Recfishwest Responsible Fishing Guidelines

Using the right equipment for the species you are targeting increases their survival if you choose or need to release. The following advice helps ensure fish are released in the healthiest condition possible:

• Barbless hooks cause less damage to fish than a conventional barbed hook as they minimise damage to the fish when removed. If you don’t have barbless hooks, crimp down the barbs on your existing hooks using pliers.
• Use circle hooks when fishing with bait. Circle hooks are more likely to hook fish in the corner of the jaw, increasing both catch rates and post-release survival.
• Use the largest size hooks possible. By using larger hooks you reduce the chance of fish swallowing the hook deeply and can avoid small unwanted bycatch.
• Use single hooks on lures to reduce fish injuries. Treble hooks can cause more damage to fish and are generally harder to remove.
• Use plain carbon-steel hooks. Unlike stainless steel alternatives, carbon-steel hooks corrode and won’t remain in the environment for many years.
• Use appropriately sized rod, reel and line class. Using lighter gear will increase the fight time, placing more stress on the fish and decreasing its chances of survival upon release.
• Use fish-friendly, knotless landing nets. Knotless landing nets remove less slime from fish, increasing post-release survival.
• Avoid using gaffs when possible and certainly don’t use a gaff if the fish is intended for release, this includes lip gaffing.

• Minimise time out of the water to give the fish the best chance of survival.
• Support the fish’s body and keep it horizontal — never lift it by the mouth or gills, even when using lip grips. This will prevent damaging the fish’s spine or internal organs under their own weight.
• Handle fish with wet hands or gloves to protect their slimy coating, which helps prevent disease.
• Avoid placing fish on hot or dry surfaces. If you need to put them down, use a cool, wet cloth.
• Keep your hands away from the fish’s eyes and gills, as these are easily damaged.
• Respect all fish, no matter their size or species.
• Target species with high post-release survival rates. Dhufish, baldchin groper and breaksea cod are not suitable species for catch and release due to their high risk of barotrauma.

• Fish in shallow water when possible.
• Release the fish while it’s still in the water if you can, especially for large species like billfish.
• Remove hooks quickly and carefully. If the hook is deeply embedded, it’s often better to cut the line close to the mouth rather than risk further injury.
• Revive tired fish by gently moving them forward in the water to push water over their gills. Release them once they begin to kick or bite down on your hand.
• Take photos quickly. Whether you plan to keep or release your fish, take photos as quickly as you can. Click here for our fish photography tips.

Barotrauma is a condition that affects many fish species when they are rapidly brought to the surface typically from depths greater than 10-15 metres – with effects becoming worse the deeper the water.

The sudden pressure change can cause internal and external injuries due to expanding gases in the fish’s body, particularly in the swim bladder.

Common visible signs include:

• Bulging eyes.
• Bloated abdomen.
• Stomach protruding from the mouth.
• Difficulty swimming or remaining upright at the surface.

However, not all symptoms are externally visible. Non-visible effects of barotrauma can include:

• Internal haemorrhaging.
• Damage to organs such as the liver and heart.
• Gas embolisms (air bubbles in blood or tissue).
• Altered blood chemistry and reduced oxygen transport.

These injuries can significantly reduce a fish’s chance of survival if released without intervention. For this reason, if you plan on releasing a fish, it’s important to use a release weight. This simple but effective device provides the best chance of a fish surviving being returned to deep water, where increased pressure can help it recompress and recover.

Always carry and be ready to use a release weight when fishing in deeper water. To learn how to use a release weight, click here.

• If you’re keeping a fish for consumption or dispatching a pest species such as redfin perch, it should be humanely dispatched as soon as possible with a quick spike to the brain.
• Bleeding the fish immediately after dispatching by cutting the gills or bloodline can greatly improve the quality of the flesh.
• To preserve eating quality, store your catch in a slurry made from equal parts seawater and ice. This helps the flesh firm up, making the fish easier to fillet and improves overall taste.
• Make the most of your catch — some of the tastiest meat is found near the bone. Don’t forget to utilise the cheeks, wings, and backbone. Check out our video on how to get the most from your fish.

• Where possible, switch up your catch to take pressure off recovering demersals. It’s not just demersal species that provide a great meal.
• Only take what you need — you don’t always have to reach your bag limit.
• ‘High-grading’ discarding already dead smaller fish for any bigger fish caught – is not acceptable and illegal.
• When keeping fish for consumption, avoid filleting them or discarding offal at the water’s edge to reduce the risk of attracting sharks or crocodiles.
• It’s best to take only enough fish for immediate use. If freezing your catch, make sure the flesh is clean, dry, free from contact with freshwater and vacuum sealed for best results.

1. Avoid areas known to be shark hot-spots

“Don’t waste your time and gear going to a spot you know to have been bad for shark-bite off previously. Sharks are opportunistic feeders and will learn where it’s likely to grab an easy feed. For this reason, it is always a wise idea to fish a fair distance away from boat ramps. Sharks attuned to the sound of outboard motors have also been observed following boats out from boat ramps.” – Steve Riley, Owner of Exmouth Tackle & Camping

2. Know how to spot sharks on sounders

“It is a wise idea to do a mock drift over your fishing spot first to see if sharks are in the area. Sharks also appear differently to fish on a sounder, in that they do not have gas-filled swim bladders and will generally appear as a continuous solid or even wavy line on sounders, rather than the curved, arch-like shape that show up on the sounder screen generally indicating scale fish.” – Eddie Lawler, Owner of Peak Sportfishing Exmouth

“The main difference between sharks and fish is sharks don’t have that arched ‘boomerang’ appearance on your head unit. Another factor is unlike bottom dwelling fish that generally live close to the ocean’s substrate, sharks are generally higher in the water column and must ‘continually swim to live’ so to speak,” – Chris Tanti, Simrad and Richter pro-teamer

3. Turn your sounder and engine off when fishing your spot 

“Sharks have been known to sense the sonar activity from sounders and a running engine can also bring them in knowing fishers will start dropping a line. One crucial step to avoiding sharks is stealth. If you are confident in the reliability of your engine, switch it off at each spot along with your sounder. If your engine can be tricky to start, avoid turning it off and simply move spots frequently.” – Tackle World Exmouth   

4. Be selective about the ground you fish 

Steer clear of good-looking structure close to shore that is commonly fished, as sharks know hooked fish are easy targets at these locations. While this kind of structure can look mouth-watering to anglers on sounders and often holds fish, sharks learn that these spots frequently see lines dropped down, leading to hooked fish and easy meals.  

“The further away you travel from shore, the less likely it is you will come across sharks. I catch 99 per cent of my demersals off flat ground and most fishers don’t realise that bigger fish frequently sit under ledges only half a metre high. I don’t bother fishing big lumps or structure because it is almost always covered in sharks. I’ll fish mud, sand or rubble where fish will still gather but sharks don’t tend to,” – Josh Bruynzeel, On Strike Charters Exmouth  

5. Keep moving fishing spots 

One of the simplest, yet most effective tips. It is widely known that once sharks move in on your spot, it’s only going to get worse. “Don’t leave a bite to find a bite,” may be an old fishing adage that holds water – but if you’ve been successful in getting a couple of fish on the boat, it is worth considering moving spots before the sharks join the party. 

“If you have a favourite ‘honey hole’ and suddenly lose a nice fish to a shark there – I’d highly recommend picking up and motoring (with haste) to another spot to protect that cohort of fish,” – Chris Tanti, professional sportfisher and skipper of Broome Billfish Charters    

6. Try drifting rather than anchoring  

While anchoring up can keep you locked on to your preferred spots, drifting helps you cover more ground and the sound of anchors grabbing on to structure is also known to bring in sharks.   

7. Keep your fishing depths to a minimum  

The deeper the water being fished, the more time you spend fighting the fish in order to bring it up to the surface. Try targeting demersals in the shallowest depths possible where they are known to roam. Catching coral trout in 10-15m of water will always have a better success rate of avoiding sharks than targeting them in depths of 40-50m. 

8. Use one hook on bottom-fishing rigs, not two

You might think that using two hooks on a paternoster-style bottom-fishing rig means double the chances in landing a fish – in reality, the moment you get a double hook-up your odds of being sharked increase significantly.

A double hook-up means you would have both fish pulling in different directions and slowing each other down, which puts out a wider distress signal that acts as a beacon for sharks and it also means you’re going to have a much slower retrieval rate. All seasoned fishers in the northern regions of WA strongly recommend using one hook per bottom-fishing rig as this does not decrease your odds of a hook-up, makes it easier to bring the fish up and greatly reduces your odds of shark bite-off. All shark repellent technology (located below) also works best with single-hook setups. 

 

 

9. Put your boat into gear once hooking a fish  

“For bottom fishing – especially deep dropping in places like Exmouth where sharks can be a real problem – I like to click the boat into gear once the fish is clear of the bottom as the sharks have learnt to follow the boat. This brings the catenary of the fish up on a larger angle. Once the fishes swim bladder expands and it starts to come up quickly, I usually try to get on top of the fish as quickly as possible. You can also throw diversions at the sharks such as bait if you have any.” – Chris Tanti, professional sportfisher and skipper of Broome Billfish Charters

10. Put your reel in free-spool if fish is being chased by a shark 

It is a natural reaction to try and ‘skull drag’ fish into the boat when they are being chased down by attempting to reel it in as quickly as possible. In reality, you are tipping the odds back in the shark’s favour. Sharks have 20-50m rapid bursts of speed, then fatigue quickly. Let the fish’s speed and endurance work in your favour. Once your fish is in the clear and also starts experiencing fatigue, chase it down in your boat – then get it in quickly. 

11. Use lures, not baits  

Sure, bait and burley work well in attracting the fish to your hook, but those scents are picked up even more acutely by sharks. Lures, jigs and soft plastics are always better options in avoiding shark bite-off and oily baits such as mulies and burley will rapidly bring sharks into the area. Live-baits will also attract sharks close by. 

12. Avoid catch-and-release fishing 

If you have just spent a considerable amount of time pulling a demersal fish to the surface, it will be exhausted and if there are sharks in the area, it is highly unlikely that it will make it back to the bottom without being picked off. If you want to release a fish and improve its chances of avoiding awaiting jaws, swim the fish alongside the boat a fair distance away from where it was landed until it starts to kick. 

13.  Hold your rod and troll lures closer to the boat  

If you hook a fish when trolling, you want to react as quickly as possible and create the smallest window of opportunity for sharks. Keeping a hand on the rod when trolling means anglers can react faster and prevent the fish taking more line, reducing the fight time. Also, rather than trolling lures 30-50m from the back of your boat, try 15-20m instead as this will not decrease your odds of a hook-up while reducing the distance of the fish to the boat. 

14.  Clean your fish on land rather than at sea  

Don’t discard your filleted fish back into the waters around your preferred fishing spots as this will only help accumulate more sharks in that area. Cleaning your fish on land for composting ensures sharks do not start gathering at popular fishing spots commonly frequented by boats. 

15. Consider using shark deterrent devices   

Shark deterrents do not stop sharks entering a fishing area, but they do provide more time for anglers to land their fish, which is crucial. Check out the shark repellent devices currently on the market below including their price, video demonstrations, how they work and reviews.  

 

If you accidentally catch a protected species, return it to the water immediately.

Slow down if you see any large animals at the surface; turtles, sea snakes, dolphins, dugong and whales are all susceptible to being struck by boats. If you see them, leave them alone and give them a wide berth.

Some Marine Parks have special purpose zones for whale conservation and may have different measures in place to deliver this, check the Recfishwest app for these measures.

If you see a marine mammal injured or tangled in a rock lobster pot report to the Wildcare helpline (08 9474 9055).

Wildcare Helpline
For sick, injured, or orphaned native wildlife.
Phone: (08) 9474 9055

As responsible fishers, we have a duty to minimise harm and ensure birds are safely released when incidents occur. If a seabird is hooked, it’s important to stay calm and handle the situation carefully to avoid causing further injury to the bird — or yourself.

✔ Avoid attracting birds – keep unused bait and fish scraps out of the water to reduce bird activity around your fishing spot. Always keep bait covered. Do not voluntarily feed birds with bait.
✔ Use barbless hooks where possible – they make releasing birds (and fish) easier and cause less injury.
✔ Retrieve gear responsibly – always check for seabirds before casting and retrieve lines if birds are diving nearby.

If you hook a bird:

• Reel it in gently and avoid sudden or fast movements.
• Gently cover its head with a towel or shirt to keep it calm before attempting to remove hooks.
• Fold in the birds wings to stop it injuring you or itself.
• Carefully crush the barb and remove the hook using pliers, scissors or line cutters.
• If the bird is injured or deeply hooked, contact a local wildlife rescue service such as the Wildcare helpline (08 9474 9055).

FishWatch
Report aquatic pests and diseases, fish kills, and illegal fishing activity. Operated 24/7.
Phone: 1800 815 507
Email: tipoff@dpird.wa.gov.au
Online form: Crime Stoppers WA

When reporting, please note:

• Number of people involved.
• What they were doing.
• Location (landmarks or GPS).
• Equipment used (boats, vehicles, regos).
• Time and date.

Border Force – Foreign Fishing Vessels (CRIMFISH)
Help protect Australia’s northern waters from illegal foreign fishing. Report suspicious vessels.
Phone: 1800 274 634
Email: intelligence@afma.gov.au

Redmap (Range Extension Database & Mapping Project)
Report sightings of unusual or out-of-range marine species to help track shifting distributions.
Website: www.redmap.org.au

Download Redmap app from the Google Play or App store

Respecting landholders

• Gain landholders’ permission before accessing.
• Always leave gates as you found them.
• Do not damage or destroy fences.
• Avoid camping at stock watering points.
• Stick to driving and walking tracks.

Access to culturally important areas 

• Always seek permission before entering culturally important sites, including land recognised under native title.
• Avoid disturbing sites of cultural importance.
• Educate yourself on cultural practices, including customary fishing practices.

Due to the FADs being located reasonably far offshore, limited good weather windows to fish them means it’s unlikely you’ll be the only boat on the FADs. This means it can get crowded on the FADs and some simple etiquette rules will help keep things running smoothly.

In the likely situation that you are not the only boat fishing the FAD, patience will be needed as only one boat should be in the strike zone at a time.

Boats should wait roughly 200m up-current until the strike zone is clear then make their pass at it. Once you have exited the strike zone circle back up-current by taking a wide course. The idea is to keep the dolphinfish from shutting down for as long as possible by keeping the boat pressure in the strike zone down.

 

Spearfishers should be aware of other FAD users and should not enter the water if other boats are around the FAD. Likewise, anglers should wait until spearfishers have completed their drift past the FAD before deploying lines (spearfishers usually only spend a short time period around the FAD).

It is highly recommended spearfishers display the “Divers Flag A” when drifting in the water near the FADs and have a boat with an operator acting as a lookout accompany those in the water.

FADs are there for the benefit of all recreational fishers and courtesy should be extended to fishers who are already using a FAD and new arrivals should be accommodated. Please recognize conservation values, be responsible, share with other users and take only as many fish as you need.