A 12-Month Survey of Recreational Fishing in the Gascoyne Bioregion of Western Australia During 1998-99
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FISHERIES RESEARCH REPORT NO. 139, 2002 A 12-month survey of recreational fishing in the Gascoyne bioregion of Western Australia during 1998-99 N.R. Sumner, P.C. Williamson and B.E. Malseed Fisheries Research Division WA Marine Research Laboratories PO Box 20 NORTH BEACH Western Australia 6920 Department of Fisheries Fisheries Research Report Titles in the fisheries research series contain technical and scientific information that represents an important contribution to existing knowledge, but which may not be suitable for publication in national or international scientific journals. Fisheries Research Reports may be cited as full publications. The full citation is: Sumner, N. R., Williamson, P. C. and Malseed, B. E. 2002. A 12-month survey of recreational fishing in the Gascoyne bioregion of Western Australia during 1998-99, Fisheries Research Report No. 139, Department of Fisheries, Western Australia, 54p. Numbers 1-80 in this series were issued as Reports. Numbers 81-82 were issued as Fisheries Reports, and from number 83 the series has been issued under the current title. Enquiries Department of Fisheries 3rd floor SGIO Atrium 168-170 St George’s Terrace PERTH WA 6000 Telephone (08) 9482 7333 Facsimile (08) 9482 7389 Website: http://www.wa.gov.au/westfish/res Published by Department of Fisheries, Perth, Western Australia. April 2002. ISSN: 1035 - 4549 ISBN: 1 877098 00 0 An electronic copy of this report will be available at the above website where parts may be shown in colour where this is thought to improve clarity. Fisheries research in Western Australia The Fisheries Research Division of the Department of Fisheries is based at the Western Australian Marine Research Laboratories, P.O. Box 20, North Beach (Perth), Western Australia, 6020. The Marine Research Laboratories serve as the centre for fisheries research in the State of Western Australia. Research programs conducted by the Fisheries Research Division and laboratories investigate basic fish biology, stock identity and levels, population dynamics, environmental factors, and other factors related to commercial fisheries, recreational fisheries and aquaculture. The Fisheries Research Division also maintains the State data base of catch and effort fisheries statistics. The primary function of the Fisheries Research Division is to provide scientific advice to government in the formulation of management policies for developing and sustaining Western Australian fisheries. Contents Page Abstract ...................................................................................................... 1 1.0 Introduction ...................................................................................................... 2 2.0 Methods ...................................................................................................... 3 2.1 Survey design .......................................................................................... 3 2.2 Spatial and temporal stratification .......................................................... 3 2.3 Sampling design ...................................................................................... 4 2.4 Estimation of total catch and effort ........................................................ 6 3.0 Results ...................................................................................................... 7 3.1 Species targeted ...................................................................................... 7 3.2 Recreational fishing effort ...................................................................... 7 3.2.1 Boats launched from public ramps .............................................. 8 3.2.2 Boats launched from beaches ...................................................... 8 3.2.3 Shore-based fishers ...................................................................... 8 3.2.4 Total fishing effort........................................................................ 8 3.3 Recreational fishing catch ...................................................................... 9 3.3.1 Boats launched from public ramps .............................................. 9 3.3.2 Boats launched from beaches ...................................................... 9 3.3.3 Shore-based fishers ...................................................................... 9 3.3.4 Total catch .................................................................................... 9 3.4 Shark Bay ................................................................................................ 12 3.5 Ningaloo Marine Park ............................................................................ 13 3.6 Equipment used by fishers ...................................................................... 13 3.7 Compliance with fishing regulations ...................................................... 14 3.8 Attitudinal responses .............................................................................. 14 4.0 Discussion of results.......................................................................................... 14 5.0 Conclusions ...................................................................................................... 15 6.0 Acknowledgements .......................................................................................... 16 7.0 References ...................................................................................................... 17 8.0 Tables ...................................................................................................... 18 9.0 Figures ...................................................................................................... 22 i 10.0 Appendices ...................................................................................................... 37 A. Boat ramp trailer count form ........................................................................ 37 B. Boat ramp interview questionnaire form ...................................................... 38 C. Shore patrol interview questionnaire form .................................................. 40 D. Catch and effort calculations for boats launched from public boat ramps .. 41 E. Catch and effort calculations for boats launched from beaches .................. 44 F. Catch and effort calculations for shore-based fishing .................................. 46 G. Spatial distribution of recreational fishing effort in the Gascoyne bioregion 48 H. Estimated recreational catch (by species) for boats launched from public ramps in the Gascoyne bioregion.................................................................. 49 I. Estimated recreational catch (by species) for boats launched from beaches in the Gascoyne bioregion ............................................................................ 50 J. Estimated recreational catch (by species) for shore-based fishing in the Gascoyne bioregion ...................................................................................... 51 K. Estimated total recreational catch (by species) from Gascoyne bioregion .. 52 L. Estimated total recreational catch (by species) from Shark Bay.................. 53 M. Estimated total recreational catch (by species) from Ningaloo Marine Park 54 ii A 12-month survey of recreational fishing in the Gascoyne bioregion of Western Australia during 1989-99 N.R. Sumner, P.C. Williamson and B.E. Malseed Western Australian Marine Research Laboratories PO Box 20, North Beach WA 6920 Abstract A 12-month creel survey of recreational boat-based and shore-based fishing in the Gascoyne bioregion of Western Australia was conducted between April 1998 and March 1999. During the survey 1,738 boat crews were interviewed at public boat ramps when they returned from their fishing trip. During patrols conducted along the coastline 695 groups of boat-based fishers and 1,060 groups of shore-based fishers were interviewed at fishing locations and camp sites. The total annual recreational fishing effort for the Gascoyne bioregion was 243,000 fisher days (95%CI: 222,000 – 264,000). This comprised 113,000 fisher days by boats launched from public ramps, 53,000 fisher days by boats launched from beaches and 77,000 days by shore-based fishers. The total recreational catch of all finfish species for the bioregion was estimated at 350 tonnes (95%CI: 320 – 380). This was one third of the commercial catch of 1,082 tonnes at the time. The most common species kept by recreational fishers in the Gascoyne bioregion were (in order of estimated weight kept) spangled emperor (79 tonnes), pink snapper (79 tonnes), narrow-barred Spanish mackerel (47 tonnes), blue- lined emperor (34 tonnes), golden trevally (20 tonnes), sweetlip emperor (16 tonnes), chinaman cod (10 tonnes gilled and gutted), western yellowfin bream (5 tonnes), tailor (5 tonnes), whiting species (5 tonnes), mullet species (2 tonnes) and western butterfish (2 tonnes). These catches do not include charter boats and therefore understate the total recreational catch for the bioregion. Anglers have adopted modern technology to increase the efficiency of recreational fishing with 73 percent of boats launched from public boat ramps fitted with an echo- sounder and 49 percent using a global positioning system to find fishing locations. There was a very high level of compliance with the fishing regulations. Only four percent of boats launched from public ramps, one percent of boats launched from the beaches and one percent of shore-based fishers interviewed kept undersize fish. Very few fishers exceeded the bag limits.