West coast demersal changes – time to set right a broken fisheries policy with commercial licence buy-back scheme

From tomorrow (Wednesday 1 February) the west coast demersal fishery will be closed to recreational fishing until the end of March as part of new changes introduced by the Government in December (see below for more details about the rule changes).

Recfishwest called for this late summer closure as it coincides with part of the peak spawning period for dhufish and we are proud it is widely supported by our members and our Expert Working Group because we care passionately about the future of these fish.

However, we remain disappointed that the closure will not apply to all sectors with the commercial fishing industry able to continue to target spawning aggregations of dhufish during this period.

Recfishwest CEO Dr Andrew Rowland said, “If the Government truly cares about ensuring the sustainability of demersal fish between Augusta and Kalbarri, they need to explain why they do not support better protection for spawning dhufish.

“It’s yet another example of the fundamentally inequitable way this fishery has been managed for decades and it’s too important for old and embedded sectoral favouritism to continue to underpin management decisions.

“Fisheries management should ensure the greatest good is delivered to the greatest number from the sustainable catch of fish – that is simply not happening under the current regime with 64 per cent of the west coast demersal catch reserved for private profit.

“We need a fairer more equitable and sustainable approach, giving spawning dhufish more protection and fishing mums and dads more time out on the water to be able to optimise all the social, mental and well-being benefits fishing brings.”

HEAR WHAT ANDREW HAD TO SAY ON THE ABC REGIONAL DRIVE PROGRAM HERE

The Government claims there is no evidence that dhufish aggregate to spawn. This image and evidence from DPIRD’s own research scientists suggest otherwise. Video still: @fbk3lly YouTube channel.

Commercial licence buy-back scheme details must be thrashed out as soon as possible

Recfishwest will always support action to ensure sustainability but shutting out 700,000 West Aussies from being able to catch dhufish and pink snapper for six months of the year is an unnecessary overreach.

Part of the $10 million package put forward by the Fisheries Minister to support the west coast demersal changes included a yet-to-be specified amount to be allocated to a Voluntary Fisheries Adjustment Scheme (VFAS) to offer commercial operators fair and reasonable compensation to voluntarily exit the fishery.

“We need the Government to thrash out the details and progress the VFAS as quickly as possible,” said Dr Rowland. “There is a great opportunity here for the Government to put right an outdated and broken fisheries policy that places profit before the public good.

“We need a comprehensive and transparent buy-back scheme that can assure the community that every tax-payer’s dollar spent on it is delivering the best return through a sustainably and equitably managed system in line with the harvest strategy for this fishery.”

Changes to the west coast demersal rules – 1 February 2023

The free upgraded Recfishwest app contains all the fishing rules at your fingertips including outside of mobile range. You can download the app for free on the App and Google Play stores.

The new demersal rules will go live in the new app from Wednesday when they come into effect – in the meantime see below for the rule changes in full.

Annual demersal fishing closed seasons in the West Coast Bioregion:

– 1 February to 31 March (to 28 March in 2024 to accommodate Easter) (inclusive);

– 1 August to the beginning of the September/October school holidays (22 September 2023); and

– end of the September/October school holidays (9 October 2023) to 15 December (inclusive).

Note: this does not apply to land-based line fishers, charter fishers, or commercial fishers.

  • Bag limit of two WA dhufish within the mixed species bag limit of two demersal scalefish in the West Coast Bioregion.
  • Demersal scalefish boat limit of four (excludes charter boats).
  • Remove the WA dhufish boat limit.
  • Remove size limits for WA dhufish, baldchin groper and breaksea cod.
  • A maximum of one bait or lure attached to a line can be used when fishing for demersal scalefish in the West Coast Bioregion.
  • Extend the timing of the pink snapper spawning closure in Cockburn and Warnbro Sounds from 1 August to 31 January (inclusive).
  • Realign the baldchin groper spawning closure at the Abrolhos Islands from 1 October to 31 December (inclusive).

Abrolhos Islands: The Abrolhos Island Fish Habitat Protection Area is being managed as a Wilderness Fishing Area to allow visitors to experience unique marine-based activities, while appreciating a sense of remoteness, amenity and lifestyle.

The following changes to bag and possession limits provide for low take, low takeaway recreational fishing at the Abrolhos Islands while also contributing to the recovery of demersal scalefish stocks in the West Coast Bioregion;

  • bag limit of one demersal scalefish;
  • possession limit of:

– 5kg of fillets from any species, plus 5kg of fillets from large pelagic finfish (must have skin attached for identification purposes); OR

– one day’s bag limit of whole fish.

Recreational boat fishers will next be able to drop a line for west coast demersal species such as pink snapper from 1 April until the start of the September/October school holidays.

 

Land-based fishing access for Port Hedland goes to the next level – literally!

Thanks to an innovative jetty design, Port Hedland’s new land-based fishing platform will adapt perfectly to the ever-changing conditions, so land-based fishers won’t have to!

What’s more, the Pilbara Ports Authority (PPA) has safely deployed six mangrove jack, cod and coral trout-attracting reef balls, donated by Rio Tinto, under the smart-design jetty to further enhance fishing opportunities.

PPA placed fishing considerations at the fore of its ongoing construction of the Spoilbank Marina, with better flexibility to fish during Port Hedland’s large tidal swings implemented into the jetty’s design and build.

Given the difference between the low and high tide mark in Port Hedland is frequently around six metres, PPA constructed two levels on the platform that allows fishers the freedom to wet a line either during the low or high tide mark, with wheelchair accessibility included.

Drawing on our artificial reef expertise, Recfishwest assisted PPA in the configuration of the six reef balls, providing tips on how to maximise the effectiveness of the reef modules.

Six reef balls have been safely positioned under the innovative dual-level fishing platform and slightly off to either side to create an inviting habitat for fish and boost the abundance in species for land-based anglers.

The pylons of the jetty themselves will help provide shelter and structure for the settlement of marine flora, algae, crustaceans and bait fish, further encouraging multiple species that fishers love to target to congregate and move between the pylons and individual reef structures.

We have also advised PPA on deploying additional reef ball modules and other reef structures around the marina parallel to the breakwall on the inside of the marina.

By providing other areas of habitat enhancement within the marina, this will help reduce overcrowding on the fishing jetty upon its completion, while also increasing catches of sought-after species.

An artist’s impression of the Spoilbank Marina fishing platform being constructed by the Pilbara Ports Authority. The platform will give recreational fishers improved access to fishing the fluctuating low or high-tide mark in Port Hedland.

Recfishwest CEO Dr Andrew Rowland said, “It’s great to see that the Pilbara Ports Authority have taken the interests of recreational fishers to heart in designing this marina and fishing platform – we’d like to see other Ports Authorities’ follow this example providing better access for land-based fishers.”

“Not only does the design take advantage of the fluctuating tides in this region, but the modules positioned in the marina will eventually house a wide range of species the community loves to catch.”

It’s good news for Port Hedland’s boat fishers too in the $187.5 million construction of the Spoilbank Marina project, funded by the State Government, Town of Port Hedland and BHP.

“Once complete, the marina will feature a four-lane boat ramp, 22 boat pens, fish cleaning stations and barbecue facilities,” said Pilbara Ports Authority General Manager Engineering and Infrastructure, Charles Kretzmann.

“The Spoilbank Marina will improve safe access to deep water by providing a separate entrance channel for recreational boaters and fishers to use away from large commercial bulk carriers navigating in and out of the port,” added Charles.

Recfishwest will continue to consult with PPA on the ongoing Spoilbank Marina construction, which is expected to be operational by late 2023, with landside completion expected in early 2024.

If you wish to keep up to date on the Spoilbank Marina project, check out the Spoilbank Marina Facebook Page.

Port Hedland has always been an attractive land-based fishing destination for many anglers given the wide range of species on offer and the new Spoilbank Marina development by the Pilbara Ports Authority aims to enhance fishing accessibility in this region.

 

Sun, smiles and fish aplenty – our SunSmart southern fishing clinics were a winner this summer

Whiting, herring, flounder, skippy, tarwhine and black bream were just some of the fantastic fish that put big smiles on the dials of our next generation of fishers taking part in our Southern Tour of SunSmart fishing clinics.

Run in partnership with Healthway and supported by Shimano, the tour saw Recfishwest host 10 free fishing clinics in south coast estuaries, rivers and marinas showcasing the variety of fish kids can enjoy catching in these special environments and why these clinics are so important for local communities.

Free of charge and with all gear provided, kids spent two hours learning fishing tips and tricks from the pros at Bremer Bay, Albany, Denmark, Walpole and Augusta, with Recfishwest Operations Team Member John Dempsey and DBCA’s Stephen Crane teaching the kids about the basics of fishing, fish handling tips, the importance of fishing sustainably and the value of the waterways.

“It’s great to see these Southern Tours brimming with excited kids and their families coming along to experience safe, accessible and rewarding fishing sessions – you can see how important fishing is for communities on the south coast,” said John.

“Not only do these healthy estuarine environments provide ideal nursery habitats, but they also lead to great fishing and impressive catches – we certainly had our hands full keeping up with the number of fish being landed!

“In addition to all the valuable fishing knowledge these clinics have provided, they also focus on keeping kids safe under the sun and we’re grateful to Healthway for helping us continue to run these great community events.”

Were you one of the young guns getting amongst the fishing action? Check out some of the great snaps from some of our recent SunSmart fishing clinics below!

Albany

Bremer Bay

Denmark

Augusta

Recfishwest’s next fishing clinic will take place between 8:00am-10:00am, 22 April at A.P Hinds Reserve in Bayswater, come wet a line with us!

How Recfishwest’s Community Grants are improving fishing across WA in 2023

Whether fishing clubs or local business – community groups can achieve amazing things when they are backed in with support and resources with fishing the lifeblood of many regional communities.  

That is why Recfishwest has proudly provided more than $500,000 in funding for more than 200 clinics, equipment upgrades, safety training and numerous community-driven fishing projects since 2011.  

Funded through the Recreational Fishing Initiatives Fund (RFIF) and supported by DPIRD, the Community Grants program helps fishing clubs and other groups achieve their goals in making recreational fishing better in their areas and benefitting local fishers.  

Check out the 16 different organisations below that applied for and received Recfishwest’s latest Community Grants and what exciting projects they will be running using the funding in 2023!   

2023 Community Grant recipients and their projects  

Recipient: Albany Boating and Fishing Club 
Project: Track my Fish App  

The grant provided to Albany Boating and Fishing Club will further help implement the Track my Fish app for three years and improve the sustainability of their Southern Ocean Spectacular fishing competition from a catch and kill to catch and release competition.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Recipient: Apex Club of Kununurra 
Project: Barra Bash fishing competition  

The Apex Kununurra Barra Bash, the ultimate celebration of barra fishing in the Kimberley, and has become one of the biggest fishing competitions in Western Australia. The grant awarded to the club will assist in promoting and running the 2023 competition.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Recipient: Ashburton Anglers 
Project: Catch and release competition  

The Ashburton Anglers run a great catch and release competition focusing on non-demersal species in the northern regions of Western Australia, Their grant is will help boost promotion of the competition while educating future fishing generations about sustainable fishing practices.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Recipient: Australian Trout Foundation Inc. 
Projects: Trout fishing guide (Collie River and Wellington Dam), angler access stiles and club marquee 

Better public access can help improve freshwater fishing in our South-West regions. This grant given to the Australian Trout Foundation will be spent on building angler access stiles to reach fishing spots easier, signage promoting trout fishing tips and for financial assistance in building the club’s new marquee.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Recipient: Exmouth Game Fishing Club
Project: GAMEX 2023 community engagement package 

The 2023 GAMEX Fishing Competition taking place in March is WA’s premier game fishing tournament pulling in hundreds of entrants from across WA and beyond. Our community grant will further support the competition to help fishers provide fish samples to benefit the research conducted by our Fishing for Science team.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Recipient: Fremantle Sailing Club 
Project: Kids fishing clinics and first aid training

This grant given to the Fremantle Sailing Club will be used to further improve the fishing experiences for dozens of families and their children, along with supporting the appropriate safety measures for fishing trips and education around teaching kids about the value of Cockburn Sound and helping to protect it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Recipient: Kids Cancer Support Group
Project: Kayak Fishing Classic

Families that have young children battling cancer are doing it tough and this grant intends on supporting them and helping their kids enjoy the fishing experiences they deserve. These funds also go towards supporting the Kayak Fishing Classic, which is a favourite of the Swan Yacht Club.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Recipient: Kimberley Free Diving Club
Project: Purchase of safety and training equipment

The Kimberley Free Diving Club is relatively new and helps promote and practice safe one-breath diving. This grant will help the club promote education and training on safety, relaxation, sustainability, community events and conservation of marine life.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Recipient: Kalbarri Offshore and Angling Club
Project: 2023 Kids whiting competition

The Kalbarri Offshore and Angling Club pulls in hundreds of kids each year to their Kids Whiting Competition and Recfishwest is happy to provide the club with a community grant to help boost the 2023 competition’s promotion and encourage more kids to learn how to catch and release the great species on offer off our mid-west coastline.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Recipient: Lancelin Angling and Aquatic Club
Project: John Bray Junior Fishing Classic

Held on Boxing Day each year, the John Bray Junior Fishing Classic is always a highly popular event that mixes Christmas spirit with the chance for kids to drop a line off the beautiful Lancelin beaches. This grant will help this great event to continue and ensure plenty of Christmas gifts are dished out!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Recipient: Life’s Short, Stay Moist
Project: Women in spearfishing series

Established in 2021, this club encourages more women to participate in spearfishing off WA while having a laugh and providing better education on spearfishing safety. This community grant will be used to promote the club’s annual spearfishing series and enable the women to get out on a charter vesselfor a spearfishing expedition!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Recipient: Mandalay Holiday Resort
Project: Mandalay Holiday Resort family fishing competition  

This fishing competition has run for many years and always pulls in an enormous crowd of all ages and abilities to come together and wet a line in the pristine waters of Geographe Bay. This grant will help promote the event and support our South-West fishing clinics in the area.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Recipient: Nicol Bay Sports Fishing Club
Project: Shade structure 

The Nicol Bay Sports Fishing Club in Dampier has long been supporters of our Fishing for Science program which specalises in having a better scientific understanding of the great species that underpin the prized fishing experiences in the area. This grant is being used to help build a shade structure at the club for improved protection from the Pilbara sun!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Recipient: Perth Game Fishing Club
Projects: Metro-based FADs, Al McGlashan photographer promotion, Jurien Bay Open, Ladies and Junior Day

The Perth Game Fishing Club is heavily involved with a range of fishing activities off our coastline and the grant given to the club is being used for ongoing support of their six FADs located west of Rottnest, the Jurien Bay Open fishing competition and their Ladies and Junior Day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Recipient: Youth Futures Community School
Project: Fishing clinic program for at risk youth

The Youth Futures Community School help at-risk students enjoy a flexible environment where they can complete their education and receive the support they need. This grant is going towards funding their nine fishing clinics taking part in the first half of 2023.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Recipient: Shark Bay Community Resource Centre
Project: Support for Fishing Fiesta

The Shark Bay Community Resource Centre will hold their Fishing Fiesta event in May as part of a week-long celebration to encourage recreational fishing in Shark Bay. The local community loves this event and this grant was given to the centre to help run it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Keep an eye out for when we open up applications for our next round of Community Grants in the second half of 2023!  

Click here to find out more about how to apply for a community grant once they are open for application.  

 

 

Cape Naturaliste FADs now ready to fish as Statewide program gets green light

Recfishwest is pleased to announce that we’ve been able to deploy four FADs off Cape Naturaliste, with additional Perth Metro FADs to follow in the next couple of weeks. 

Following on from the success of the three-year pilot FADs program initiated and run by Recfishwest, many fishers have been asking us when the fish aggregation devices are going to be deployed this summer. 

Recfishwest submitted an in-depth report outlining the results from the pilot program to DPIRD in May 2022, along with a request for funding of the program going forward.   

We have continued to press for funding to allow us to deploy the devices in the southern half of the State this summer – as our pilot program clearly established how effective and popular the FADs have been in creating fantastic new pelagic sportfishing opportunities.  

In late December, we received provisional support from DPIRD for the program to go forward.  

Since receiving approval to proceed we have pushed ahead as fast as we can to ensure sport fishers can make the most of the FADs this summer and autumn.  

FIND THE CAPE NATURALISTE FADS LOCATIONS HERE 

Four FADs are readily available to fish off Cape Naturaliste to help spice up the sportfishing in the area as Chris Leigh Cooper found out when he hooked up right next to one of the Cape Naturaliste FADs.

Recfishwest CEO Dr Andrew Rowland said, “Despite the disappointment at the Government’s recent west coast demersal decision, we are pleased to see a commitment to an expanded WA FADs program as part of its package to support recreational fishing.  

“Having an established Statewide FADs program is a first for WA – and is a direct result from all the hard work put into the FADs pilot program by Recfishwest and local fishing champions, as well as expertise from Perth Game Fishing Club (PGFC). 

“We look forward to hearing DPIRD’s plans for expanding the program in the north of the State and going forward Statewide.”  

Recfishwest is also planning to deploy FADs off Mandurah and Jurien Bay for the first time, to add to the already successful Albany, Cape Naturaliste, Rockingham, Perth and Geraldton deployments in the south of the state. 

Another six metro FADs will again be deployed between Rottnest and Two Rocks in water depths of between 130-350m to complement the six existing annual FADs already deployed by the Perth Game Fishing Club (PGFC), located west of Rottnest.  

In addition, Recfishwest will be deploying the Mangles Bay Fishing Club FAD and Compleat Angler Rockingham FAD as soon as possible pending weather conditions. 

Recfishwest is also in talks with the Government over the FAD program rollout for the northern parts of the State.  

Once settled, fishers can again expect FADs in the traditional locations of Exmouth and Broome, with plans to drop FADs for the first time off the coast of Port Hedland. We will keep you updated on any progress with these discussions. 

We will continue to work hard to get the remaining FADs in the water at all locations – stay tuned to all our channels for updates.  

Consider joining our cast of thousands as a Recfishwest member to help us launch more initiatives like this that create more great fishing opportunities in WA – jump on our membership page here to find out more.  

Recfishwest will continue to work hard so that more FADs in more locations are deployed as soon as possible so you can catch impressive sportfish like this dolphin fish, landed by Beau Suladra in Perth.

Feast your eyes on some of 2022’s best videos from some of WA’s most popular online fishers

We’ve reached out to some of WA’s most well-known fishers across YouTube and Instagram asking them to show us their favourite videos from 2022!

The content they chose below showcases some of the year’s best fishing spots, catches and action from right across WA. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did – and make sure you subscribe and follow their pages for more great content like this.

Gideon Mettam @gidos_fishing_adventures accumulated more than 7.3 million views from this wild cave fishing expedition on our south coast. See why by clicking on the video below to check it out.

Chris Dixon @dixonsfishing managed to film for the first time in history pink snapper being caught on the top water with some remarkable drone footage. Click on the video below to see this spectacular fishing spectacle.

The crew from @fishinwishinlife_official recently had one of the best pink snapper sessions you’ll ever see in Shark Bay. Check out the action on the video below.

Jade Suzanne, @jade_suzanne has not only visited every far stretch of WA over the past year, she has also caught some very impressive catches. Check out Jade’s highlight reel of all the stunning fish she’s landed in 2022 below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Luke Ryan @lukeryanfishing from TackleWest hand-picked this beauty of a video highlighting some great catches of Spanish mackerel and prized bottom-dwelling species. Check out his video on the link below.

Tips from the experts on how to avoid shark bite-off

All around Western Australia and particularly heading north of Geraldton, a lot of fishers know the frustration of losing prized hooked fish to sharks.  

Many of us have experienced the sickening thump on the line, as the rod locks over with the line sizzling off the spool as your would-be catch gets engulfed, leaving just a lifeless head to be reeled in. It’s that or worse still – a clean bite-off with all your rigs going with the ‘tax-man’ as well as your fish.  

That’s usually the dinner bell for multiple sharks to gather in the area, meaning getting hooked fish on the boat becomes a frantic race against the chasing pack.  

This scenario quickly steals not just hooked fish, but also the enjoyment out of fishing, not to mention is financially painful from lost rigs.  

As seen above, prized catches can fall victim to shark bite-off, with only portions of the fish being landed or not at all. Left image credit: Marco Fraschetti.

Unfortunately, for fishers who decide to stay in the same spot and carry on battling mother nature’s most adapted marine predator, it is more often than not a losing battle leading to high fish mortality.  

Losing high volumes of high value species to shark bite-off is avoidable though.  

While sharks might have 400 million years on us regarding perfecting hunting fish in the ocean – there are many experienced fishing experts who have great tips on how to best avoid sharks – and profanity-riddled fishing trips.  

Here is some great professional advice on avoiding the ‘men in grey suits’ from Steve Riley – owner of Exmouth Tackle & Camping Supplies and the staff from Tackle World Exmouth.

Keep moving fishing spots 

This is the simplest yet most effective tip. It is widely known that once sharks move in on your spot, it’s only going to get worse. “Don’t leave a bite to find a bite,” may be an old fishing adage that holds water – but if you’ve been successful in getting a couple of fish on the boat, it might be worth considering moving spots before the sharks join the party.

The moment your catches start falling victim to sharks, it is time to move spots immediately. Most of the time, shark bite-offs are only going to get more likely and worse the longer you stay at each fishing spot.

Avoid areas known to be shark hot-spots  

Don’t waste your time and gear going to a spot you know to have been bad for shark-bite off previously. Sharks are opportunistic feeders and will learn where it’s likely to grab an easy feed. For this reason, it is always a wise idea to fish a fair distance away from boat ramps.  

Sharks attuned to the sound of outboard motors have also been observed following boats out from boat ramps.  

Consider using shark deterrent devices  

Shark deterrents do not stop sharks entering a fishing area, but they do provide more time for anglers to land their fish, which is crucial. DPIRD research suggests the probability of sharks taking fish can be reduced by as much as 65 per cent when using deterrents.  

To get the most out of these devices, it is important to rig them properly and position them within one metre of your bait and only have one hook if using a paternoster rig setup. Regardless of using deterrents, the rate of bite-off is highly likely to increase the longer you remain in a fishing spot.  

Click on the video below for tips on how to properly rig shark deterrents like Sharkbanz

Turn your sounder and engine off once reaching your fishing spot  

Sharks have been known to sense the sonar activity from sounders and a running engine can also bring them in knowing fishers will start dropping a line.  

One crucial step to avoiding sharks is stealth. If you are confident in the reliability of your engine, switch it off at each spot along with your sounder. If your engine can be tricky to start, avoid turning it off and simply move spots frequently.  

The sonar emitted from your sounder and the rumble of boat engines is known to attract sharks, which can quickly turn treasured fishing spots into ‘shark city’ when you drop a line.

Try putting your reel in free-spool if your fish is being chased by a shark 

It is a natural reaction to try and ‘skull drag’ fish into the boat when they are being chased down by attempting to reel it in as quickly as possible. Many fishers think burning the forearms and biceps is the way to go when sharks are lurking, but in reality, you are tipping the odds back in their favour.  

Sharks have 20-50m rapid bursts of speed, then fatigue quickly. Let the fish’s endurance work in your favour.  

Once your fish is in the clear and also starts experiencing fatigue, chase it down in your boat – then get it in quickly.

Sharks fatigue quickly and will attempt to attack fish using short bursts of energy. If your fish has a shark hot on its tail, flip your bail arm over on your reel to free spool your line and allow the fish to outswim the shark and tire it out.

Leave the burley bucket and bait at home 

Sure, bait and burley work well in attracting the fish to your hook, but those scents are picked up even more acutely by sharks.  

Lures, jigs and soft plastics are always better options in avoiding shark bite-off and oily baits such as mulies and burley will rapidly bring sharks into the area. Live-baits will also attract sharks close by.  

Avoid catch-and-release fishing  

If you have just spent a considerable amount of time pulling a demersal fish to the surface, it will be exhausted and if there are sharks in the area, it is highly unlikely that it will make it back to the bottom without being picked off.   

If you want to release a fish and improve its chances of avoiding awaiting jaws, swim the fish alongside the boat a fair distance away from where it was landed until it starts to kick.  

Hold your rod and have lures closer to the boat when trolling  

As soon as you hook a fish when trolling, you want to react as quickly as possible and create the smallest window of opportunity for sharks.  

Keeping a hand on the rod when trolling means anglers can react quicker and prevent the fish taking more line, reducing the fight time. Also, rather than trolling lures 30-50m from the back of your boat, try 15-20m instead as this will not decrease your odds of a hook-up while reducing the distance of the fish to the boat. 

When trolling, keep your hands on your rod and be ready to go in the event of a hook-up. Every second potentially counts!

Try drifting rather than anchoring  

While anchoring up can keep you locked on to your preferred spots, drifting helps you cover more ground and the sound of anchors grabbing on to structure is also known to bring in sharks.  

Keep your fishing depths to a minimum 

The deeper the water being fished, the more time you spend fighting the fish in order to bring it up to the surface. Try targeting demersals in the shallowest depths possible where they are known to roam.  

Catching coral trout in 10-15m of water will always have a better success rate of avoiding sharks than targeting them in depths of 40-50m. 

Stick to the shallower depths if you know this still produces quality fish. Greater depths mean a larger window of opportunity for sharks to take advantage of fighting fish.

Clean your fish on land rather than at sea 

Throwing the discards of your filleted fish back into the waters around your preferred fishing spots will only help accumulate more sharks in that area.  

Cleaning your fish on land for composting ensures sharks do not start gathering at popular fishing spots commonly frequented by boats. 

Try to avoid discarding fish remains out at sea near prime fishing locations and do this on land for composting. This helps in preventing sharks from congregating around spots frequented by boat fishers.

Tap into local knowledge 

If you are heading out for a fish and want to know where sharks have been highly active, simply pay a visit to your local tackle store and ask for tips. Not only do they know where the best fishing action is occurring, they can help increase your chances of avoiding shark bite-off, ensuring much more enjoyable fishing.  

Big thanks to Steve Riley – owner of Exmouth Tackle & Camping Supplies and the staff from Tackle World Exmouth for their tips.  

Scott’s Species – buffalo bream – buff, tough and a great species for kids

Buffalo bream

Kyphosus cornelii (western buffalo bream)

Eating: One star

ID – Dark section on tail, with white colouration on extremities. Oval shaped, with silver to brownish sides.

One of the fun things about fishing is finding new ways to challenge yourself. Whether it be finding new ways to catch a species, or targeting a new type of fish, there is always fun to be had trying something new. This thrill never gets old, and has been with me since I was a kid learning to fish.

One of the first examples I can recall is as a teenager at Rottnest Island. Our family used to spend a week there every winter, and I would spend every day fishing from the shore. With a beach rod and rigs featuring either a herring blob or berley cage, I would fill in each day fishing from a rocky platform around the island. Burley was an essential ingredient each day, and I would make it myself with pollard, flour and hot water.

I’d catch countless herring, plus the occasional surprise in the form of big skippy, silver bream or even the odd King George whiting. And sometimes I would pull a squid jig out and catch a couple of them. But catching herring did start to get a bit repetitive at times and there was one species of fish that intrigued me.

I’d read eastern states fishing publications and heard about species like luderick and drummer, and often there would be several big fish in the burley trail that looked just like those drummer in the books. Eventually, I just had to try to catch them! They were, of course, buffalo bream, a rock and reef staple in the southern half of the State.

Buffalo bream are quite fiddly to catch and algae, seaweed or burley on a hook is your best chance, but they provide a great fight for their size once hooked.

Anyone who has fished around those sorts of areas has seen buffs mooching about, often in shallow water with their tails in the air as they graze on weed growth on top of reef platforms. As a kid at Rotto, where they are extremely prolific, I wanted to see if I could catch one, but it proved a challenge as they had no interest in the bait I was using, be it whitebait or squid.

However, they were really keen on the burley so I figured I had to use that as a bait, but I obviously couldn’t keep in the hook. I started experimenting with my burley and found that by adding more flour, I could turn it into a paste of sorts, a bit like that Catchit bait you used to be able to buy at one stage.

I started burleying the buffs right to my feet and then would drop an unweighted piece of my burley paste down, with my hook buried in it. I would watch the buffs work their way through the burley trail, but somehow they seemed to know which chunk of burley had the hook in it. However, every now and then the trap would work and I’d watch a big buff inhale my offering.

I’d set the hook and all hell would break loose for a few seconds before the fish made its inevitable escape. I simply wasn’t rigged up for these big fish, and the weakest point was the small Limerick or Tarpon hook I had to use. If I went any bigger, they wouldn’t touch it as they only have small mouths, but when I did hook one, the smaller hooks would pretty much straighten immediately. Some of these fish, particularly around West End, were monsters too. I’ve never again targeted buffs since those days, but have caught a few on bait from time to time and you always think you’ve hooked something decent from the fight.

While they are not great on the plate, buffalo bream are a great species to target for kids, with their high abundance and hard fighting providing a great learning experience.

We all know buffs are horrible on the plate, but I have often wondered how much fun they might be on fly tackle, and I dare say there would be a few people out there who have tried this. They have all the prerequisites for a fly fishing target as they are common, pop up in schools close to shore and can be sight casted, plus they have great power and strength.

I’ve seen people mistake buffs for schools of salmon at times and get frustrated when these ‘salmon’ won’t look at their lures. I do know some old-school anglers who used to chase them from the moles in Fremantle for sport, using handlines as that was the only way to stop them.

Handling them is not that much fun though, as they are pretty smelly and have a tendency to expel their latest meal of algae and weed on you as a dark mess! We have two similar species in WA that most people recognise as buff bream – silver drummer and western buffalo bream and they are found in the same areas. The latter is a purely local species found only in WA as far north as Coral Bay.

Buffs grow to around 80cm and have sportfishing potential, but most anglers just let them go as you don’t want to deal with the consequences of trying to cook one. However, I did see a YouTube video the other day of local angler Deryck Tan dry aging and eating them and he said they tasted fine! Each to their own I guess!

Playing your part in ensuring a better future for west coast demersals

While many fishers are understandably frustrated by the Fisheries’ Minister’s final decision on the future management of the west coast demersal fishery, it is clear we all need to do what we can to ensure better stewardship of these fish and to reduce fishing mortality.  

For the overwhelming majority of recreational fishers who care about these iconic fish, this is simply the right thing to do – but it also will help to further speed up the recovery of the demersal fish stocks, potentially leading to a quicker relaxing of the fishing restrictions put in place.  

Fishing mortality is the number of fish that die as a result of fishing – that does not just mean fish that end up in the esky, it also includes fish that expire because of barotrauma, bad handling, deep-hooking injuries and shark bite-off.  

Recfishers already have a very strong track-record in looking after demersals. This includes supporting increased spawning closures for pink snapper in Cockburn Sound, initiating and supporting the compulsory use of release weights, forming the Snapper Guardians stocking program and playing our part in providing samples for DPIRD’s Send Us Your Skeletons program, to mention just a few examples. 

Recfishwest is also preparing to launch the Dhufish Forever Alliance – a broad-based community alliance calling for and supporting better stewardship, better science and better management to result in a better future for west coast demersal fish.  

For all of that though, we still need to do better collectively to reduce the number of fish dying as a result of fishing, because: 

a) It’s the right thing to do and will help speed up the recovery rate; and  

b) It will give us a better chance of seeing the current rules relaxed quicker – at the moment DPIRD scientists calculate that for every two dhufish released, one will die as a result of post-release mortality. If we can reduce the number of fish released through better fishing behaviour, the stocks will rebuild quicker, resulting in better fishing experiences.  

Demersal species such as dhufish have a high post-release mortality rate and should not be targeted for catch and release fishing. Image: Marco Fraschetti.

How can you do your bit?  

Below are some of the things we should all be doing to cut down on the number of fish dying that you are not taking for the table.  

Catch and release fishing for demersals is not OK

Demersals are particularly vulnerable to barotrauma, particularly when caught in depths greater than 30 metres. Research on dhufish shows a substantial proportion of fish caught at depths over 30m die when released, with survival rate decreasing the deeper the fish are caught. 

And it’s not just barotrauma that can kill released fish – bad handling, deep-hooking and being preyed on by sharks before and after being caught and released – all takes its toll on fish numbers.  

If you see or hear people bragging about the number of dhuies they caught and released in their session, perhaps have the conversation with them in a reasoned way. Accepting and understanding that demersals are not catch and release species is in everyone’s best interest.      

Demersals should not be regarded as a sportfish. Once you’ve got what you need – and that doesn’t necessarily mean you have to fish up to your bag limit either – stop fishing for demersals and try your luck on other species.  

Targeting pelagic or inshore species other than demersal finfish are always great alternatives when fishing. Trolling for pelagics such as tuna can be a great adrenaline rush, while fishing for squid can provide a delicious feed. Image left: Fishin’Wishin Life

Switch your fishing

There are plenty of other options – troll for some tuna, jig for a Samson fish, target yellowtail kingfish around shallow reefs – come inshore with smaller baits for whiting or put a jig out for some tasty squid.  

While dhuies and snapper have been the mainstay of recreational boat fishing for decades, there are many excellent options for catching a feed of fish along the west coast.  

Use release weights to return demersal finfish species in water depths greater than 10m 

A release weight – a simple device, pioneered by West Australian anglers, allows demersal finish to be returned to the depth they were caught from quickly, helping reduce the effects of barotrauma and assisting in recovery.  

Legally, you have to have a release weight on board – but make sure they’re not just there for show. You can find our guide on how to use release weights here.

Release weights must be carried on board boats and are the best way of quickly returning unwanted demersal fish to the depths they were caught from to reduce the effects of barotrauma and increase the fish’s odds of survival.

Handle with care and release unwanted fish quickly  

Fish gills contain fragile blood vessels which can become easily damaged by human hands and excessive force. So, if you’re going to return a fish, avoid sticking your hands in behind the fish’s gill plates and keep your fingers away from their eyes.  

Cradle the fish by placing your wet hands and forearm (if additional support is required) under its belly and supporting its body weight, with the other hand around the tail.  

You also want to avoid placing the fish on a hot deck. If you can do it, keeping the fish in the water while unhooking and attaching a release weight is the best way. if however, you are going to bring the fish on board, you can either cradle your catch gently while unhooking or place the fish on a wet towel or brag mat.  

Use a good pair of pliers to remove the hooks from the fish – if the fish is deep-hooked, cut the line off as close to the fish’s mouth as possible. Trying to get the hook out when a fish is deep-hooked can lead to fatal damage to its vital organs.  

If you want to take a picture of your catch before releasing it, have your phone or your camera gear to hand and ready to go so a fish can be photographed and returned as quickly as possible with minimal fuss.  

Click here to read Recfishwest’s correct fish handling practices  

It is crucial to handle demersal finfish correctly by avoiding touching their gills, cradling the fish’s belly, not placing them on hot surfaces, using pliers to remove hooks and cutting the line as close to the fish’s mouth as possible if they are deep-hooked. (Image left: Marco Fraschetti. Image right: Paul Cunningham).

Look after the fish you’re keeping

A fish’s eating quality starts deteriorating from the moment it is caught, so dispatch it quickly and get it in an ice slurry to keep it fresh. These are prized fish, and we want to ensure the best possible eating quality is maintained. 

Change up your spot if sharks are around  

If you get ‘sharked’ once it is usually only going to go one way from there. Sharks are opportunistic predators and if they get a free feed of a big demersal species, they are going to stick around and attack any other fish that is hooked. Avoid giving the taxman a free lunch at the expense of our demersal stocks move spots.

Click here for the best tips on avoiding sharks from accomplished fishers and tackle store experts.

If any of your demersal catches start falling victim to shark bite-off, it is time to move spots immediately. Do not try and battle it out against the ocean’s most adapted marine predator.

Join our Dhufish Forever Alliance

We want to build an alliance everyone can get behind who cares about the future of dhufish and all our west coast demersals. By joining the alliance, you will be demonstrating your commitment to ensuring there will be plenty of these fantastic fish around for us all to enjoy in the future. 

Click here for more details on Recfishwest’s Dhufish Forever campaign and how to join it

Working together to protect our image

If you’re already doing all of the things above, that’s great, but you can still play your part by encouraging friends, family, members of your fishing club or in your fishing social media forums to do the same.  

If anything, the last few months have shown us we need to work together more as a community to protect these important fish – one of the practical ways you can do that is by engaging with other fishers and encouraging them to do the right thing as well. 

With our way of life under increasing pressure from stringent fishery management rules, some conservationists’ and animal rights activists’ agendas, we also need to give some thought as to how our behaviour comes across to the wider community and other groups.  

For example, while it may get some likes off your mates on Facebook, is hanging a bloody dhuie from your backyard washing line for a trophy shot a good look? Is that really respecting these fantastic fish that give us all so much pleasure and magic fishing experiences?  

We are not talking about being the fun police here, everyone has the right to do what they want so long as it is within the boundary of the law.  

However, we can all play a role in calling this kind of stuff out in a reasonable and reasoned manner as it could impact on all of our fishing experiences. 

If we all work together to improve the stewardship of these fish and reduce demersal mortality rates, we will speed up the recovery of the demersal fish stocks, potentially leading to a quicker relaxing of the fishing restrictions put in place for more better experiences catching these special fish.

Banner image credit: Fishin’Wishin Life & Marco Fraschetti

Exploring fishing opportunities in helping control the spread of redclaw in WA’s north

Redclaw might look and taste similar to their delicious southern freshwater cousins, but unlike marron they are not native to Western Australia and are classified as a pest species.  

Not only are they invasive, but they are also exceptionally adaptable to tough environments with the ability to survive out of the water for up to 48 hours. It means they can move freely and modify river environments including physical habitats, food-web structures and water quality, while displacing native species through predation and competition.  

It is why Recfishwest is targeting increased recreational fishing opportunities for redclaw to manage and monitor the spread of this crayfish, providing recfishers with better education on the species and improved measures on catching them, so they can do their part to help the environment with the added incentive of taking home a delicious feed!

Redclaw crayfish can survive out of the water for 48 hours, moving freely and taking over fresh waterways with a broad diet that limits the resources for native WA species.

“Recfishwest believes a more coordinated approach is needed in WA to help stem the distribution and impact of redclaw. The two key components of a new approach are better community education and allowing more fishers to target redclaw while reducing the chances of by-catch of other native species,” said Recfishwest CEO Dr Andrew Rowland. 

“We are making the case to DPIRD to legalise effective, wildlife-friendly fishing gear for redclaw for more northern regions of WA which which avoids the entrapment of fish, turtles or other native animals throughout the Gascoyne, Pilbara and Kimberley regions.” 

“This would be a win-win scenario as recreational fishers can target a delicious species while directly reducing the ecological impacts of redclaw through these northern freshwater ecosystems.”   

Recfishwest will continue to keep the recreational fishing community updated of any changes in regulations for redclaw crayfish fishing throughout our Gascoyne, Pilbara and Kimberley regions. If you catch redclaw, send pictures to DPIRD and make note of when and where you caught it, including GPS coordinates if possible.  

Please dispatch all the redclaw you catch and do not return any to the water or move them around to other locations. If you catch redclaw, the FishWatch number to report them is 1800 815 507, or people can email aquatic.biosecurity@dpird.wa.gov.au. 

 

Click here for a rundown on the current legal practices for catching redclaw crayfish in WA. 

Recfishwest is pushing for an increase in fishing opportunities for redclaw while reducing by-catch to limit their impact on the environment and providing recreational fishers with a five-star quality feed.

Redclaw fact file

Growing up to 25 centimetres in length with a mottled blue-green colouration, they are tolerant of a wide variety of habitats, from fast flowing rivers to still billabongs. The females are also able to spawn up to 1,000 eggs multiple times per year, meaning the population can multiply rapidly and become self-sustaining.  

They eat a wide variety of prey including small aquatic invertebrates, molluscs and aquatic plants. This diverse diet means native north-western aquatic animals such as fish and turtles are competing with redclaw for food.  

As a result, it is recommended redclaw crayfish are not to be released if caught. 

They are widely considered a freshwater delicacy with the texture and flavour of their flesh compared favourably with other marine crustaceans, with their sweet-flavoured meat containing low levels of fat, cholesterol, and salt.

Over the past two decades, redclaw crayfish have rapidly spread west from their natural habitat of north-east Queensland and the Northern Territory. They are now distributed throughout a number of sites in the Pilbara region, including the Karijini and Millstream National Parks, the Fortescue River, Newman and Lake Kununurra. They have also been detected in the Harding Dam near Karratha.  

Redclaw are rapidly moving across Western Australia, with catches reported as far west as Karratha and as far south as Newman. To see the current WA distribution and catch regulations for redclaw, visit the DPIRD website.