to introduce more restrictions.

just my thoughts 

 This is a push by pros to get electronic data introduced to rec fishos, the data he is dribbling on about was from early 2024 so out of date in my opinion.

 The truth is no one, and particularly them, know whats going on and they have no idea!!

We all know Punch was a pathetic imbecile that has never even been on a boat. Not releasing the reports is contradictory in itself.

Being an avid diver and fisher, many of us can at least speak from experience and what is clear to me is;

- taking small dhuies is a joke! if one survives, thats better than none!

- my "good" dhu spots replenish very quickly (diving and fishing)

- does this do more harm than good? ie pulls from surrounding ground and therefore deplenishes stocks more quickly?

- I am seeing lots more small (very!) than ever before and generally will not take an old udnersize dhu unless its "damaged" 

- 4 dhues is not required, 2 per boat is sufficient 

Just my thoughts and the merry go round will continue!

The most stupid rule they brought in.keeping undersized dhues stupid.all people I’ve fished with know when you have small dhue on . Take it slow, stop when you have visual. Wait for 5 ,bring in let it go. Never fails. Anyway wait and see.

totally agree with the above.  taking time when you have a small fish does seem to make a big difference. and dhufish do seem to have quite a characteristic fighting style. at least enough to give you a bit of a suspicion.

also regardless of the rules, have never even considered taking 4 dhus  even with more than 2 people on board, unless we pull one up by chance and release is not an option. 2 is plenty. if we are on a pacth and get 2, we move. I never liked the increased bag limit from the start, so my personal opinion is just because the rules state we can take 4, doesnt mean we cant use a bit of common sense and limit ourselves.

if the stocks are as bad as they say, thats very sad, but wouldnt surprise me after the last year or so seeing so many photos of 4 big dhus being posted.

I dont know what the solution is, but personally I would have have been happier with a 12month closure over the rules they put in, allowing fishing during spawning times, increased bag limits etc.  at least i feel that would have actually had some benefit to the stocks.

 Gotta point out, in the region that 90% of you are, there is no commercial demersal fishing at all and hasn't been for how many years?