Future-proofing the South West’s marron stocks

Marron fishing is a uniquely West Aussie experience that takes place in our beautiful South West.

More than 10,000 fishers purchase a licence each year and head down south with friends and family to enjoy this fishing experience.

We will see you when you’re legal size, baby marron!

Recently, Recfishwest staff and volunteers were busy assisting with a local project that has trialled the stocking of marron into Harvey Dam.

The team were knee deep in mud removing thousands of marron from ponds at DPIRD’s Pemberton Hatchery in early January, where the marron were cleaned, packed and transported to Harvey Dam for release.

Recfishwest is pleased to report more than 5,500 juvenile marron were released into the dam on Friday, January 4, with the help of the local Harvey community.

This stocking is part of a project which has been investigating new and innovative ways of future-proofing our important marron stocks.

It’s important that we begin to investigate different opportunities in this space, given that a drying climate will almost certainly place increased pressure on marron stocks going forward. Stocking is one way that we believe can relieve some of this pressure in the long-term.

It’s critical that we continue to investigate strategies that will ensure the long term sustainability of this activity. While this stocking effort was a trial, stocking marron on a larger scale in the future is something that we are currently working towards as we strive to protect, maintain and enhance our quality fishing experiences.

Imagine a future where you and your family could go marroning every weekend!

Recfishwest would like to take this opportunity to thank the project lead Andrew Matthews from Ecotone Consulting, as well as the volunteers who made this stocking possible.

This is one of the more than 5,000 marron which were released!

Continue Reading

December 11, 2024

Enjoy safe and successful abalone fishing this summer

Recfishwest is encouraging all abalone fishers to enjoy safe fishing this summer by being aware of the weather conditions and wearing all the right gear.   Thousands of abalone fishers are expected to flock to the…

Read More

November 29, 2024

Crabbing in Cockburn Sound – what you need to know ahead of December 1st

The hotly anticipated annual summer crabbing season on the lower west coast gets underway this Sunday, 1 December, and has some extra spice this year for crustacean connoisseurs with Cockburn Sound reopening for…

Read More

November 26, 2024

Recfishwest lands two new Board members

Recfishwest is pleased to welcome two new elected members to the Recfishwest Board following our 2024 Annual General Meeting in November. Terry Goodlich is a well-known figure in WA’s freshwater and trout fishing…

Read More

November 21, 2024

Making fishing better in the year past and the year ahead for the Cast of Thousands

We recently held our 2024 Annual General Meeting and had time to reflect on what Recfishwest and the fishing community achieved in FY 2023/2024 – and on the challenges we face ahead to protect our fishing and make…

Read More

November 19, 2024

Recfishwest rejects mandatory cray reporting push – protecting WA Fishers from red tape

Recfishwest CEO Dr Andrew Rowland has vigorously rejected on State radio calls from commercial cray fishers to introduce mandatory catch reporting for the recreational sector. “We don’t want mum, dad and the kids…

Read More

November 15, 2024

West Coast Zone open for abalone fishing this summer

In great news for West Aussie abalone fishers, the upcoming West Coast abalone season will see the reopening of the stretch of coast north of Moore River up to Greenough River, in addition to the rest of the…

Read More