Tag: shark bay

Fishing families flock to Denham for 2024 Shark Bay Fiesta!

For the 29th year running, the coastal town of Denham swelled in size for the hugely popular Shark Bay Fiesta that celebrates the fantastic fishing on offer in the Gascoyne region.  

Recfishwest joined the Denham community for the cornerstone event of its social calendar, which offers not just plenty of excitement, but also a vital boost to local businesses as scores of visitors from all corners of our state and country join in the festivities.  

What started in 1996 as a simple weekend fishing competition has since grown into a week-long extravaganza, brimming with top-notch fishing competitions for adults and kids, live music, bustling food stalls and, of course, incredible fish species turning up at the evening weigh-ins. 

Recfishwest Operations Officers Sam Russell and Levi De Boni ran our annual SunSmart fishing clinic to teach local and visiting kids how to catch, handle, and release various species, with some cracking catches being landed off the jetty in the centre of town.  

There is never a shortage of impressive catches off the local jetty in Denham during the Shark Bay Fiesta, with Recfishwest Operations Officers Sam Russell and Levi De Boni (pictured) helping kids catch and release loads of great species during our SunSmart fishing clinic!

“Around 30 kids had an awesome time releasing close to 100 fish of at least 10 different species. Some of the standout catches included legal-sized tuskfish, some black snapper and an impressive longtom,” said Levi.  

“This event is a standout in the Recfishwest fishing clinic calendar every year and it’s always one of the most energetic fishing clinics we run.”  

The Fiesta’s major fishing competition saw over 40 boats and 120 competitors making the most of the great fishing opportunities Shark Bay has to offer, with its sheltered waters producing fantastic catches of black snapper, pinkies and golden trevally to name a few.   

Numerous fishing teams aimed for renowned offshore fishing locations like Dirk Hartog Island and Steep Point, chasing some of the larger species the area is famed for such as Spanish mackerel, cobia, tuna, red emperor, Rankin cod and goldband snapper on the deeper reefs. 

A summary of the best results across the Shark Bay Fiesta! Some impressive catches included a 12.3kg red emperor and 98cm tailor!

“It was great to see the energy and enthusiasm that surrounded the event from people of all ages, from kids as young as four in the fishing clinic to retirees enjoying the high tea and fishing competition,” added Levi.  

“I’d like to give a big Recfishwest thanks to Jamie Burton, the Executive Officer and her team at the Shark Bay Community Resource Centre for their awesome job organising the event and the Denham community as a whole for their great hospitality and participation while we were in town. We’re looking forward to returning in 2025.”  

Check out more highlights from the 2024 Shark Bay Fiesta here!  

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 people who call Denham home, the annual Shark Bay Fiesta community event plays a big part in the community’s cultural life and social calendar, as well as bringing a welcome annual boost to local businesses.  

Since it started as a weekend fishing competition in 1996, the event has now blossomed into a week-long, program-packed community event with an array of social activities organised by local fundraising community groups.  

With impressive prizes up for grabs for the best catches, more than 119 competitors on 42 boats ventured into Shark Bay to experience the safe, sustainable, enjoyable and accessible fishing on offer, with many punching out wide to renowned fishing spots such as Dirk Hartog Island and Steep Point to chase Spanish mackerel, wahoo, yellowfin tuna, red emperor, goldband snapper, pearl perch and many others.  

Notable eyebrow-raising catches from the Fiesta, held between 19-26 May, included a 23.3kg Spanish mackerel, 7.54kg coral trout, 10.33kg red emperor and 92cm tailor.  

For a full summary of the 2023 Shark Bay Fiesta results, click here.  

This wahoo weighing over 20kg caught by Daryl Anesbury was just one of the spectacular fish landed during the week-long Shark Bay Fiesta competition, with 119 competitors on 42 boats bringing in great catches to the weigh-in each afternoon.

While the fishing action was non-stop, so was the Fiesta entertainment in Denham, with a huge range of family-friendly activities including live music, local business stalls, daily catch weigh-ins, quiz and bingo nights, workshops, auctions, fireworks and much more. 

Shark Bay Community Resource Centre Executive Officer Jamie Burton, who has helped coordinate the event for years, said the annual festivities never fail to create a great buzz around the town.  

“The Shark Bay Fiesta is easily the biggest community tourism boost each year in the region celebrating the importance of fishing in Shark Bay to the community while showcasing local businesses and the pristine waters of the area,” she said.  

“It’s high-class fishing to bingo, high teas, live music and fun competitions like a blindfolded pancake eating competition – there’s something for everyone of all ages.”  

Another welcome addition to this year’s Fiesta was the introduction of the ‘catch and return’ category in the fishing competition – where demersal species are caught and weighed in catch bags to reduce direct handling and potential damage to the fish, before they are safely released. Being able to safely catch and release these demersal species while still having the chance to take out impressive prizes prompted a lot of positive feedback,” added Jamie.

A lively awards ceremony reflected another successful year for the Fiesta.

A fun-packed Fiesta fishing clinic!

Recfishwest was also there to help teach the next generation of fishers how to catch, handle and release great species of fish in our SunSmart fishing clinic, with 38 kids from all around WA wetting a line for three hours and catching and releasing more than 100 fish including bluebone, black snapper, tarwhine and many other species.  

“This was one of the most productive and energetic fishing clinics that Recfishwest has coordinated as all 38 kids and their parents were kept busy catching a wide variety of impressive species off the local Denham jetties. One kid even managed to pull in a 1.8kg bluebone,” said Recfishwest Senior Operations Officer Sam Russell.  

“It was great to see visitors from inland regions experience the great coastal fishing on offer. We had several clinic attendees that had travelled from Alice Springs and they were blown away by the accessible and rewarding fishing on offer in Shark Bay. We’re sure they can’t wait to get back there and wet a line again. 

“A big thanks to Jamie Burton and the Denham community for having us and hosting another awesome Shark Bay Fiesta, we’re looking forward to coming back between 17-24 May in 2024.”  

Want to know more about the 2023 Shark Bay Fishing Fiesta? Check out their website here.  

A big thanks to all 38 kids and their families who enjoyed wetting a line with Recfishwest during our three-hour long SunSmart fishing clinic off the jetties in Denham!

Future Focus for Gascoyne Pink Snapper

Pink snapper are the lifeblood of recreational fishing in the Gascoyne. These highly prized fish provide fantastic opportunity for both local and visiting fishers to tussle with a hard fighting, yet accessible sportfish that is also rated highly on the plate.

Managing our states fisheries is an exciting and challenging task

Readers might remember management changes for oceanic pink snapper were implemented last year, which included a snapper spawning closure north of Bernier Island, offshore from Carnarvon as well as a reduction in the allowable catch for the commercial fishing sector.

The community were consulted after a stock assessment indicated a risk to snapper numbers in the region, and agreed that these measures were appropriate to try and recover the snapper stock as quickly as possible. The spawning closure had over 96% support from the community. You can read more about it here.

Managing our states fisheries is an exciting and challenging task that takes place in a dynamic environment affected by many influences. This means that it’s important to constantly check-in on how management changes are affecting both our fish stocks and our fishing experiences.

In the case of Gascoyne pink snapper, Recfishwest recently met with the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development and representatives from the commercial fishing sector to further develop the recovery plan for the oceanic pink snapper resource in the Gascoyne region.

Recfishwest is proud to continue to work with all stakeholders to refine the recovery strategy in order to rebuild this snapper stock as soon as possible

This work includes reviewing current research and management actions, endorsing appropriate catch levels and timelines for future stock assessments and discussing future management to stimulate the fishery to recover at the desired rate.

Recfishwest is proud to continue to work with all stakeholders to refine the recovery strategy in order to rebuild this snapper stock as soon as possible.

Recreational fishing is an integral part of Carnarvon’s social fabric and local economy, so it’s vitally important that we balance the protection of this valuable resource with the opportunity to visit Carnarvon and fish in other places, or for different species. Through positive community engagement and consultation, this balance was achieved.

If you are planning on travelling to Carnarvon for a fishing trip, it is worth noting that the spawning closure is in effect from the 1st of June – 31st August. This doesn’t affect fishing for other species such as coral trout or red emperor.

Positive community engagement and consultation leads to better protection of these valuable fish

Future Generations at the Forefront of Shark Bay Community’s Mind

Each year many recreational fishers travel to the World Heritage listed Shark Bay area to experience the safe, sustainable, enjoyable and accessible fishing that the region offers.

For the local community, fishing is their lifeblood, forming a huge part of their culture and providing significant economic return to the town.

With recent updates to recreational fishing rules and recent recovery of Pink Snapper stocks, the Shark Bay fishing community were driven to develop a Shark Bay Fishing Code of Conduct, to set the scene for visiting recreational fishers and locals alike.

The code of conduct aims to educate, inform and help maintain quality fishing experiences whilst supporting the protection of the environment and ensuring the human footprint is minimised for current and future generations in this outstanding region.

‘’This Code of Conduct will be of huge benefit to the entire WA recreational fishing community, especially those visiting  Shark Bay and those residing in the region, who are determined to preserve the local environment, putting conservation at the forefront of their minds whilst maintaining their passion for fishing.’’ Fishing Development Officer – Matt Gillett.

The Code of Conduct covers:

  • Using appropriate equipment
  • Fish handling techniques
  • Releasing fish
  • Catch care
  • Environmental protection
  • Recreational fishing compliance
  • Research and education

SHARK BAY CODE OF CONDUCT

The Shark Bay Code of Conduct follows on from Fishing Codes of Conduct created for the Kimberley Region and the Pilbara Region.

This was all made possible via the Round 6 of Recfishwest’s Small Community Grants Program.

The next round is currently open and closes on the 12th October 2018. Read about the Grants Program here.

Congratulations to the Shark Bay Fishing Club and community for making this happen.

 

Shark Bay Snapper Research Helps Lift 20+ Year Old Recovery Strategy

Pink Snapper are a favourite Western Australian recreational fishing species, available to boat fishers, shore fishers and novice fishers alike.  Shark Bay in WA’s mid north-west is home to some awesome Pink Snapper fishing but this has not always been the case. Many fishers will have memories of the stock collapse in the 1990s when excessive fishing wiped out a large proportion of the Shark Bay Pink Snapper population. Strict regulations were put in place as part of a community awareness program to protect the remaining stocks. These regulations included a “tag-lottery” system whereby only fishers who received tags were permitted to fish for snapper.

The Pink Snapper Research Team

A group of passionate Snapper fishers became actively involved in the management of the fishery and in the early 2000’s a group of keen community members joined forces and committed their own time and resources into catching Pink Snapper in the name of science. These fish were used to conduct a thorough stock assessment on the Shark Bay Pink Snapper populations and help shape management at the time.

These active community members aided the Department of Fisheries in collecting size and weight data of the recovering population, as well as collecting Pink Snapper otoliths (ear bones) to help with age studies, through the examination of annual growth rings on the otoliths. This information painted a picture of strong recovery for Shark Bay Pink Snapper.

As of January 2016, the unpopular tag system in Freycinet Estuary was replaced with new management arrangements which allow a bag limit of 2 Pink Snapper per day with a possession limit of 5kg of filleted fish within the Freycinet Management Zone. These changes were well received by the community who now have the opportunity to fish for this iconic species whilst maintaining this area as a wilderness fishing destination that doesn’t allow the possession of large amounts of fish.

These important stock assessments continue and with the recent collaboration of Recfishwest, another successful sampling trip was undertaken by recreational fishers in October 2016. These community champions once again donated their time and resources to ensure there is sufficient data to manage the fish they love to catch.

Stories like these reiterate how proper fisheries management informed by fisheries research can be used to successfully restore a heavily impacted fishery to a healthy and sustainable state. Recfishwest continues to support fisheries research and promote the activities that improve the fishing experience for the community.

New Rules Unlock Pink Snapper in Shark Bay

December 2015

Recfishwest welcomes the Minister for Fisheries Ken Baston’s decision to abolish the lottery based tag system for catching Pink Snapper in Shark Bay’s Freycinet Estuary.
The tag system was a restrictive management measure introduced in 2003 to the southern portion of Shark Bay’s western gulf (Freycinet Estuary) following an ongoing decline in Pink Snapper stocks.

New rules to allow improved access to Freycinet have been triggered after the latest fisheries assessment revealed a significant recovery of Pink Snapper stocks in the area.
Recfishwest’s Chief Executive Officer Dr Andrew Rowland said that Western Australia’s recreational fishers should be commended for their stewardship of the Pink Snapper resource following a decline of these iconic fish in the late nineties.

“The recreational fishing community is delighted to see the stocks return to such a healthy state,” Dr Rowland said.

“The Department of Fisheries has recognised the importance of Pink Snapper in Shark Bay, spoken with the local community and changed the rules to make fishing better.”

The tag system will be replaced with a special possession limit of five kilos of fillets or one day’s bag limit of whole fish per person for those visiting the Freycinet coast.

“The community care deeply about Pink Snapper and were keen to see the new rules align with the World Heritage values for which Shark Bay is recognised.”

“These new rules will allow more fishers to enjoy the fantastic fishing opportunities that Shark Bay has to offer while ensuring the health of the fishery for many years to come.” Dr Rowland said.

The new rules will come into effect on January 1, 2016.
Fact File (Map attached):
– Lottery tag based system for Pink Snapper in Freycinet Estuary abolished after 12 years of enforcement
– Daily Bag Limit for Freycinet is 2 per person per day (and all of Shark Bay)
– New possession limit of 5kg of fillets or 1 days bag limit of whole fish applies to the Freycinet coast
– Maximum size limit for Pink Snapper removed throughout Shark Bay