Tag: boat fishing

Serious Cockburn Sound environmental concerns persist following Westport Business Case summmary release

Recfishwest continues to have serious concerns about the future of Cockburn Sound following the Government’s release of its Westport Business Case summary earlier this week for the development of a $7.2 billion container port in Kwinana.

The proposed port would require a massive dredging operation and see cargo vessels more than twice the length of Optus Stadium oval pushing past families fishing from small boats. 

The Westport dredging operation – what we know so far

  • To service the new port, a 18.5m deep shipping channel from Cottesloe to Cockburn Sound will require up to 35 million m³ of seafloor to be dredged – making it among the biggest dredging operations ever to be undertaken in Australia.
  • The new channel will be required to accomodate “Post-Panamax” size vessels measuring 366m long, 51.2m wide and 15.6m deep.
  • Dredging increases turbidity, reduces light penetration and is known to damage the marine environment. Much of the proposed dredging will occur around recovering seagrass meadows in Parmelia and Success Banks. These meadows provide critical habitat for species like snapper, crabs, whiting, herring and squid.  
  • Westport’s revised EPA referral document acknowledges “The proposal is likely to have significant effects on the environment,” bringing into question promises made by Westport that the new port will “deliver positive long-term benefits for the natural and physical environment.”  
As seen in this map on Westport’s website, there is a huge amount of dredging planned to make way for the port and shipping channel from Cottesloe to Cockburn Sound, making it among the biggest dredging operations in Australian history with serious potential impacts on the environment and fishing.

Click here to listen to Operations Manger Leyland Campbell’s recent ABC radio interview where he discusses Westport’s potential impacts on the environment and fishing.

Premier Roger Cook recently announced a $273 million investment to progress detailed planning for the development of a new container port in Cockburn Sound following completion of a business case for the Westport project.  

However, no indication was given as to how much – if any – of that investment would be spent on better understanding or addressing the project’s environmental impacts.  

What Recfishwest has to say on the issue

Recfishwest CEO Dr Andrew Rowland said, “The business case has not been released and the summary of the business case that has been made public fails to address the impacts on the Cockburn Sound environment from dredging 35 million m³ of sand, installing a 2km long breakwater and constructing an international shipping container port. 

“For seven years since Westport was first tabled, we’ve been asking the same questions and all we’ve heard is lip service being paid to the environment and our fishing experiences. 

“Westport project managers claim this will be an environmentally friendly port that will leave the environment in a better place. We have seen no evidence this will be the case and so many questions around the environment remain unanswered.”  

Recfishwest has recently joined the Save Cockburn Sound Alliance – a coalition of groups who have a strong connection with the Cockburn Sound and are deeply concerned about its future.  

We encourage anyone who cares about the Sound to join – check out Save Cockburn Sound’s website for more information. 

The key questions on Westport that continue to remain unanswered

  • What impact will dredging 35 million m³ of sand have on Cockburn Sound’s seagrass meadows, surrounding environment and fish stocks?
  • How will the proposed shipping channel, a 2km-long breakwater and a new port affect the environment of Cockburn Sound?
  • What plans do Westport have to minimise and mitigate the environmental and social impacts of the proposed port?
  • What other developments will the new shipping channel facilitate and what is the cumulative impact of this continued industrialisation of Cockburn sound?

New FADs season launched: 30 devices with some cutting-edge tech

Recfishwest is excited to announce the launch of this summer’s new Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs) season, with 30 devices being deployed across the southern half of WA in the coming weeks.  

This year’s rollout also includes innovative fish-monitoring technology that will be trialled for the first time in Australia. Check it out in the video below! 

Ten FADs are already in position off the north metro coast, behind Rottnest, and off Rockingham and Mandurah, ready for action.

An additional 20 FADs, stretching from Steep Point to Albany, will be deployed by the end of November, setting the stage for another fantastic summer of pelagic fishing for dolphinfish, tuna, billfish and the like.  

CHECK OUT OUR FADS WEBSITE PAGE FOR THE FADS’ CURRENT STATUS AND COORDINATES  

Sounding out an even better future for FADs

At the season launch at Hillarys, Minister for Fisheries Don Punch joined Recfishwest CEO Dr Andrew Rowland to unveil the sonar technology that will be trialled on FADs this summer. 

These buoys will provide 24/7 live data on the number and size of fish gathering around the devices, offering valuable insights into the behavior of pelagic species and supporting the continuous improvement of sportfishing opportunities on the FADs. 

The new Satlink SLX+ sounders being trialled will deploy a 35-degree beam and provide 24/7 information on the biomass of fish aggregating within 10 depth intervals (down to 115m depth).  

To save bandwidth, data from the sounder will be streamed hourly, with five-minute intervals captured from an hour before to an hour after sunrise, a key period for pelagic fishing.  

This will help DPIRD assess fish abundance under the FADs and correlate it with factors like temperature and depth.  

The data will potentially help refine future FAD placements and deployment timing.

Ongoing evolution

CEO Dr Andrew Rowland said, “It’s great to see the Government backing in this program, which began almost 30 years ago with the Perth Game Fishing Club and has since evolved through Recfishwest’s successful Statewide FADs trial.  

“We welcome DPIRD trialling these sonar buoys on six of the locations from the Abrolhos through to Albany to help better understand what fish are turning up and at what time of year.” 

“We look forward to more innovation of this kind supporting better recfishing. 

On behalf of the cast of thousands, Recfishwest will continue to keep all fishers up to date with all FADs developments.  

The FADs have produced some beautiful captures over the years for both both fishers and spearfishers, with dolphinfish a commonly encountered species at the devices. Images: Beau Suladra and Spearwest.

Five new cutting-edge FADs provide great new sportfishing opportunities for Port Hedland fishers!

Pilbara fishers have received a fantastic boost for offshore fishing options following the installation of five Fish Aggregation Devices (FADs) off the Port Hedland coast.

The new FADs were anchored in position this week in waters 20 to 40 nautical miles off Port Hedland. Recfishwest initiated the project, working closely with the local fishing community and in partnership with BHP and maritime-service provider TAMS.

Representing the State’s 700,000 recfishers, Recfishwest pioneered WA’s State-wide FADs program and drew on that expertise to drive the exciting new initiative – a first for Port Hedland.

With BHP’s support, Recfishwest procured high quality “Okabe” FADs to deploy off Port Hedland. The FADs have been built and rigged to withstand big tides and swell and therefore do not need to be taken out of the water during the cyclone season.

Attached to each FAD is a small buoy that provides satellite tracking as well as collecting water temperature data, which will be shared with fishers to enhance their fishing success.

Click here to see the five FADs coordinates off Port Hedland!

An example of what the five cutting edge “Okabe” FADs off the Port Hedland coast look like and the kind of fish they will help attract! Get out there and wet a line next to the devices for the chance to reel in billfish, wahoo, tuna and Spanish mackerel!

Through several stakeholder meetings with Recfishwest, North-West Spearfishing Club, Port Hedland Game Fishing Club and local fishers, it was made clear FADs were high on the wish-list to open up new fishing opportunities. They also advised Recfishwest on optimum locations for the FADs.

North-West Spearfishing Club’s Robbie Peck, who was instrumental in driving the FADs vision for Port Hedland, said, “It’s a great outcome which has created exciting new fishing opportunities for fast-growing, highly sustainable pelagic fish and distributing local fishing efforts across a wider area.

“The outdoor and fishing lifestyle is huge in Hedland – you’re not going to spend any time in the Pilbara without doing one or another. So we’re delighted that Recfishwest and BHP is supporting fishing in the region through initiatives like this that go a long way in adding to the attraction of living here and coming to visit.”

Cindy Dunham, BHP General Manager Port Operations said, “We’re proud to support the deployment of FADs in Port Hedland. We know how important fishing is to the Pilbara community and we hope the FADs will help bring plenty of great fishing days ahead.”

Recfishwest would also like to thank the TAMS group for their support in delivering this project.

Recfishwest’s FADs webpage has all the tips and info you need to know about fishing the FADs, along with their real-time coordinates and deployment status. Get out there and enjoy it!

Mackerel are just one of many pelagic species that will gather around the FADs, so get your lures in the water to find out what’s there! Photo credit: Marco Fraschetti @oceansdownunder.

Launch of Port Hedland’s new boat ramp unleashes fantastic year-round boat fishing opportunities

If you are part of the 80 per cent of Port Hedland residents who own a boat – start your engine, because you now have the opportunity to safely launch your boat year-round thanks to Spoilbank Marina’s new boat ramp!  

On 20 January, a crowd of excited Pilbara locals were thrilled to watch Marine Rescue Port Hedland launch the first vessel from the new and innovative four-lane Spoilbank Marina boat ramp, an important milestone for the development that gives fishers much better launching options with Port Hedland’s big tidal swings.  

Until now, boat fishers have only been able to launch their vessels from Port Hedland’s other two-lane ramps when the tidal conditions allowed it, often leading to long queues at the ramp with fishers wanting to get out and target the great Pilbara fish species on offer. 

Check out the awesome video from Marine Rescue Port Hedland below celebrating the launch of the new boat ramp!

Robbie Peck from the North West Spearfishing Club said it’s a game-changer for the coastal town, with many of Port Hedland’s 15,000-plus population being avid fishers.   

“Not only will this offset the pressure at the other boat ramps, but it is so much safer, and it has finally unlocked year-round launching which is very exciting news for the fishers up here given the FADs are coming soon and potentially artificial reefs,” said Robbie.  

“We will also soon have wash-down facilities available at the ramps and we have already seen proof that the marina rock wall itself is attracting some impressive fish species such as coral trout and mangrove jack, so as Port Hedland’s population grows this marina will serve boat boat and land-based fishers exceptionally well.”  

To compliment the new addition to the marina, Pilbara Ports Project Director John Freimanis said other developments are in the works so fishers can get the most out of the area. 

“There are multiple fish filleting and barbecue stations being developed close to the ramps so fishers will soon have the ability to duck out, catch a fish, fillet it with ease and even enjoy a cook up with friends and family at the marina if they wish to do so,” said John.  

Pilbara Ports placed fishing considerations at the fore of its ongoing construction of the Spoilbank Marina with Recfishwest’s input and given the difference between the low and high tide mark in Port Hedland is frequently around six metres, clever designs were implemented so both boat and land-based fishers could overcome this obstacle.   

Complimenting the new boat ramp is more pontoons allowing boats to be moored up, which sit directly across from the highly anticipated dual-level fishing platform that will soon be available to land-based fishers of all abilities. Image source: Pilbara Ports.

The innovative two-level fishing platform will soon allow fishers of all abilities to be adaptable and wet a line during either the low or high-tide mark and Pilbara Ports drew on Recfishwest’s artificial reef expertise to configure six reef balls underneath the platform to attract more species fishers love to target.  

“The mental, social and physical wellbeing benefits that fishing provides is crucial to so many community members in coastal towns like Port Hedland and it is great to see the Government’s input into this marina so fishers on the water and land can fully reap these rewards,” said Recfishwest CEO Dr Andrew Rowland.  

“A big thanks to the Pilbara Ports team and all players involved in the vision for the Spoilbank Marina and for providing Recfishwest the opportunity to optimise it from a recfishing viewpoint. It’s quickly becoming one of the most adaptable, innovative and welcoming fishing marinas in the country and we want to see much more of this along the WA coast.”  

The Spoilbank Marina boat ramp will initially be available for daily use between 6am and 6pm due to environmental approval restrictions related to the construction phase. The Richardson Street boat ramp will remain open for use 24 hours per day.  

Recfishwest will continue to consult with Pilbara Ports on the ongoing Spoilbank Marina construction, with the land-based jetty expected to be opened to the public in mid-2024 and landside completion expected in late-2024.  

To keep up to date with the Spoilbank Marina project, check out the Pilbara Ports Facebook page.

State-wide FADs network gets Government backing as southern/Metro FADs deployment begins!

In a great win for fishers, following Recfishwest’s successful FADs trial program, the State Government has committed to maintaining a Statewide FADs network for the next three years with the north Metro FADs already deployed.

The four most northern Metro FADs have gone in around 30 nautical miles off the coast out from Hillarys and Two Rocks.

CHECK OUT THE NORTH METRO FADS COORDINATES AND ALL OTHER FADS INFO HERE 

The rest of the Metro FADs between Mandurah and Rottnest are due to be in position by the first week of November – subject to weather conditions and logistics.

The table below shows a rough schedule of deployments for all the remaining southern FADs – but it should be noted that all deployments are subject to weather conditions and logistics.

A heads up for Gascoyne and Pilbara fishers, the six combined FADs that were deployed off Exmouth, Dampier and Point Samson have also been retrieved for maintenance prior to the cyclone season and are expected to be deployed in March until around November, 2024 to spice up the sportfishing opportunities for locals.

We will keep you up to date as soon as we learn from DPIRD once these FADs are in the water and ready to fish!

FADs location Planned time for deployment (subject to weather conditions and logistics)
The south Metro FADs between Mandurah and Rottnest Island First week of November
Lancelin (NEW!) and Jurien Bay Late November
Steep Point (NEW!) Late November
Cape Naturaliste Mid/late November
Albany Mid/late November
Geraldton/Abrolhos Islands Abrolhos Islands FADs are subject to Marine Parks Australia approvals. Once approvals have been obtained, those FADs and the one FAD off Geraldton will be deployed

At a media conference earlier this month, the Minister for Fisheries Don Punch announced the State Government’s commitment to a State-wide network of FADs for the next three years (see map below).

Minister Punch said, “The deployment of these FADs around the State follows the highly successful trial by Recfishwest. They came to us with the concept of putting them into the water, checking it out and seeing how well it worked. It’s very been well received by fishers so far, that’s why we’ve expanded it with a $1.5 million commitment from the State.”

We’re sure to see more FAD-tastic catches continue off the WA coast into the future, just like this cracking dolphin fish landed by Dwayne Robinson at one of the Cape Naturaliste FADs earlier this year!

Recfishwest CEO Dr Andrew Rowland commented, “We’re really proud to have worked with the local clubs and communities in the regions to lay the foundations for this program which the State Government is backing in as a permanent fixture along the Western Australian coastline – not only taking what we’ve done in the previous three years but expanding that to 40 FADs in 13 locations around Western Australia.

“This FADs network is something which when we travel around the State provides and unlocks new opportunities for trailer boat fishing, for sport fishing and for the charter sector. It’s great to see the State Government back that in and make it become more of a permanent fixture along the coastline.”

Recfishwest would like to acknowledge the fantastic work of Perth Game Fishing Club (PGFC) in pioneering FADs off Perth. Their efforts in running their FADs program over the years have shown the effectiveness of the devices off Perth in creating fantastic new sport fishing opportunities for boat fishers.

PGFC’s assistance and advice was invaluable in helping Recfishwest establish the three-year FADs trial that paved the way for the State Government commitment to the network of FADs announced by Minister Punch.

RECFISHWEST – KEEPING FUN IN FISHING – JOIN RECISHWEST TODAY IF YOU WANT TO SEE MORE FADS, ARTIFICIAL REEFS AND JETTIES IN THE WATER!

UPDATED 22.6.20: Recfishing and COVID-19 your questions answered

Q. Is fishing a recommended activity now that some restrictions are being lifted?

A. Yes, very much so – with home isolation now well and truly lifted, it’s a great time to get you and the kids out for a break reconnecting with the great outdoors in this glorious State of ours in the fresh air enjoying all the wellbeing benefits recfishing provides. We also recommend travelling to regional fishing locations now that some regional travel restrictions have been lifted. Increased fishing activity will help boost the State and regional economy with recfishers normally spending $2.4 billion a year on fishing of which $1.8 billion is spent on fishing trips. But we need to remember that we’re not out of the woods yet and you can play your part in helping get rid of COVID-19 in WA, by continuing to adhere to social distancing rules maintaining 2sqm between yourselves and non-family members, practising good hygiene behaviour and avoiding gatherings of more than 20 people (for example when fishing on jetties).

Q. What regional travel restrictions remain in place? 

A. From 6 June travel is permitted throughout all of Western Australia, including into the Kimberley region. Access into remote Aboriginal communities remains prohibited.

Q. When I go fishing, how can I make sure there is less risk of me catching and/or spreading COVID-19?

A. Social distancing rules for outdoors state that you must maintain 2sqm between yourself and another person during non-essential activities and non-essential gatherings are limited to 20 people. The 2sqm rule applies to boat and land-based fishing. It does not apply to members of the same household. If boating with anyone that you do not reside with, ensure you maintain social distancing (at least 2sqm apart). Other things we strongly advise you do to minimise risk of infection/spreading infection include:

  • Stay home if you’re sick.
  • Don’t make unnecessary physical contact with others. Avoid physical greetings, such as handshakes, hugs and kisses.
  • Wash your hands regularly for at least 20 seconds with soap and water or an alcohol-based sanitiser.
  • Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze. Use a flexed elbow or a tissue; if you use a tissue, dispose of it immediately and appropriately.
  • Download the COVIDSafe app.

Click here for more advice about social distancing and good hygience practices.

Q. Is there any specific advice about boating?

A. Click here for  WA Department of Transport’s recreational boating advice.

Q. What is Recfishwest doing during the COVID-19 crisis?

A. Recfishing will be more important that ever after this crisis is over for people’s mental health and wellbeing and to help boost the State and regional economies – recfishers spend $2.4 billion a year on fishing – much of which is spent in the regions. During the crisis we will be working hard to progress projects that will make recfishing better in line with our stated purpose, “To ensure great fishing experiences for all in the WA community forever”. The more we can progress initiatives to remove barriers to fishing, enhance current fishing opportunities and create new fishing options working closely with Government, the more recfishing can play a vital role in the recovery of this great State of ours.

Q. What can we do to support our local tackle store and the charter industry?

A. The local WA tackle industry has been doing it tough during COVID-19. We encourage everyone to stock up on gear from your local tackle supplier to support the local tackle industry and/or book a trip with your local charter. Click here to find out how you can support WA’s recfishing industry.