Proposed new fishing rules... hope everyone is aware is not just the mid west....
Not sure how many people are actually aware of this as everyone is focused on the West Coast bioregion ridiculousness, but hopefully people realise there almost as savage cuts planned for the rest of the state…
It doesn’t seem to be getting much airtime so thought Id make those who hang out for their north west or southern trips aware… unless you prepared to spend the money and do the kms for bugger all take home, youd better take a read… Imagine travelling to the monties and being able to bring home 9 fish for a 5 day trip… that’s whats coming
Understand everyone is focused on the metro region but this is just as significant for fishing tourism and the thousands of businesses that rely on it around the state and it feels very much like this one is being ushered in while every is focused on other matters
https://yoursay.dpird.wa.gov.au/77055/widgets/379473/documents/240837
Have a read, but the way I interprit it:
- 3 demersals per person- while this isn’t too bad admittedly besides the rest of the ludicrous stiplulations
- 9 demersals per boat- again not too bad in isolation to the rest of the world
- No overnight 2 day quota
- Similar one hook/ lure rules to the mid west (again, fairly acceptable, least Im only hooking one shark at a time or losing less expensive rigs when they take it. But lets not talk about the grey elephant in the room which if actually taken action against would sort the stock levels for both reccy and comms in a couple of years without all this other rubbish)
- No species quota
- No size limit
So a 5 day trip to coral bay/ Exmouth orr a week long trip to the Monties and youll end up with 10kg fillets each at best… worth the trip and $$$ for those wantng to fill the engel after your trip north? and the impact on businesses that rely on fishos is catastrohpic for a lot of them
Im allergic to fish any way so will just focus more in sportfishing but if I was most people I wouldn’t be letting this one slide through
On the plus side, I guess I will be able to spear 9 trout or a 9 of those annoying 100cm+ estury cod in a day as long as I have a couple other people on board… stupidity at its finest
Everyones carrying on about upsizing dhus due to the new limit and leaving the small ones to float away and has ever fished for baldchin on the north know exactly what is going to happen to 100s of the smaller ones
Us county bumkins dont have the voting or publicity power of the bigger regions but if you enjoy your fishing trips in the north or south , dont overlook this while everyone is focused on the Mid West, thought Id at least put this on here so people are aware
sea-kem
Posts: 15002
Date Joined: 30/11/09
I posted a link on another
I posted a link on another thread for the survey regarding this. Well worth filling out and a section at the end to have your say.
Love the West!
Rob H
Posts: 5806
Date Joined: 18/01/12
Yesterday I posted on
Yesterday I posted on Broomes Noticeboard about this and to get support for the petition
Give a man a mask, and he'll show you his true face...
The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.
Everyone's just winging it.
Mark_M
Posts: 184
Date Joined: 10/04/15
or a 9 of those annoying 100cm+ estury cod
Quobbarockhopper
I only see the proposal to remove minimum size limits, don't see any mention to change the max; such as over 100cm or 30kg for estuary cod.
Wierdly, it increases the number of pinkies one can take in the Gascoyne/Shark Bay gulfs from 2 to 3 per day!
Quobbarockhopper
Posts: 392
Date Joined: 28/05/10
Because no other species has
Because no other species has a maximum size mate, notice this refers to "size limits" not "minimum size limits" and the max size for cod is listed
Page 7:
“Noting that size limits provide limited protection to maintain adequate spawning potential for demersal scalefish and large pelagic finfish with high release rates an high post-release mortality, it is proposed that the size limits for the species outlined below be removed-
Blackspotted Cod (Malabar)--- Max 1,000mm or 30 kg”
Understand its a crying shame to see these big guys float away after baratrauma when bringing them up from the deep but you can guarantee there will be trophy hunter spearos/ fillet collectors going after them in the shallows where they are in abundance in places
And pinks going from 2 to 3 when the commericals have already flogged that fishery to within an inch of its life that brought in the (much needed) closed areas during the spawn, agreed
Just like trout that will go from 1 per day per person to 3 per day
Mark_M
Posts: 184
Date Joined: 10/04/15
thanks
I see that reference now, not sure about post release mortality stats though, most we have caught were in shallower water (<6m) and seem to release really well with no signs of baratrauma.
Goldspotted Cod (Estuary, slimy) have the same max size as blackspot (Min 400mm and Max 1,000mm or 30 kg) but don't appear on the proposed list. They can be easily mis-identified with an uneducated eye and will certainly cause further confusion and maybe even fines from zealous fisheries.
Thanks for all your info and input.
pakulacockroach
Posts: 87
Date Joined: 06/12/07
I actually think the
I actually think the mentality of going on trips away with the aim of returning home with fillets needs to change. Eat what you catch whilst away by all means, but visiting for the sole reason to bank fish is bull shit. Anyone living in these fishing hot spots will tell you the same story, the sheer volume of anglers particularly post Covid is outta control. It won't be long at this rate, that there won't be any "hot spots" left in this state. I can tell you that there's 500 plus boats hammering Exmouth daily on the good weather days. That isn't sustainable.
Quobbarockhopper
Posts: 392
Date Joined: 28/05/10
Exmouth and Coral Bay,
Exmouth and Coral Bay, yep. 100% agree but you cant lump the whole north west in with two tourist "meccas" (aka traps)
Dont think Ive seen 500 tourist boats in Carnarvon in a whole year (where the 30 mile trip to the islands basically creates a 7 month a year closed season naturally due to the weather anyway so there is zero chance of just moving the fishing pressure to this area unless you own a 60foot west coaster and want to steam up from Perth for it)
I have no issue with the 3 per day proposal, but these new rules as they are now mean you can do a 3 hour trip out of Coral Bay or a 6 day trip to the Monties or 4 day trip out of Shark Bay to Hartog and be subjected to the same bag limits... surely 2 days bag limit of 18 fish total for 3 people (the proposed daily limit x2) for these extended trips isnt unreasonable or "banking fish"
And if they think its too hard to create realistic, suitable rules for smaller areas, they have already done that for the pinks in Shark Bay which has proven a success over time... not before the magical 2030 mark they seem to fixated on aiming at, even though the current rules are proven to be recovering fish stocks in most non-tourist trap areas
Just like the total removal of all species bag limits as a blanket rule, eg trout: a a majority of which are caught in the shallows so release well, but will now go from one to three- surely theres more risk to their species than having to throw back a 2nd one you happen to catch as they are caught way less on line than shot with a straight hook
Im personally allergic to fish so my intent definately isnt to "return home with fillets" but if you think the proposed approach as it currently stands isnt going to create a heap of new problems, think again
This generic, sledgehammer approach to entire regions is exactly the problem, just like the 9 month ban in the metro area
sea-kem
Posts: 15002
Date Joined: 30/11/09
Good comments mate, and as
Good comments mate, and as you point out you can't lump the whole northwest with the sledgehammer approach. There's literally miles of inacessable/ secluded coastline up that way that never gets touched.
Love the West!
Curndog
Posts: 449
Date Joined: 21/11/16
Coral bay and exmouth
There would be a shitload less pressure on all the fish in coral bay, Exmouth, steep point and other areas (demersal and pelagic) if someone would actually address the shark infestation. Ppl who just sit on one spot and go through 40 fish to land 5. Bullshit.
I love coral bay and try to get there every year with my young family and I wouldn't be appossed at all of lowering the daily bay limits or what you can bring home - if any (in the hot spots). I go there because the bay it's great for the kids, don't have to drive anywhere and fishing on good days is happiest time I could possibly imagine. The sharks definitely bring it down a notch though.
I remember fishing Exmouth growing up as a kid and we would just fish with wire trace, gang hook and mulie. Float a bait down either get Mackie, travelly, some other pelagic or if you lucky enough to get to the bottom demersal. Almost never got sharked
sea-kem
Posts: 15002
Date Joined: 30/11/09
Ha ha Jesus I remember
Ha ha Jesus I remember fishing Quobba in the late 80's and catching a shark was a highlight and a thrill. Never hardly saw them, and like you say we only ever fished wire trace with Mulies and my trusty Mitchell 489.
Love the West!
marble
Posts: 776
Date Joined: 03/09/09
Fished Gamex and the
Fished Gamex and the ultralight comps in Exmouth for from 1989 till 1994 . Anchoring between the Muirons in the gap and berlying for macks to catch on 2 and 4 kilo gear . Never got sharked . Dived and speared in there a fair bit in the last 10 years .. Hardly pulled the trigger unless it was an easy stone shot because the sharks where red hot. Definately way worse now. What would we know though. Dont have letters after our names
PMY 25 Centre Console DF300 Suzuki
sea-kem
Posts: 15002
Date Joined: 30/11/09
It is amazing how us , the
Love the West!
Jackfrost80
Posts: 8148
Date Joined: 07/05/12
I have a couple of mates that
I have a couple of mates that do that and it sounds exhausting. We did well on the Black Snapper in particular in Shark Bay getting out 7 of the 10 days there and we came home with 9kg of fillets for a family of 5. We got our bag most days but only hit it for a few hours each time and only fished under 2 licences. We had fresh squid/fish for dinner 4 of the nights and ate out for the rest, did heaps of exploring on land, had a ball fishing and came home with some fillets.... that's more my idea of a holiday.
Officially off the Pies bandwagon
Bodgy 79
Posts: 287
Date Joined: 04/08/22
Geez that's a flogging and
Geez that's a flogging and yeah not sustainable. Our patch down south is lucky to have the weather as a guardian