Tag: stay safe

Recfishwest’s latest TV and radio commercials encourage fishers to stick to the beaches when chasing salmon this Easter

As thousands of fishers are heading to WA’s Southern and South-West coasts this Easter to chase massive schools of migrating salmon, Recfishwest is urging fishers to “keep the sand between their toes” by fishing from beaches rather than rocks.

Recfishwest as part of its Fish and Survive Program, funded by the Recreational Fishing Initiatives Fund, is running a major public awareness campaign to promote safe salmon fishing, including a TV commercial featuring Western Angler Editor and fishing personality Scott Coghlan. Check out this video below!

The Easter holiday period marks a migration of thousands of families to chase WA salmon on their famous spawning run eager to throw in a line at large schools of the iconic sportfish.

Recfishwest and Scott are encouraging people to fish from WA’s spectacular southern beaches for a greater chance of catching salmon, with none of the risks associated with fishing off the rocks.

As Scott says in the commercial, “You’ve actually got more chance of catching a salmon from the beach than the rocks and it’s a whole lot safer.”

The ads are running on regional television and on social media and are part of Recfishwest’s Fish and Survive salmon campaign, which also includes ads on local radio, in regional newspapers and through Recfishwest’s own channels, viewed collectively by hundreds of thousands of fishers.

Recfishwest CEO Dr Andrew Rowland said, “Every year we see a migration of thousands of families and mates to our southern coastline around Easter eager to chase the migration of these iconic sportfish. Often, they are fishing in places they are not wholly familiar with.

“That’s why we’re promoting safe salmon fishing as much as we can through multiple channels and outlets to enable the cast of thousands to make good decisions about where they choose to fish and ensure everyone comes home safe after a day’s fishing.”

Recfishwest is also working with the Bureau of Meteorology to send out rock fishing alerts through our channels when periods of high swell and poor weather conditions are forecast.

We encourage anyone considering fishing off the rocks to look out for these alerts on our Facebook and Instagram platforms and through our weekly fishing reports.

As demonstrated by Western Angler’s Scott Coghlan and Recfishwest CEO Dr Andrew Rowland, you have better odds of catching salmon on our world-class beaches and this is much safer option than the rocks.

Rock fishing safety precautions

Recfishwest recommends fishers do the following if choosing to fish from the rocks:

• Always wear a lifejacket

• Fish with a friend and look out for each other

• Analyse the conditions on arrival before fishing

• Wear appropriate clothing and footwear

• Avoid fishing on black or wet rocks

• Be familiar with public safety equipment such as angel rings and rock anchor points

• Plan ahead and tell someone your plans

If you can’t swim, we strongly advise you to stay off the rocks because no fish is worth risking your life for.

Recfishwest continues to promote and support free loan lifejackets at 24 locations around Western Australia, while also implementing the deployment of rock anchor points and more than 80 angel floatation rings at popular rock fishing sites, a measure which has been proven to save lives.

To see a map of all the participating loan lifejacket stores, rock anchor points and angel ring locations, visit our 2025 Salmon Fishing webpage.

Enjoy safe and successful abalone fishing this summer

Recfishwest is encouraging all abalone fishers to enjoy safe fishing this summer by being aware of the weather conditions and wearing all the right gear.  

Thousands of abalone fishers are expected to flock to the coastline as this year’s West Coast Zone abalone season kicks off from 7-8am this Saturday, 14 December between 7-8am. 

In exciting news for abalone fishers, the stretch of coast north of Moore River up to Greenough River will reopen for the first time in 13 years, in addition to the rest of the fishery through the metro down to Busselton Jetty.  

NOTE – this extended coastline from north of the Perth metro area will not be patrolled by Surf Life Saving WA (SLSWA) volunteers, that is why it is paramount you put your safety first if walking or diving the reef this summer.  

Want to become a gun abalone fisher while also maximising your safety? Check out our latest safe abalone fishing video below that covers the best gear to use! 

The best gear to wear for successful and safe abalone fishing

If you’re fishing for abalone this summer, here’s Recfishwest’s top tips for the best gear to enable you to come home safe with a good feed of abalone:

  • Wear a wetsuit – long-sleeved is best – it keeps you warm, it’s nice and buoyant and it protects you from the reef.
  • Do NOT wear a hoodie, trackpants, baggy clothes, face masks or a rashie – they become heavy when wet and are difficult to swim in which is dangerous.
  • Wear gloves – kevlar material is best as they’re more durable and will protect you from sea urchins, the reef and sharp edges.
  • Carry a mesh bag – water can pass through it, meaning reduced drag and you are less susceptible to swell, waves and currents. It also keeps your abalone fresh.
  • Abalone measure gauge – measure your abalone and make sure they are 60mm minimum in size before removing from reef.
  • Use an abalone knife – this is much better than a screwdriver or butter knife. Do NOT use a sharp or pointed knife, this is very dangerous to you and others in moving water.
  • Dive mask – can be used for waders and diving, make sure it’s comfortable before entering water so you don’t have to adjust it in the swell. Use spit or Sea Gold to prevent mask fogging up.
  • Shorter fins for divers – they are more manoeuvrable under water and less likely to get stuck on the reef. Make sure they are a perfect fit before entering water.
  • Reef boots for waders – provide the best stability and protection when wading sharp reef. Do NOT wear heavy work boots, thongs or go barefoot.

No abalone is worth your life

Championing the State’s safe fishing program on behalf of the cast of 750,000 West Aussie fishers, Recfishwest is providing key pointers to ensure all abalone fishers enjoy a great fishing experience and come home safe and sound afterwards. 

Recfishwest Safe Fishing Coordinator Levi De Boni said, “We encourage everyone to be across the swell and weather conditions before going out on the reef to gather abalone.  

“We strongly recommend going abalone fishing with at least one buddy, but if you can’t swim then simply don’t fish – no abalone is worth risking your life for.  

“We also advise wearing a long sleeve wetsuit, gloves and reef shoes, carrying a mesh catch-bag, a mask and snorkel and using a flat edge abalone knife to prize the abs off the rocks. 

“We want everyone to enjoy their fishing for abalone and that means staying safe with everyone having a personal responsibility to ensure their own safety.”  

For more information on how to stay safe while abalone fishing, check out Surf Life Saving WA’s abalone fishing page here https://www.mybeach.com.au/coastal-safety/abalone/ 

This season’s abalone fishing sessions are scheduled on the following Saturdays between 7-8am dependent on the swell and weather forecast:

– 14 December, 2024 
– 11 January, 2025 
– 1 February, 2025 
– 15 February, 2025 

Look out for yourself and your mates and enjoy safe abalone fishing wherever you go!