Recfishwest’s Sam Russell and Levi DeBoni recently attended Dampier’s Accenture Mackerel 5000 competition – here Levi reflects on the trip and the community’s strong passion for fishing they both encountered there.
Both Sam Russell and I were delighted once again for the opportunity to represent Recfishwest at the Accenture Mackerel 5000 in Dampier, running the Fishing for Science and Kids Fishing Clinic programs.
Supported by Woodside North West, we partnered with the Nickol Bay Sportfishing Club to host a kids’ clinic and collect Spanish mackerel samples at the weigh-in to assist with the stock assessment of this popular species.
We held a Healthway fishing clinic at the Dampier Foreshore for around 50 local and visiting kids. Though the fishing was slow, they still caught yellowfin bream, grunter, garfish, and even an octopus. Their enthusiasm for fishing was infections and every child left with a Recfishwest lure, sticker, and kids’ fishing guide to help feed their new favourite activity!
After the clinic, we set up our sampling station for the competition weigh-in, working alongside DPIRD’s mackerel scientist Paul Lewis and fisheries manager Liv Rynvis. We collected 66 biological samples from Spanish and grey mackerel, recording length, weight, gender, and their reproductive stage before removing the heads to extract otoliths for ageing.
This data will be crucial for DPIRD’s Pilbara mackerel stock assessment as sampling efforts increase in coming years to ensure a healthy future for this important fishery.
The competition saw more than 150 anglers fishing from 50 boats, with Hampton Harbour Boat and Sailing Club filled with spectators enjoying the event. The community’s response was fantastic, with over 90 per cent of the fish weighed in voluntarily donated for sampling, reflecting great local stewardship for the mackerel fishery. Sam and I were greatly impressed by the 66 mackerel samples collected, topping last year’s total.
Brenton Cartledge won the $5,000 prize with a 26.2kg Spanish mackerel, while the biggest donated mackerel weighed 24.4kg.
The Accenture Mackerel 5000 continues to grow as an important event in the Pilbara fishing calendar, and with Recfishwest’s involvement and Woodside’s support, we can ensure vital fisheries data is continually recorded.
Click here for more information about our Fishing for Science program
