Fishers Want Better Habitat & Better Fishing

What’s your best session fishing for black bream? Can you imagine a session catching over 100 fish, where the bream averaged over 1 kg each…with some up to 2 kg’s?

Local fishers from Albany and surrounds wanting to learn more about why fishing has changed in the area and what can be done to bring back the glory days came down to the Fishers for Fish Habitat Forum held in Albany earlier this month. The forum, which was run by a partnership between Ozfish Unlimited and Recfishwest, provided a unique opportunity for fishers and habitat experts to come together and combine their knowledge to try and work out the key drivers for changes in the quality of local fishing and what could be done to bring back lost fish habitat and better fishing.

The knowledge local fishers have about changes in the quality of fishing in the area provided a rare insight into how big an impact changes in fish habitat have actually had on fishing. An important part of discussions was led by Western Angler editor Scott Coghlan who talked with local veteran Jim Allan and bream young gun Callum Dowell on their perspectives on changes in the area. Both Jim and Callum had noticed significant changes in the quality of fishing and fish habitat over the years. Jim told tales about some epic bream fishing that used to be available around Albany in years gone by including bream that averaged over 1 kg each, with some pushing 2 kg’s while Callum said at its best it wasn’t unusual to catch over 100 fish in a session! Jim suggested that in terms of habitat loss, one of the key changes that had led to a reduction in the quality of fishing was the huge loss of seagrass in Oyster Harbour, while decreases in rainfall were also hurting the system. Callum had noticed similar changes and noted that on some of the flats he fished the sand had changed over the years from being hard and course to soft mud.

It was amazing to see how close the changes seen by fishers matched with what had been seen by the habitat experts, who further discussed how these changes fit in with the changes in fish habitat. Local seagrass expert, Geoff Bastyan, reinforced the changes seen by Jim to seagrass in the harbour and showed how with the right support, it was possible to bring back much of this lost habitat. There was also some great discussion about the import role bringing back oyster reefs will have on the harbour with Black Bream, Skippy and Yakka’s already seen investigating the developing reefs.

Karen McKeogh from the Department of Water also led a great discussion about how modifications to the Torbay lakes meant that a highly productive system went from producing Murray Cod up to 1.3m to now having health warnings. This forum highlighted the importance of sharing the knowledge fishers have about the changes they have seen in their local systems and their eagerness to bring back some of the lost crucial fish habitat, and better fishing. If you know a fish habitat in your local waterway that needs to be restored, talk to locals in your community and get in contact with the Recfishwest Habitat Officer Michael Tropiano to see what can be done in to bring back fish habitat and better fishing.

Everyone at the forum was hugely appreciative of the members of the Albany Boating and Offshore Fishing Club for hosting the event and all their assistance in running the forum and for support for the event from The Nature Conservancy and the Fisheries Research and Development Commission.

Continue Reading

May 02, 2025

New Fisheries Minister announces year-round FADs for Dampier, Point Samson and Broome!

FADs fishing fanatics in Dampier, Point Samson and Broome are soon to be able to target pelagic powerhouse fishlike billfish and dolphin all year round! Recfishwest CEO Dr Andrew Rowland joined the new Fisheries…

Read More

May 01, 2025

Recfishwest partners with Wildtrak Leisure Australia to give you 10% off their gear for the great Aussie outdoors!

Refishwest has teamed up with the good folks at Wildtrak Leisure Australia to offer all our members, followers and supporters 10 per cent off ALL of Wildtrak’s extensive range of quality camping, 4WD and outdoors…

Read More

May 01, 2025

Recfishwest backs in Get Reel Two Rocks fishing competition with fantastic fishing prizes for nearshore species!

Recfishwest is excited to be backing the Get Reel Two Rocks fishing comp on 10th of May — a fantastic celebration of community, family fun and, of course, fishing in the northern suburbs! We’ll be on the ground…

Read More

April 29, 2025

King of the Reef 2025 promises fantastic fishing and prizes!

After a deluxe display of species diversity last year, the King of the Reef competition is returning from 1 May – 31 August to allow fishers to contribute to science – and have a crack at some fantastic…

Read More

April 29, 2025

300 kids catch fish and healthy living tips with Recfishwest’s Mid-West Kids Fishing Clinic Tour!

Our Fishing Clinics Coordinator Sedin Hasanovic recently hit the road with fishing instructor Brody Laroux to deliver fun-packed and educational kids fishing clinics over the school holidays in the Mid-West. This…

Read More

April 10, 2025

Recfishwest’s latest TV and radio commercials encourage fishers to stick to the beaches when chasing salmon this Easter

As thousands of fishers are heading to WA’s Southern and South-West coasts this Easter to chase massive schools of migrating salmon, Recfishwest is urging fishers to “keep the sand between their toes” by fishing…

Read More