Thousands of Fishers in Search of West Aussie Icon

To celebrate the opening of the Marron season, thousands of fishers journeyed through the South West of WA in search of this truly West Aussie icon. It is one of the most uniquely West Australian fisheries, offering the chance to catch a feed of tasty native crustaceans all while enjoying picturesque freshwater settings.  

Encouraging reports came out of the first week of the Marron season with fishers saying that the moon and the weather set the stage for great outdoor experiences and great catches. Locations between Harvey and Albany were occupied by keen fishers hoping to get a feed.

The onset of the new moon also coincided with the first week and a half of the season, providing perfect coverage for Marron, allowing them to be on the move with confidence!

The Recfishwest team headed out last weekend on their annual Marron expedition, some for the first time, and got to experience why the 10,000 Marron licence holders head out in the 4 week fishing window every year in search for the crustacean.

For most, fishing for Marron is more about the experience. It’s the trudging around rivers and dams with a head torch strapped to your beanie searching for big black shadows, it’s the friendly banter between mates, it’s the rolling out of your swag after the excitement of seeing giant ‘moss backs’ out for their nightly hunt – it’s so much more than actually catching a Marron!

So how do you catch Marron? Scooping, snaring and drop netting are all options for Marron fishers, enabling the participants to tailor their expedition to their preferences and ability.

Pictured: Snare used to catch Marron

A reminder that you will need a licence, but Marron fishing is affordable and extremely accessible throughout the South-West, with no need for expensive gear or a boat, and it is a safe and enjoyable pastime for families with the added bonus of a great feed at the end of the day.

For the more experienced marroner wanting a challenge, there are fisheries which are snare-only and these include the Harvey River (upstream of the highway) and Harvey Dam, Big Brook Dam, Glen Mervyn Dam, Waroona Dam and Logue Brook Dam.

Trophy fisheries with different bag and size limits are the Harvey Dam, Waroona Dam and Hutt River.

The 2018 season for our native freshwater crayfish runs from 12 noon, 8 January to 12 noon, 5 February 2018.

In our November Broadcast, we shared some good news for Marron fishers, with the benefits of stocking juvenile Marron currently being investigated. If the breeding program is successful, a trial stocking program is planned which will see thousands of tiny “craylings” (juvenile Marron) released into Harvey Dam. For more information, click here.

 

Continue Reading

June 01, 2023

Recfishwest calls for Government fishery rethink with 78 charter fishing businesses on the brink

Following Government fishery management changes, 78 charter operators are facing the prospect of losing their businesses in the coming months with fishers aboard their vessels no longer able to fish for demersal…

Read More

May 31, 2023

Families flock to Denham to celebrate fishing in the Gascoyne at Shark Bay Fiesta

The hundreds of visitors from across WA and Australia, who ventured to Denham for the week-long Shark Bay Fiesta to celebrate all things fishing swelled the population of the coastal town by half!   For around 850…

Read More

May 31, 2023

Marine park planning mess stokes fears of south coast social and economic fall-out

The Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attraction’s (DBCA’s) marine park on the south coast has been in the headlines recently for all the wrong reasons. From shire council presidents, to leading members…

Read More

May 31, 2023

Fremantle Sailing Club saving money and potential lives with Recfishwest’s Community Grant

Recfishwest is proud to see one of the 16 recipient organisations receiving a Community Grant in 2023 – the Fremantle Sailing Club (FSC) – is saving money and potential lives by using a Recfishwest Community Grant…

Read More

May 30, 2023

Spotting sharks on your sounder to help reduce bite-offs

“The taxman”, “the men in grey suits” or just plain old “bloody sharks.” Whatever you call them, sharks biting off your prized catch as you bring it into the boat can be the bane of many fishers’ fishing trips…

Read More

May 05, 2023

West coast demersal $10m support package – a golden opportunity to support better decisions that cannot be missed

As the dust settles on the new fishing rules for west coast demersals, Recfishwest says the Government has got to get right the way $10 million of public money is spent on supporting the fishery. The Government…

Read More