Proposed Marmion Marine Park extension

Perth’s northern suburbs are the gateway to one of our great city’s aquatic playgrounds. That being the coast between Trigg and Two Rocks, where hundreds of thousands of fishers access the high-quality fishing experiences this important part of our coast has to offer.

From fishing for herring from the many rock groynes, to chasing snapper and Samson fish out in the boat, Perth’s northern suburbs has it all.

Recently, the McGowan Government announced plans to review and extend the Marmion marine park on Perth’s doorstep, which has been in place since 1987.

The Governments community engagement strategy for this marine park involves the establishment of Sector Advisory Groups (SAGs) to provide advice and recommendations to the marine park planning process.

In our role as the peak body for recreational fishing, Recfishwest is convening a recreational fishing sector advisory group, and were calling on passionate fishers from Perth fishing community to put their hand up to represent recreational fishers’ interests and values on this group.

We have also created a survey (pictured above) that we highly recommend for all anglers between Trigg and Two Rocks. Your feedback will help us highlight to decision makers the importance of fishing to the community, giving us the best chance to get the best outcome for recreational fishing/

Fishers must have a strong knowledge of local fishing experiences and a desire to ensure recreational fishing interests and values are considered during the marine park planning process.

It is really important the fishing community gets involved in the two-year process for developing an indicative management plan for this marine park.

Role of the recreational fishing SAG

The objectives of the recreational fishing SAG are:

• Ensure the Marmion marine park planning team are provided clear, consistent and professional information in relation to what matters most to recreational fishers;
• To allow a marine park to be designed in a way that is mindful of recreational fishing values and aspirations;
• Provide opportunity for the recreational fishing community to have input into the marine park planning process;
• Highlight issues of importance to recreational fishing to the marine park planning team.

Read the Recreational Fishing Sector Advisory Group background information here.

Read the Recreational Fishing Sector Advisory Group Terms of Reference here.

Whether it’s burleying for herring and skippy with the kids or chasing sought-after snapper on the three-mile, the Marmion Marine Park is a valued fishing playground and healthy ocean habitat based on the city’s doorstep.

That’s not to mention the crayfish on offer during the annual whites run, the amazing abalone fishery or trolling for pelagic species including Spanish mackerel in the summer months.

The State Government announced in early February that work is underway to potentially extend the Marmion Marine Park.

The park, currently based between Trigg Island and Burns Rocks and covering about 9,500ha, was gazetted in 1987 as WA’s first marine park.

In the Government’s media release, we were pleased to see Fisheries Minister Don Punch has committed to extensive consultation with recreational fishers and recognises how important fishing is in the area of the proposed marine park extension.

“Noting the importance of our fishing sectors and fishers, a collaborative and consultative process is integral to the expansion of any marine park,” the Minister said.

“The State Government is committed to undertaking meaningful consultation with traditional owners, the fishing sectors and other stakeholders,” the media release also stated.

Recfishwest and you — the Perth fishing community — can play an active role in the proposed marine park extension process putting forward your views and making clear what is important to us as fishers.

You’ve got an opportunity to learn more about the proposed park extension and the process the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) will undertake to ensure the community have input along the way.

Putting your views forward throughout this process, making your voice heard and articulating why this area is so important to you will ensure the best outcomes for fishing are achieved

We will soon be calling for metro fishers to join a recreational fishing Sector Advisory Group (SAG) to represent fishers’ views and values.

According to DBCA’s timeline, a draft plan for the Marmion Marine Park extension is due to be release for public consultation in March, 2023.

The Government’s community engagement approach for this marine park involves the establishment of SAGs to provide advice and recommendations in the marine park planning process.

If you are interested in the consultation and engagement process, read DBCA’s website for more information.

In our role as the peak body for recreational fishing, Recfishwest is convening the recreational fishing SAG which will ultimately feed into the development of the marine park plan.

As always, we will keep you updated throughout this process and continue to help you outline why fishing along the north metropolitan coast is so important.

As the State’s peak recreational fishing body, Recfishwest’s purpose is to ensure great fishing experiences for all in the WA community, forever.

Our commitment is to protect, promote and develop sustainable, accessible, enjoyable and safe fishing for the benefit of the community.

Recfishwest will advocate directly to decision-makers to ensure that recreational fishing values are understood throughout the planning process.

In this capacity, our role in the proposed marine parks public comment process is to:

• Meet with the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attraction (DBCA) and Traditional Owners to gain a better understanding of what the proposed park is to achieve and discuss the importance of the waters in the proposed marine park to recfishers, particularly from a local perspective;
• Be guided by the north metro fishers, and wider fishing communities, to work for the best outcome possible for ongoing recreational fishing access. It should be noted, Recfishwest is not part of the Government and our independent, apolitical status places us in the best position to freely represent the interests of the recreational fishing sector;
• Regularly communicate with fishers to keep them up to date with opportunities to best engage in the process; and,
• Provide clear and comprehensive advice on how best to make a submission to DBCA.

Visit the DBCA website for more information about the proposed south coast marine park.