Ecological Assessment of the South Australian Marine Scalefish Fishery 2019

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Ecological Assessment of the South Australian Marine Scalefish Fishery 2019 Ecological assessment of the South Australian Marine Scalefish Fishery Reassessment report prepared for the Department of the Environment and Energy Department of Primary Industries and Regions South Australia Fisheries and Aquaculture March 2019 Ecological assessment of the South Australian Marine Scalefish Fishery - Reassessment report prepared for the Department of the Environment and Energy. Information current as of March 2019 © Government of South Australia 2019 DISCLAIMER PIRSA and its employees do not warrant or make any representation regarding the use, or results of the use, of the information contained herein as regards to its correctness, accuracy, reliability and currency or otherwise. PIRSA and its employees expressly disclaim all liability or responsibility to any person using the information or advice. ALL ENQUIRIES: Jonathan McPhail Primary Industries and Regions SA (PIRSA) Level 15, 25 Grenfell Street GPO Box 1671, Adelaide SA 5001 T (08) 8429 0508 E [email protected] - 2 - Purpose The purpose of this report is to provide an assessment of commercial South Australian Marine Scalefish Fishery (MSF) for the purposes of Part 13 and 13(A) under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). This report updates information provided to the then Australian Government Department of Sustainability Environment, Water Population and Communities (now known as Department of the Environment and Energy, DotEE) in 2016. The report has been prepared by the Fisheries and Aquaculture Division of the Department of Primary Industries and Regions South Australia (PIRSA) in accordance with the Guidelines for the Ecologically Sustainable Management of Fisheries 2nd Edition, and particularly addresses the level of change that has occurred since the 2016 assessment. Level of assessment The South Australian MSF was assessed as an approved Wildlife Trade Operation in 2016. Since the last assessment, there have been changes in some areas of interest or particular issues as outlined in the Guidelines for the Ecologically Sustainable Management of Fisheries These have been reported in the annual fishery reports to DotEE. Table 1: Level of assessment required by South Australian MSF Issue Area of Interest Yes No Has there been any change to management Fishery X arrangements, and/ or fishing practices? Has there been any change to an environmental External Influences issue/influence outside of the fishery X management agencies control? Has there been any change in the nature, scale, Interaction with intensity of impact, and/or management X protected species response? Has there been any change in the nature, scale Ecosystem impact or intensity of impact, and/or subsequent X management response? Target Stock Has there been any change in the target stock X Status status? By-product/ Has there been any change in the by-product X bycatch status. and/or bycatch stock status? Considering the above, the level of submission requirement for the South Australian MSF is ‘Standard’. - 3 - Background The regulations that govern the management of the Marine Scalefish Fishery are the Fisheries Management Act 2007, the Fisheries Management (Marine Scalefish Fisheries) Regulations 2017, the Fisheries Management (General) Regulations 2017 and the Fisheries Management (Fish Processor) Regulations 2017. The current management plan for the MSF, the Management Plan for the South Australian Commercial Marine Scalefish Fishery (MSF Management Plan), was adopted in 2013 and applies for a period of 10 years. A comprehensive review of this management plan for the purpose of determining whether the plan should be amended, replaced or reinstated without amendment, will be undertaken after the fifth anniversary of the commencement of the plan. The MSF Management Plan, and other Marine Scalefish Fishery documents can be found at: http://www.pir.sa.gov.au/fishing/commercial_fishing/commercial_fisheries/marine_scalefish_fishery Fishery The MSF includes the take of most marine species of fish, molluscs, crustaceans, annelids and sharks that occur in South Australia, but excludes Rock Lobster, Prawns, Abalone, and freshwater fish species, all of which are managed separately. There are more than 50 species of ‘scalefish’ taken by commercial fishers in South Australia, however, for the purpose of this report the main target species will be considered in three categories (primary, secondary and tertiary – see appendix A), as identified in the MSF Management Plan (PIRSA 2013). Commercial Fishery The total commercial catch of marine scalefish species in South Australia 2016/17 was 2,519 tonnes (Figure 1), valued at almost $23 million. The Marine Scalefish Fishery was responsible for the employment of around 576 full-time equivalent (fte) jobs through direct employment and jobs in flow-on businesses (Econsearch, 2018). As at 1 March 2019 there were 304 Marine Scalefish Fishery licences and 3 Restricted Marine Scalefish Fishery licences. The number of licences in the fishery has decreased significantly from 865 licences in 1984. A number of other separately managed fisheries maintain some level of access to marine scalefish species. The level of access and restrictions on access varies between each fishery and, as with the MSF, these restrictions are implemented through a mix of regulations, licence conditions and other legal instruments. Further details on this access can be found in the MSF Management Plan (PIRSA 2013). - 4 - The MSF is a multi-gear fishery that uses up to 21 types of fishing gear. The majority of fishing effort occurs in the line gear category including longlines, rod and lines and handlines. The use of nets including accounts for around 16% of fishing effort (Mackay 2018). The MSF commercial fishery is primarily managed through input controls, however, a number of output controls are also used. A heterogeneous mixture of participants, fishing devices and licence conditions, make the task of managing this fishery complex. The large number of licence holders, the large number of species being targeted and variations and permutations of licence endorsements compounds the complexity of the current management arrangements. A description of the management arrangements, gear types and access arrangements for the MSF are provided in the MSF Management Plan (PIRSA 2013). The State Government has established a 'Commercial Marine Scale Fisheries Reform Advisory Committee' to guide the development and implementation of a reform package for the South Australian commercial Marine Scalefish Fishery. Measures that may be considered include zoning, fleet rationalization and introduction of a modernised fisheries management system. As the Advisory Committee develops reform options, consultation will be undertaken with all licence holders to ensure all fishers have the opportunity to have input to the reform process. Recreational Fishery The South Australian recreational fishery is primarily managed through output controls in the form of daily bag and boat limits, and minimum and/or maximum size limits for all key species as well as a number of spatial and temporal closures that apply to both commercial and recreational fishers. The most up to date information regarding the participation rates and demographics among recreational fishers is derived from the ‘South Australian Recreational Fishing Survey 2013/14’ (Giri and Hall, 2015). The survey estimated that approximately 277,000 South Australians recreational fished in 2013/14. This represented a participation rate of 18.3% of the South Australian population. A total of 89 individual species or species groups were reported as caught by recreational fishers in the survey period. The survey provided statistically robust estimates of recreational fish catch and effort for key species including King George Whiting, Snapper, Southern Garfish and Blue Swimmer Crabs among other species. This data is considered in stock assessments and other reports used in managing the commercial fishery. See www.pir.sa.gov.au/fishing/publications/rec_fishing_survey for the full report. For further details on the recreational fishing rules please go to; http://www.pir.sa.gov.au/fishing/recreational_fishing. - 5 - Management changes in the fishery There have been a number of changes in the management of the MSF since the last assessment, including: Large Mesh Nets PIRSA has introduced management arrangements to monitor the use of large mesh nets, which may include fishery area closures if effort levels in marine fisheries areas breach triggers. These arrangements have been implemented to address risks of Australian Sea Lion interactions in the MSF. King George Whiting In December 2016, PIRSA implemented the following management changes for King George Whiting in response to declining stock status in some areas of the State: • A reduction in the state-wide recreational daily bag limit to 10 (from 12) and the boat limit to 30 (from 36) to improve the sustainability of the species and to return the recreational catch to within its allocated share of the resource; • An increase in the legal minimum size limit to 32 cm (previously 31 cm) for all fishers, east of 136°E, which is adjacent to Cape Catastrophe on the tip of the Eyre Peninsula to allow more juvenile fish to reach the spawning areas near lower Yorke Peninsula; • The introduction of an annual spawning spatial closure for the month of May over an area of southern Spencer Gulf, southern Gulf St Vincent and Investigator Strait, where the take and possession
Recommended publications
  • VARIATION in SETTLEMENT and LARVAL DURATION of Klng GEORGE WHITING, SILLAGINODES PUNCTATA (SILLAGINIDAE), in SWAN BAY, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA
    BULLETIN OF MARINE SCIENCE, 54(1): 281-296, 1994 VARIATION IN SETTLEMENT AND LARVAL DURATION OF KlNG GEORGE WHITING, SILLAGINODES PUNCTATA (SILLAGINIDAE), IN SWAN BAY, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA Gregory P. Jenkins and Helen M. A. May ABSTRACT Otoliths were examined from late-stage larvae and juveniles of King George whiting, Sillaginodes punctata, collected from Swan Bay in spring 1989. Increments in otoliths of larval S. punctata are known to be formed daily. A transition in the microstructure of otoliths from late-stage larvae was apparently related to environmental changes associated with entry to Port Phillip Bay. The pattern of abundance of post-larvae of S. punctata in fortnightly samples supported the contention that the transition was formed immediately prior to "set- tlement" in seagrass habitats. Backcalculation to the otolith transition suggested that five cohorts had entered Swan Bay, each approximately 10 days apart, from late September to early November. Stability of this pattern for juveniles from sequential samples indicated that otolith increments continued to be formed daily in the juvenile stage. The pattern of settlement was consistent for two sites within Swan Bay. The larval phase of King George whiting settling in Port Phillip Bay was extremely long and variable, ranging from approximately 100 to 170 days. Age at settlement was more variable than length, and growth rate at settlement was I I extremely slow, approximately 0.06 mm ·d- • • Backcalculated hatching dates ranged from April to JUly. July. Increment widths in the larval stage suggest that growth slows after approxi- mately 45 to 75 days; beyond which individuals are in a slow growth, competent stage of 40 to 100 days.
    [Show full text]
  • Information Sheet
    Illustration © R. Swainston/anima.net.au Information sheet Yellowfin whiting (Sillago schombergkii) Distribution Identification Yellowfin whiting (also known as western sand Adults have no distinguishing body markings and are whiting) are endemic to south-western Australia from best identified by their yellow ventral and anal fins Western Australia (Onslow) to South Australia (Gulf St and a weakly forked tail. Juveniles have faint black Vincent). WA and SA host separate breeding stocks. blotches on the body and may be confused with juvenile western trumpeter whiting. Stock structure and movement In WA, populations within the Gascoyne Coast Growth Bioregion and West Coast Bioregion are believed Can reach a maximum of 427 mm total length (TL) to have limited connectivity and so are regarded as and 12 years of age. Females and males attain separate stocks. sexual maturity at 2 years, at 200 and 190 mm TL, respectively. Females grow slightly larger than males. In the West Coast Bioregion, some fish live in estuaries for much the year, but these fish migrate Reproduction to sea to join their ocean-dwelling counterparts to Spawning typically occurs at water temperatures spawn in late spring/early summer. Hence, fish of 22-24 ºC. Spawning occurs August-December across the West Coast Bioregion belong to the same in northern areas (e.g. Shark Bay) and December- breeding stock (e.g. fish caught in the Peel-Harvey February in southern areas (e.g. Perth). Spawning Estuary are part of the same population as those in occurs over a longer period in northern areas Geographe Bay or Jurien Bay).
    [Show full text]
  • Biology, Stock Status and Management Summaries for Selected Fish Species in South-Western Australia
    Fisheries Research Report No. 242, 2013 Biology, stock status and management summaries for selected fish species in south-western Australia Claire B. Smallwood, S. Alex Hesp and Lynnath E. Beckley Fisheries Research Division Western Australian Fisheries and Marine Research Laboratories PO Box 20 NORTH BEACH, Western Australia 6920 Correct citation: Smallwood, C. B.; Hesp, S. A.; and Beckley, L. E. 2013. Biology, stock status and management summaries for selected fish species in south-western Australia. Fisheries Research Report No. 242. Department of Fisheries, Western Australia. 180pp. Disclaimer The views and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Department of Fisheries Western Australia. While reasonable efforts have been made to ensure that the contents of this publication are factually correct, the Department of Fisheries Western Australia does not accept responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of the contents, and shall not be liable for any loss or damage that may be occasioned directly or indirectly through the use of, or reliance on, the contents of this publication. Fish illustrations Illustrations © R. Swainston / www.anima.net.au We dedicate this guide to the memory of our friend and colleague, Ben Chuwen Department of Fisheries 3rd floor SGIO Atrium 168 – 170 St Georges Terrace PERTH WA 6000 Telephone: (08) 9482 7333 Facsimile: (08) 9482 7389 Website: www.fish.wa.gov.au ABN: 55 689 794 771 Published by Department of Fisheries, Perth, Western Australia. Fisheries Research Report No. 242, March 2013. ISSN: 1035 - 4549 ISBN: 978-1-921845-56-7 ii Fisheries Research Report No.242, 2013 Contents ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...............................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Fish Assemblage Structure, Movement and Recruitment in the Coorong and Lower Lakes in 2018/19
    Fish assemblage structure, movement and recruitment in the Coorong and Lower Lakes in 2018/19 C. M. Bice, B. P. Zampatti and J. Fredberg SARDI Publication No. F2011/000186-9 SARDI Research Report Series No. 1043 SARDI Aquatics Sciences PO Box 120 Henley Beach SA 5022 December 2019 Bice et al. (2019) Coorong fish assemblage structure, movement and recruitment 2018/19 Fish assemblage structure, movement and recruitment in the Coorong and Lower Lakes in 2018/19 C. M. Bice, B. P. Zampatti and J. Fredberg SARDI Publication No. F2011/000186-9 SARDI Research Report Series No. 1043 December 2019 II Bice et al. (2019) Coorong fish assemblage structure, movement and recruitment 2018/19 This publication may be cited as: Bice, C. M., Zampatti, B. P. and Fredberg, J. (2019). Fish assemblage structure, movement and recruitment in the Coorong and Lower Lakes in 2018/19. South Australian Research and Development Institute (Aquatic Sciences), Adelaide. SARDI Publication No. F2011/000186-9. SARDI Research Report Series No. 1043. 67pp. SARDI Aquatic Sciences 2 Hamra Avenue West Beach SA 5024 Telephone: (08) 8207 5400 Facsimile: (08) 8207 5415 http://www.pir.sa.gov.au/research DISCLAIMER The contents of this publication do not purport to represent the position of the Commonwealth of Australia or the MDBA in any way and are presented for the purpose of informing and stimulating discussion for improved management of the Basin's natural resources. To the extent permitted by law, the copyright holders (including its employees and consultants) exclude all liability to any person for any consequences, including but not limited to all losses, damages, costs, expenses and any other compensation, arising directly or indirectly from using this report (in part or in whole) and any information or material contained in it.
    [Show full text]
  • Recreational Fishing Guide 2021
    Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development Recreational fishing guide 2021 New rules apply from 1 July 2021 see page 3 for details Includes Statewide bag and size limits for Western Australia, and Recreational Fishing from Boat Licence information Published June 2021 Page i Important disclaimer The Director General of the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) and the State of Western Australia accept no liability whatsoever by reason of negligence or otherwise arising from the use or release of this information or any part of it. This publication is to provide assistance or information. It is only a guide and does not replace the Fish Resources Management Act 1994 or the Fish Resources Management Regulations 1995. It cannot be used as a defence in a court of law. The information provided is current at the date of printing but may be subject to change. For the most up-to-date information on fishing and full details of legislation contact select DPIRD offices or visit dpird.wa.gov.au Copyright © State of Western Australia (Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development) 2021 Front cover photo: Tourism WA Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development Gordon Stephenson House, 140 William Street, Perth WA 6000 +61 1300 374 731 [email protected] dpird.wa.gov.au Page ii Contents Fish for the future .............................................2 Using this guide .................................................2 Changes to the rules – 2021 .............................3
    [Show full text]
  • WEST WIND TREASURER: Gary Brown CLERK of SCALES/COORDINATOR: Phil Guglielmi BOOKING OFFICER: Trip Specific Western Districts Angling and Game Fishing Club Inc
    1 PRESIDENT: Vacant VICE PRESIDENT: Paul Salotti SECRETARY: Vacant WEST WIND TREASURER: Gary Brown CLERK OF SCALES/COORDINATOR: Phil Guglielmi BOOKING OFFICER: Trip Specific Western Districts Angling and Game Fishing Club Inc. meets on the second Tuesday of NEWSLETTER EDITOR: Carolyn Bryne each month at 7.30pm at the Western Youth Centre, 79 Marion Road, Cowandilla. COMMITTEE: All Office Bearers We are trying our best to get the information about the club through to you. PUBLIC OFFICER: Gary Brown Yet, mailing out the printed copy of this newsletter is costing us a lot of time AAA REPRESENTATIVES: Ian Hoskin and also money. If you want to be among the first to receive the monthly SA PISCATORIAL COUNCIL: Paul Salotti, Helen Salotti newsletter, switch to the email distribution by sending me your email On the web: www.wdac.org.au address to [email protected] January 2012 The Official Newsletter of the Western Districts Angling and Game Fishing Club Inc. February Trip – Sunday 12th February Meeting News Tippara Rocks th Next meeting is on the 14 February at Western We will be fishing at Tippara rocks which is just north Youth Centre, Marion Road, Cowandilla of Balgowan on Yorke Peninsula. Meet at the Balgowan Shop at 8:00am. Lines out will be decided on the morning and will depend on the Upcoming Trips state of the tide. This is a beach and rock trip. The beach is similar to Sunday 15th January Glenelg Beach with firm white sand. At the end of the beach is a reef and this is where the main action Tennyson Beach will be.
    [Show full text]
  • Proximate Composition, Energy, Fatty Acid, Sodium, and Cholesterol Content of Finfish, Shellfish, and Their Products
    I lW\! " O.~~ NOAA Technical Report NMFS 55 July 1987 Proximate Composition, Energy, Fatty Acid, Sodium, and Cholesterol Content of Finfish, Shellfish, and their Products Judith Krzynowek Jenny Murphy u.s. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Marine Fisheries Service NOAA TECHNICAL REPORT NMFS The major responsibilities of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) are to monitor and assess the abundance and geographic distribution of fishery resources, to understand and predict fluctuations in the quantity and distribution of these resources, and to establish levels for their optimum use. NMFS is also charged with the development and implementation of policies for managing national fishing grounds, development and enforcement of domestic fisheries regulations, surveillance of foreign fishing off United States coastal waters, and the development and enforcement of international fishery agreements and policies. NMFS also assists the fishing industry through marketing service and economic analysis programs. and mortgage insurance and vessel construction subsidies. It collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics on various phases of the industry. The NOAA Technical Report NMFS series was established in 1983 to replace two subcategories of the Technical Reports series: "Special Scientific Report-Fisheries" and "Circular." The series contains the following types of reports: Scientific investigations that document long-term continuing programs of NMFS; intensive scientific reports on studies of restricted scope; papers on applied fishery problems; technical reports of general interest intended to aid conservation and management; reports that review in con­ siderable detail and at a high technical level certain broad areas of research; and technical papers originating in economics studies and from management investigations.
    [Show full text]
  • Sillago Sihama (Forsskål, 1775) Fig
    click for previous page __________________________________________________________________Sillaginid Fishes of the World _______________________________________________________ 59 Diagnostic Features: First dorsal fin with X to XII spines and second dorsal fin with I spine and 19 to 22 soft rays; anal fin with II spines and 17 to 20 soft rays. Lateral-line scales 66 to 76. Vertebrae: 16 or 17 abdominal + 8 to 11 modified + 10 to 13 caudal, total of 37. Swimbladder without a median anterior extension. Geographical Distribution: Western Australia from Shark Bay southward along the southern coast of Australia to eastern South Australia. One unconfirmed report of this species from Exmouth Gulf, Western Australia (Fig. 129). Habitat and Biology: Sillago schomburgkii frequents inshore sand banks, bars and spits, and congregates in sandy hollows. It occurs in depths of 0 to 30 m. At high tide this species moves in schools across the sand flats and retreats to the slopes of the banks when the tide falls. It enters sandy estuaries in large schools, and may penetrate to the limit of the brackish water. At Mandurah and Leschenault Inlet, Western Australia, large schools appear during the summer months. The spawning season commences in September and is completed by January in Shark Bay (Lenanton 1969a). The juveniles frequent the shallows of protected bays Fig. 129 and inlets and move into deeper water at maturity. Size: To 41 cm total length. Interest to Fisheries: Taken by seine in open bays and near estuaries. This species forms the basis for small fisheries. It has potential as an aquaculture species. Local Names: AUSTRALIA: Yellowfin whiting. Literature: Scott (1962:187-188, fig.); Whitley (1964:43); Lenanton (1969a:4-11, 1969b:5); Jones (1981:20-23); Hutchins and Swainston (1966:col.
    [Show full text]
  • Australian Fish on Fishbase
    Update and World-wide distribution of Australian fisheries resources information: AUSTRALIAN FISH ON FishBase <http://www.fishbase.org/search.cfm> A. Caton and P. Kailola Project No. 97/302 Bureau of Rural Sciences Table of Contents Page Table of Contents i Non-Technical Summary 1 Background 3 Need 3 Objectives 4 Methods 4 Results/Discussion 5 Benefits 6 Further Development 7 Conclusion 8 References 9 Appendix 1: 11 Intellectual property Appendix 2: 12 Staff engaged on the project Appendix 3: Information assembled on Australian Fisheries Resources species encompassed by the FishBase project, and a list of those species outside 13 its scope. Appendix 4: List of organisations and scientists approached for, or who volunteered, 37 update material. Appendix 5: 41 Poster for 1998 Conference of the Australian Society of Fish Biology. Appendix 6: 43 FishBase on the World Wide Web. Bureau of Rural Sciences Update and World-wide distribution of Australian fisheries resources information: AUSTRALIAN FISH ON FishBase <http://www.fishbase.org/search.cfm> Albert Caton and Patricia Kailola1 Bureau of Rural Sciences Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry—Australia CANBERRA Objective: To provide a useful, up-to-date, carefully checked national and international database of species biology, ecology and management for the commercially important fish in Australia. Non Technical Summary FishBase is a large biological database containing key information (such as nomenclature, taxonomy, morphology, trophic ecology, population dynamics, physiology, pictures and maps) for more than 23 000 finfish species. It is maintained and distributed by the International Center for Living Aquatic Resources Management (ICLARM) in the Philippines. The FishBase encyclopedia has previously been distributed in the form of a 2-CD package using Windows software, but its primary information is now also accessible via a developing web site <http://www.fishbase.org/search.cfm> (ICLARM 1999).
    [Show full text]
  • Fao Species Catalogue
    FAO Fisheries Synopsis No. 125, Volume 14 ISSN 0014-5602 FIR/S 125 Vol. 14 FAO SPECIES CATALOGUE VOL. 14 SILLAGINID FISHES OF THE WORLD (Family Sillaginidae) An Annotated and Illustrated Catalogue of the Sillago, Smelt or Indo-Pacific Whiting Species Known to Date FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS FAO Fisheries Synopsis No. 125, Volume 14 FIR/S125 Vol. 14 FAO SPECIES CATALOGUE VOL. 14. SILLAGINID FISHES OF THE WORLD (Family Sillaginidae) An Annotated and Illustrated Catalogue of the Sillago, Smelt or Indo-Pacific Whiting Species Known to Date by Roland J. McKay Queensland Museum P.O. Box 3300, South Brisbane Australia, 4101 FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS Rome, 1992 The designations employed and the presenta- tion of material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. M-40 ISBN 92-5-103123-1 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior per- mission of the copyright owner. Applications for such permission, with a statement of the purpose and extent of the reproduction, should be addressed to the Director, Publications Division, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Via delle Terme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italy. © FAO Rome 1992 ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ iii PREPARATION OF THIS DOCUMENT This document was prepared under the FAO Fisheries Department Regular Programme in the Marine Resources Service of the Fishery Resources and Enivornment Division.
    [Show full text]
  • Shark Bay Code of Conduct
    Code of Conduct For Recreational Fishing in Shark Bay Fishing in Shark Bay Shark Bay encompasses some of Australia’s most impressive and significant natural This Code of Conduct for Recreational Fishing in Shark Bay (the Code) has been treasures; so much so that is has been rated as one of the world’s most important developed to help sustain our precious fish resources and minimise the human natural sites; a World Heritage site. footprint on this special place. By following the Code you will not only help to protect the environment but also enhance your fishing experiences. The spectacular Shark Bay region offers world-class boating, fishing, diving and snorkelling. The great variety of marine species in the region presents a wealth of The Code focuses on fishing best practice and exciting fishing opportunities, including chasing Mackerel, Tuna and Red Emperor fishing responsibly. It’s both a philosophy for in the blue water, battling world-class Pink Snapper in the gulfs and stalking fishing and a practical way of ensuring there Yellowfin Whiting from shore. will be fish for future generations to catch. Shark Bay waters, islands and peninsulas cover a large area of some 2.2 million The Code has been developed by Recfishwest working closely with local recreational fishers hectares which includes an abundance of marine species and some of the world’s Shark Bay most unique coral reefs, seagrass beds and sponge gardens as well as historical and fishing clubs and has been funded by the marine stromatolites. Recfishwest Community Grant Program. Shark Bay is located on the westernmost point of the Australian continent and boasts some of the world’s greatest wilderness treasure.
    [Show full text]
  • Get Hooked on Fishing!
    A guide for junior Fishers in Western Australia get hooked on fishing! WANTED ALIVE! t s a p c i k x t le bo protected species tied up in we tell yoyouu how!how! knots! beginners guide! ! aaaah i d lurkinglurkin inside! e PB n t i f y p o pu la 1 s r specie what’s inside? PAGE THREE CARING FOR YOUR CATCH! 3 PAGE 4 GROOVY TACKLE BOX TIPS4 ON PAGE 5! GET TIED UP IN KNOTS ON 5 RESPONSIBLE FISHINGPAGE - SIX! FIND OUT HOW ON SIX WATCH OUT! PAGE 8 8 DANGEROUS CREATURES LURKING ON PAGE 10 - Remember! You only need ten enough for a feed. TOTALLY PROTECTED SPECIES ON Remember to release ALL HANDS OFF! undersize fish so they can grow to become part PAGE 12 of the breeding stock and produce more Fish 12 for the future! CHECK OUT SOME POPULAR SPECIES ON Remember! You only need enough for a feed. Remember to release ALL unders can grow izeto becomefish so theypart of the breeding produce morestock Fish and for the future! Remember! You only need 3 Please take care of the fish youenough catch. for Release a feed. undersize and unwanted fish quickly and carefully back into the water. GROOVY TACKLE BOX TIPS ON PAGE 4 Measuring fish Touch fish only with wet hands or a wet rag to avoid damaging the scales or the fish’s protective slime coating. Gently lay the fish on 4 a smooth, wet surface or foam rubber landing pad and measure the Remember to release ALL length from its nose to the tip of its tail.
    [Show full text]