Tag: pilbara

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.

Enhanced sport fishing opportunities for Dampier and Point Samson with four FADs deployed for the first time!

Pilbara boat fishers off Dampier and Point Samson now have enhanced sportfishing options available to them, with four Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs) deployed off the Pilbara towns for the first time in WA’s history.

The latest FADs deployments include one device approximately 40km (22 nautical miles) north, north-west off Point Samson in a depth of 37m, with the other three FADs deployed around 50km (27 nautical miles) north-west of Dampier in depths of 40-46m.

GET THE NEW DAMPIER AND POINT SAMSON FADS COORDINATES HERE! 

The devices have been deployed off Dampier to attract mainly black marlin, sailfish and wahoo, while the Point Samson FAD is expected to attract the same species for sportfishers with dolphinfish also a welcome possibility.

Vince Amico from Adventure Sports in Karratha said the deployment location of the three Dampier FADs – coordinated by Recfishwest and DPIRD – are bang on the money for attracting larger pelagic predators in the coming weeks.

“Given their depths and the water temperatures, I think they will fire up brilliantly for pelagics and both Recfishwest and DPIRD have done a great job on researching where to put them to the greatest benefit of the community,” said Vince.

“These FADs are on the way to most of the trolling or bottom bouncing spots for locals and are relatively close together, so they have the option of fishing all FADs within one session which will help them save on fuel.

“The best tip I can give to anglers heading out there is make sure you are courteous to others and don’t anchor up directly on the FADs. It’s a first in, best dressed scenario, so if you turn up to fish a FAD and it’s already quite busy, there are thankfully other FADs close by.”

For tips on how to fish the FADs and FADS fishing etiquette, click here.

It is another feather in the cap of the State-wide FADs program, which is being run by DPIRD in partnership with Recfishwest.

Marlin, sailfish and wahoo catches could be a common occurrence next to the four FADs recently deployed off Dampier and Point Samson in our State’s Pilbara region, with three devices in the drink off Dampier and one device positioned north of Point Samson. Photo credit: Marco Fraschetti.

“FADs being deployed off this northern stretch of the WA coast for the first time is a big win for the Dampier and Pilbara region fishing community and it’s going to be exciting to see how catches coming off these FADs compare to other parts of the State where the devices have been rolled out,” said Recfishwest Operations Lead Matt Gillett.

With the State Government committed to funding a full-time and State-wide FADs program for at least the next three years, Recfishwest is hoping to develop more new sustainable fishing opportunities like these that can provide great fishing opportunities and better value to the WA fishing community.

Want to know more about FADs and their coordinates? Check out the Recfishwest FADs webpage.

The newly deployed FADs could fire up quickly for attracting larger sportfish, making them a potential hotspot for competitors in King Bay Game Fishing Club’s Dampier Classic between 18-21 August. Right photo credit: Marco Fraschetti.

Land-based fishing access for Port Hedland goes to the next level – literally!

Thanks to an innovative jetty design, Port Hedland’s new land-based fishing platform will adapt perfectly to the ever-changing conditions, so land-based fishers won’t have to!

What’s more, the Pilbara Ports Authority (PPA) has safely deployed six mangrove jack, cod and coral trout-attracting reef balls, donated by Rio Tinto, under the smart-design jetty to further enhance fishing opportunities.

PPA placed fishing considerations at the fore of its ongoing construction of the Spoilbank Marina, with better flexibility to fish during Port Hedland’s large tidal swings implemented into the jetty’s design and build.

Given the difference between the low and high tide mark in Port Hedland is frequently around six metres, PPA constructed two levels on the platform that allows fishers the freedom to wet a line either during the low or high tide mark, with wheelchair accessibility included.

Drawing on our artificial reef expertise, Recfishwest assisted PPA in the configuration of the six reef balls, providing tips on how to maximise the effectiveness of the reef modules.

Six reef balls have been safely positioned under the innovative dual-level fishing platform and slightly off to either side to create an inviting habitat for fish and boost the abundance in species for land-based anglers.

The pylons of the jetty themselves will help provide shelter and structure for the settlement of marine flora, algae, crustaceans and bait fish, further encouraging multiple species that fishers love to target to congregate and move between the pylons and individual reef structures.

We have also advised PPA on deploying additional reef ball modules and other reef structures around the marina parallel to the breakwall on the inside of the marina.

By providing other areas of habitat enhancement within the marina, this will help reduce overcrowding on the fishing jetty upon its completion, while also increasing catches of sought-after species.

An artist’s impression of the Spoilbank Marina fishing platform being constructed by the Pilbara Ports Authority. The platform will give recreational fishers improved access to fishing the fluctuating low or high-tide mark in Port Hedland.

Recfishwest CEO Dr Andrew Rowland said, “It’s great to see that the Pilbara Ports Authority have taken the interests of recreational fishers to heart in designing this marina and fishing platform – we’d like to see other Ports Authorities’ follow this example providing better access for land-based fishers.”

“Not only does the design take advantage of the fluctuating tides in this region, but the modules positioned in the marina will eventually house a wide range of species the community loves to catch.”

It’s good news for Port Hedland’s boat fishers too in the $187.5 million construction of the Spoilbank Marina project, funded by the State Government, Town of Port Hedland and BHP.

“Once complete, the marina will feature a four-lane boat ramp, 22 boat pens, fish cleaning stations and barbecue facilities,” said Pilbara Ports Authority General Manager Engineering and Infrastructure, Charles Kretzmann.

“The Spoilbank Marina will improve safe access to deep water by providing a separate entrance channel for recreational boaters and fishers to use away from large commercial bulk carriers navigating in and out of the port,” added Charles.

Recfishwest will continue to consult with PPA on the ongoing Spoilbank Marina construction, which is expected to be operational by late 2023, with landside completion expected in early 2024.

If you wish to keep up to date on the Spoilbank Marina project, check out the Spoilbank Marina Facebook Page.

Port Hedland has always been an attractive land-based fishing destination for many anglers given the wide range of species on offer and the new Spoilbank Marina development by the Pilbara Ports Authority aims to enhance fishing accessibility in this region.

 

Exploring fishing opportunities in helping control the spread of redclaw in WA’s north

Redclaw might look and taste similar to their delicious southern freshwater cousins, but unlike marron they are not native to Western Australia and are classified as a pest species.  

Not only are they invasive, but they are also exceptionally adaptable to tough environments with the ability to survive out of the water for up to 48 hours. It means they can move freely and modify river environments including physical habitats, food-web structures and water quality, while displacing native species through predation and competition.  

It is why Recfishwest is targeting increased recreational fishing opportunities for redclaw to manage and monitor the spread of this crayfish, providing recfishers with better education on the species and improved measures on catching them, so they can do their part to help the environment with the added incentive of taking home a delicious feed!

Redclaw crayfish can survive out of the water for 48 hours, moving freely and taking over fresh waterways with a broad diet that limits the resources for native WA species.

“Recfishwest believes a more coordinated approach is needed in WA to help stem the distribution and impact of redclaw. The two key components of a new approach are better community education and allowing more fishers to target redclaw while reducing the chances of by-catch of other native species,” said Recfishwest CEO Dr Andrew Rowland. 

“We are making the case to DPIRD to legalise effective, wildlife-friendly fishing gear for redclaw for more northern regions of WA which which avoids the entrapment of fish, turtles or other native animals throughout the Gascoyne, Pilbara and Kimberley regions.” 

“This would be a win-win scenario as recreational fishers can target a delicious species while directly reducing the ecological impacts of redclaw through these northern freshwater ecosystems.”   

Recfishwest will continue to keep the recreational fishing community updated of any changes in regulations for redclaw crayfish fishing throughout our Gascoyne, Pilbara and Kimberley regions. If you catch redclaw, send pictures to DPIRD and make note of when and where you caught it, including GPS coordinates if possible.  

Please dispatch all the redclaw you catch and do not return any to the water or move them around to other locations. If you catch redclaw, the FishWatch number to report them is 1800 815 507, or people can email aquatic.biosecurity@dpird.wa.gov.au. 

 

Click here for a rundown on the current legal practices for catching redclaw crayfish in WA. 

Recfishwest is pushing for an increase in fishing opportunities for redclaw while reducing by-catch to limit their impact on the environment and providing recreational fishers with a five-star quality feed.

Redclaw fact file

Growing up to 25 centimetres in length with a mottled blue-green colouration, they are tolerant of a wide variety of habitats, from fast flowing rivers to still billabongs. The females are also able to spawn up to 1,000 eggs multiple times per year, meaning the population can multiply rapidly and become self-sustaining.  

They eat a wide variety of prey including small aquatic invertebrates, molluscs and aquatic plants. This diverse diet means native north-western aquatic animals such as fish and turtles are competing with redclaw for food.  

As a result, it is recommended redclaw crayfish are not to be released if caught. 

They are widely considered a freshwater delicacy with the texture and flavour of their flesh compared favourably with other marine crustaceans, with their sweet-flavoured meat containing low levels of fat, cholesterol, and salt.

Over the past two decades, redclaw crayfish have rapidly spread west from their natural habitat of north-east Queensland and the Northern Territory. They are now distributed throughout a number of sites in the Pilbara region, including the Karijini and Millstream National Parks, the Fortescue River, Newman and Lake Kununurra. They have also been detected in the Harding Dam near Karratha.  

Redclaw are rapidly moving across Western Australia, with catches reported as far west as Karratha and as far south as Newman. To see the current WA distribution and catch regulations for redclaw, visit the DPIRD website.

 

Recfishwest on the road – our Cossack fishing clinic!

Recfishwest’s recent fishing clinic in the Pilbara town of Cossack was a major hit with the local community, enthusiastically attended by kids, adults and Elders alike all eager to wet a line!  

Taking place on beautiful Ngarluma land, the fishing clinic, run by Recfishwest, with the support of the Ngarluma Yindjibarndi Foundation Ltd, Roebourne Hub Community Resource Centre, Woodside Energy and DPIRD, saw at least 40 kids and adults arrive by buses supplied by the Yaandina Community Services and Real Employment for Aboriginal People (REFAP) to one of Cossack’s popular fishing platforms. 

As soon as the next generation of young fishers turned up and saw the rods and hand lines perched against the rocks waiting for them, they excitedly sprinted over itching to get casting!  

Over 40 fishers from the Roebourne community both young and old tried their luck at catching a wide range of species, with many having success!

Recfishwest acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land and sea, and we pay our respect to Elders past, present and future. We recognise the strength, resilience and capacity of traditional custodians in managing and caring for the land and sea. We acknowledge and respect their continuing culture and the contribution they make to life in WA.

Running for around five hours, it was clear that none of the fishers wanted to take breaks either! Attendees fished non-stop and landed great species such as golden trevally, bream, honeycomb cod, estuary cod and others.  

Around 30 rods and 15 hand lines made available from Recfishwest were handed out to attendees and our team was kept busy baiting the hooks of fishers, who were happily educated and entertained with fishing tips and bites.  

With a strong connection and knowledge of sea country, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities share many of the same values as recreational fishers and those in and around Cossack were no exception!    

The care for the sustainability of these species was evident by all of those attending the clinic, with a majority of fish caught and carefully and quickly released back into the pristine waters.  

Recfishwest’s Sam Russell said, “We had just as much fun coordinating this fishing clinic as the friendly kids and Elders did in wetting a line. Their connection to the land and sea and passion for fishing was abundantly clear and it was awesome to see fishing bringing people together in this way,” said “There was plenty of fish biting and seeing everyone coming together and catching a few was one of those moments that make doing what we do so special – we can’t wait to come back next year.”  

Danielle East, Woodside Communities Advisor for Corporate Affairs in Karratha, said, “The event was incredibly successful and the feedback we have received from participants has been very positive. Community members are already asking when there will be another clinic!” said Danielle. 

“We certainly would like to see more of these types of activities in the future. The knowledge sharing that was made possible from this event was invaluable. Not only the information the Recfishwest team could share with community, but the knowledge the Elders were able to share with Recfishwest was very useful too.” 

It’s clear how important fishing is for regional aboriginal community members, who have a strong cultural connection to the land and waters.

Our Recfishwest team are also excited to head back to Cossack next year and engage with community members.  

“We’d like to thank NYFL and the Roebourne community for their warm welcome and Woodside Energy for funding this program, none of this would have been possible without all of you guys.”  

Make sure you check out the Ngarluma Yindjibarndi Foundation Ltd Facebook post for more images of this fishing clinic!   

Scott’s Species – Red Bass – the mangrove jack look-alike

Red bass

Lutjanus bohar

Eating: 3.5 stars

ID – Forked caudal fin, deep nostril grove forward of eyes. Brown colour to the top of the body with deep red flanks, yellow colouration of the eye.

One of the toughest fish on the reef, red bass are a striking looking species and a powerful predator.

Growing to 90cm and around 15 kilos while boasting a serious set of fangs, they are generally found around structure in shallow water, although they are known to travel in depths of over 100m.

Red bass are a great looking fish and love hitting surface lures.

They look a lot like mangrove jack and have inherited the same aggressive predatory smash-and-grab characteristics, often charging well up from the bottom to annihilate lures before trying to storm back to structure as quickly as they can.

All my encounters with red bass have been while chasing giant trevally along fringing reefs, and they are a regular bycatch when fishing this way. They are usually found around inshore or offshore coral reefs, with locations like Ningaloo, Monte Bellos and Rowley Shoals known for them.

They are usually distributed from Carnarvon up further north. While they don’t have the power and size of a big GT, they are a strong fish in their own right and put up a great fight on suitable tackle.

This Fiji red bass hit a stickbait worked over the edge of a coral reef.

They are happy to come to the surface to hit a popper or stickbait, usually accompanied with a vivid red flash that leaves little doubt as the identity of the fish trying to bullock straight back to the bottom. They will also take trolled lures and jigs and are believed to be very active at night. Because they fight ‘dirty,’ strong tackle is needed to catch red bass, with most taken on GT-type spinning gear.

On a recent trip to the Rowley Shoals we were constantly entertained by them while on the mooring inside the lagoon. Groups of big bass would hang around the boat looking for food scraps, especially at night when small baitfish were attracted to the lights. Every now and then there would be a massive splash as a bass took out an unfortunate baitfish on the edge of the light.

They are certainly a prolific species around the Rowley’s and the lagoon had loads of them. I’ve caught them along the Ningaloo Reef, where a mate Glenn Edwards actually got one on fly. I’ve also caught them in Vanuatu and Fiji.

They are good eating by all reports, but in other parts of the world such as the Pacific nations they are not considered an eating fish due to the danger of ciguatera poisoning. However, this is not believed to be an issue in WA.

Red bass are prolific at the Rowley Shoals, where Ross Italiano picked up this beauty.

Onslow fishing community gets hooked on Fishing for Science

Recfishwest recently had the pleasure to attend the 2022 Munro’s MACK10K competition in Onslow to run our Fishing for Science program – and the mackies came thick and fast for our sampling table!

The annual competition, hosted by the Ashburton Anglers Fishing Club, pulls in hundreds of passionate fishers from across the state, with impressive prizes on offer across more than a dozen challenge categories.

The 2022 Munro’s MACK10K fishing competition had generous prizes on offer! Make sure you check out the Ashburton Anglers Facebook Page for more details on this great annual event.

Working in collaboration with Paul Lewis from DPIRD, our Recfishwest staff were directly involved in gathering data from Spanish mackerel brought into the weigh-in station from 233 competitors across 69 boats.

Thanks to the contribution of the friendly local anglers, our Fishing for Science program collected data from more than 60 mackerel. This included their weight, length, condition, sex and maturity stage.

CHECK OUT OUR FISHING FOR SCIENCE PAGE HERE

Not only did our Recfishwest Operations Officer Sam Russell also take belly samples from each fish for future research, but he was also elected as “resident fish filleter” for the competition! Sam sliced and diced his way through plenty of mackerel for several hours straight each night, before handing fillets out to grateful members of the community from anglers kindly donating their impressive catches.

In addition, Paul from DPIRD  took the otoliths from the 61 sampled fish donated by the competitors to determine their age, with the finalised data to be used in conjunction with commercial catch data to provide clear assessments of the Spanish mackerel stock in the Pilbara Management Area – so a win-win for the local community, DPIRD and the future of these spectacular pelagic powerhouses.

Recfishwest’s Sam Russell and DPIRD’s Paul Lewis (pictured) received a great response for the fish sampling activities for the Fishing for Science program, taking samples from more than 60 fish.

“Thanks to the fantastic response and keen interest of the Onslow fishing community who are just as passionate as we are about fish sustainability and research, Fishing for Science is a great way for fishers to learn more about the fish they love to catch while contributing toward the collection of data that will benefit the fishery in the future,” said Recfishwest Operations Officer Sam Russell.

“We need to say a huge thanks to Paul from DPIRD for his tireless sampling efforts and the crew at Ashburton Anglers for their hospitality during this great annual competition. Having a yarn with the locals and participants shows how much they care about the fish being caught.”

Congratulations to all 15 category winners from the Munro’s MACK10K competition and watch this space for future Fishing for Science initiatives.

Point Samson Fishing Frenzy

Recfishwest and the Pilbara community of Point Samson joined forces for the Easter long weekend to assist the Point Samson Community Association (PSCA) with their first and very successful Junior Fishing Competition.

It was a three day “Catch, Click and Release” event, promoting safe and sustainable family fishing. The small event drew fishers in from as far away as Dampier and Port Hedland, swelling the small community from 300 to over an impressive 500!

Recfishwest held free fishing clinics on Good Friday and Easter Saturday at the town beach to encourage interest in the competition and be the source of any information kids and families needed to answer their fishing questions for the weekend. The clinics covered fishing and environment, safety, catch care, gear handling, casting skills and of course the SunSmart principals of Slip, Slop, Slap, Slide and Seek.

Both clinics were very well attended and the majority of participants were registered to fish in the weekend competition. After the all-important introduction, demonstration and safety talk, kids and families headed to the water to try out some of the casting techniques they had just learned and caught a variety of local species including Garfish, Trevally, Flathead and the very toothy Long Tom.

The competition kicked off early Saturday with over 90 junior entrants (6-16 years) collecting their registration packs from The Cove Caravan park. Rego packs included PSCA back sack, bucket hat and water bottle, a Halco lure, current Fisheries ruler sticker and a hook-out; the hook remover tool.

The morning of Easter Sunday, earlier than expected, an influx of keen families descended on the Community Hall and parkland before the official 11am kick-off time. The PSCA had organised food trucks, local groups fundraising with food stalls, bouncing castle and an Easter egg hunt.

The pressure was on for the judges to tally the competition results. Over 50 photos of an amazing variety of fish and shellfish were sorted through, debated on and organised into categories. Finally at half past midday the results were in. Of the 20 awesome prize packs up for grabs, only three categories went unclaimed. Among the notables were “most unusual catch”, a clam – “mystery fish” a dark surgeon and the extremely cheeky April fool’s joke entrant of very large deep sea arrow squid; turned out to be the bait that a young competitor had purchased to catch his quarry, to no avail, so decided to play the April first card on the judges!

The prize pool included fishing rods, tackle packs and junior fishing gear bundles all generously supplied by event supporters Shimano, Halco Lures, local business Tidal Solutions Pty Ltd, NYFL (Ngarluma Yindjibarndi Foundation Ltd) and the PSCA.

As the young winners celebrated and examined their loot, the afternoon activities were set up on the grass. Locals were not particularly phased and

many joined in, but the combination of lots of chocolate and Pilbara heat kept a number of kids away from the casting skills game and the tug-of-war. Many chose to divide their time between swimming at the beach and the bouncing castle or in the shade of the playground or park.

This event was an amazing success for the PSCA and without the support from City of Karratha, local Woolworths, Rio Tinto, not to mention the vast number of volunteer hours put in by PSCA president and committee members, staff at The Cove Caravan Park and all the other community volunteers.

We hope to continue to support this event into the future and look forward to more opportunities like this in the Pilbara.

If you and your community group, would like to see our fishing clinic program visit you, please contact our fishing clinic coordinator Kate, to get the local kids off the couch and into fishing.

The Recfishwest Statewide Family Fishing Clinics are made possible by the funding support of Healthway and Getaway Outdoors, and other contributing partners.