The Shark Bay Fiesta in Denham truly lived up to its name last week and showcased how important this fishing-based celebration is for the community.
Hundreds of locals and visitors made up of many mums, dads and kids came together to enjoy a week full of great festivities – the focal point of Denham’s annual social calendar.
Recfishwest lent a hand at the event running the kids fishing clinic and catching up with local fishers, Shire representatives and Fisheries Officers to hear their views on how fishing can be improved in this beautiful part of WA.
Executive Manager of the Shark Bay Community Resource Centre, Jamie Burton, who has worked tirelessly over the past 15 years to deliver this cherished community event, reflected on how important fishing is to the Shark Bay community fabric.
“It’s a really fun family-oriented event. It has a big social and economic impact of our local community, “said Jamie.
“Fishing is our lifestyle here – we rely on tourism and fishing as an industry here – but it’s much more than that.
“There aren’t enough kids in our local school to have football or netball competitions or anything regular, so fishing and the ocean is crucial because it’s what they know and what they’re good at.”
Watch our interview with Jamie and the Fiesta highlights in the video below!
Recfishwest’s popular kids fishing clinic off Denham’s main jetty, supported by Healthway, saw more than 30 kids catching various great species from Denham’s turquoise waters.
This clinic inspired the next generation to connect with nature, learn lifelong skills and experience the significant health benefits of fishing. Check out all the whiting, squid, tarwhine, tuskfish and trevally releases in the video below!
The evening weigh-ins for the fishing competition also did not disappoint, with more than 20 Gascoyne species tipping the scales throughout the week.
More than 140 competitors on 50 boats entered the week-long fishing competition, with several record captures for Gascoyne species tumbling. New records included a 4.53kg Robinson’s sea bream, 10.195kg dolphinfish and 2.22kg Spanish flag.
Recfishwest Communications Lead, Ben Carlish, attending the Fiesta said, “What a fantastic family-friendly celebration of all that is good about fishing in regional WA and a brilliant advert for the hospitality and friendliness of the Shark Bay community.
“From little tackers all the way through to grandparents, if you want to see an example of how important fishing is to the culture, lifestyle and social fabric across all generations of coastal communities – then look no further than the Fiesta.
“Shark Bay is a special place and this is a special event with a great history – Jamie and her ever-willing team deserve huge credit for what they deliver every year for the community and visitors alike.”
