Collie marron deaths not acceptable

Recfishwest was horrified to learn that hundreds of WA’s most iconic freshwater crustacean, the mighty marron, have been left for dead in the southern end of the Collie River due to mismanagement of the State’s water resources.

Marron have been deprived of important environmental water flows resulting in them walking out of their river pools to gain oxygen, only to bake in the sun, leaving behind what has been described as “a marron graveyard”. The marron deaths follow revelations that river flows in the Collie River South Branch have been diverted into Lake Kepwari, a decommissioned mine void.

Recfishwest CEO Dr Andrew Rowland said seeing hundreds of dead marron on the dry river bed is a disgrace especially as the Lake is full.

“How come there’s a full lake and an empty river?” Dr Rowland said.

“This is a man-made problem and we’re calling for swift and decisive action so that marron and other wildlife in the remaining permanent pools within this 15km river section do not succumb to a similar fate as we progress into the warmer month.

“We all understand our climate is variable, 2015 has been a dry year, and managing our water resources can be complex but the fact of the matter is that water for the environment must come first so that this type of disaster doesn’t happen again.”

(Images courtesy: Blayde Grzelka – Collie Mail)

Continue Reading

September 21, 2023

Recfishwest at the 2023 Perth Boat Show – the views, the issues and the most colourful lure designs you’ll ever see!

Recfishwest got the chance to catch up with hundreds of mad keen recfishers on the weekend (15-17 September) at the Perth Boat Show.  Our stand at the heart of the show’s fishing section was a hive of…

Read More

September 14, 2023

Greenlip abalone closure – necessary, but disappointing and avoidable

DPIRD has advised that from 1 October 2023, fishing will not be permitted for greenlip abalone between Busselton Jetty and Shoal Cape in the Stokes National Park, west of Esperance. In addition: These changes are…

Read More

September 07, 2023

Anglers donate big mack sample haul at Onslow Mack10k!

With 78 boats brimming with 266 competitors all hoping to catch the biggest Spanish mackerel at the recent MACK10K competition in Onslow – our Fishing for Science table was jam-packed with macks!   The annual…

Read More

September 07, 2023

Prepare to go into bat for our most valuable fishing spots on the north metro and south coasts

Recfishwest understands plans for both the new South Coast Marine Park and the extension to Marmion Marine Park are to be released for public comment as early as October.    And it’s going to be crucial for the…

Read More

September 07, 2023

Recfishwest condemns proposals to ban beach driving at popular fishing spots near to Lancelin, Ledge and Seabird

Recfishwest has written to the Shire of Gingin strongly objecting to its proposals to heavily restrict four-wheel-drive access to some of the best fishing beaches around Lancelin, Ledge and Seabird over the next…

Read More

September 01, 2023

Healthier, bigger and more abundant fish – salmon management gets it right

Recfishwest is celebrating the official news that West Aussie salmon are bigger, more abundant and resistant to environmental changes than they have been in decades, following the latest release of DPIRD’s latest…

Read More