A quality future for South Coast Recreational Fishing by the South Coast Recreational Fishing Working Group. A recreational fishing community education plan should be developed for the South Coast region that focuses on the most important issues and species in the region.
PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE
- M ANAGING FOR THE FUTURE - W HY HAVE A R EGIONAL M ANAGEMENT S TRATEGY ?
- T HE REGIONAL MANAGEMENT APPROACH
- T ERMS OF REFERENCE
- Terms of reference of the review
- H OW TO HAVE YOUR SAY
- Points to consider for submissions
- How to make a submission
- Where and when to send your submission
- What happens to your submission
To identify key issues and development opportunities facing recreational fishing in the southern coastal region. The recommendations, endorsed by the Fisheries Minister, will form the basis of a new management package for recreational fisheries in the South Coast region.
FISHING ON THE SOUTH COAST
P ROFILE OF FISHING IN THE S OUTH C OAST
- Economic impact of fishing
- Participation and effort - how many people fished where
- Assumptions
Based on projected population growth, projected increases in recreational fishing effort are presented in Figure 2. Of note, while different survey methods provide different estimates of total recreational fishing effort, overall trends consistently show significant growth in recreational fishing activity.
O UTCOMES OF THE REGIONAL PLANNING PROCESS TO DATE
- Bag limits
- Possession limit
- Transporting and storing of fish
- Filleting at sea
At the recreational fishing planning day in April 2003 it was proposed that the same overall mixed bag limits that apply to each category in the West Coast and Gascoyne should apply to the Pilbara/Kimberley and the South Coast. Note: Following the introduction to the three-tier bag limit structure on the South Coast,.
T HE RECREATIONAL CATCH AND EFFORT
With the introduction of a management framework and a mandatory research logbook for the water travel industry in 2001, a snapshot of the species encountered by recreational boat anglers on the south coast was available for the first time. Preliminary analysis shows that licensed tour operators conducted more than 400 fishing trips and 750 aquatic eco-tours (non-extractive) in 2002, averaging almost 15 customers per day. trip.
I MPACT OF FISHING ON STOCKS
This simply means that there are still enough adult fish in the population to produce enough young fish, but the number of older adult fish has been significantly depleted. In the future, recreational catches will have to be managed to an agreed share of sustainable catches.
C URRENT MANAGEMENT
As competition for fish stocks between user groups increases, individual catches begin to decline as fish are removed from the stock faster than they can be replaced. Under this defence, people can accumulate up to their fish possession limit, which can be a two-day limit of a bag of whole fish or 10kg of fillets plus a one-day limit of a bag of whole fish or 20kg of fish fillets.
F ISHERY MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES - WHAT WORKS AND HOW
- Daily bag limits
- Boat limits
- Possession and trip limits
- Legal sizes – minimum and slot limits
- Closed seasons and closed areas
- Gear and method restrictions
- Licensing
- Education
Possession restrictions were originally introduced in areas such as the Ningaloo Marine Park to reduce the ability of fishermen to stockpile commercial quantities of fish. However, their effectiveness as a management tool is reduced in fishing gear such as set nets where mortality is very high. Closed areas can also be used to protect fish during key stages of their life history, such as spawning, or to protect populations of sessile species or important fish habitats from the impact of human use.
In areas of high conservation value, such as marine parks, restrictions are placed on spearfishers by prohibiting the use of compressed air or not allowing spearfishing in any form.
I NTEGRATING RECREATIONAL AND COMMERCIAL FISHERIES MANAGEMENT
A key element in the success of the program has been VFLOs targeting anglers at beaches and boat ramps when anglers are most receptive to messages about fishing. Discussion papers on the future management of the wetland fishery in the West Coast and Gascoyne regions are expected to be released for public comment in 2004. In the meantime, it is crucial that each sector continues to be effectively managed within current catch areas.
Integration on a regional basis can also provide a spatial framework for data collection that will assist in proportional management of catch and access shares.
A BORIGINAL FISHING
The government is currently considering proposals for an integrated management of the state's fishing resources. While many people in the recreational fishing community support the recognition of customary fishing practices by people of Aboriginal descent, some recreational fishing groups have expressed concern about the appropriateness of some proposals in the Aboriginal Fishing Strategy. Recognizing the high fishing pressure on fish stocks around important population centres, many recreational anglers expressed the need for the same fishing rules to apply to Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal fishermen in the waters adjacent to these centres.
All recommendations contained in this recreational fishing strategy are of general application and no special arrangements are proposed for any individual stakeholder group.
S UMMARY OF COMMERCIAL FINFISH AND SHARK FISHERIES ON THE S OUTH C OAST
- South Coast Estuarine Fishery
- Western Australian salmon fisheries
- Australian Herring Fishery
- Demersal Gillnet and Demersal Longline Fisheries
- South Coast Wetline Fishery
There are no legal net length or net size restrictions for South Coast fishermen. Management summary: The take of demersal fish, including shark, by purse seine and longline is controlled on the South Coast and West Coast (south of Shark Bay) through two similar management plans. Because of the commonalities of these major stocks, WCDGDLIMF is reported under the South Coast bioregion.
The biomass targets for the three major species in the south coast fishery also apply to the west coast fishery.
THE PROPOSED RECREATIONAL FISHING STRATEGY
G UIDING PRINCIPLES FOR MANAGEMENT
The value of recreational fishing should be clearly recognized and given appropriate weight in all government and community planning processes, e.g. marine parks, industrial development and any other future development that may affect the environment on the south coast. Fishing rules should be kept simple and, where possible and practical, made uniform throughout the region. Rules for recreational fishing should be designed to protect the sustainability of stocks and manage the total recreational catch, as well as protect fish at vulnerable stages in their life cycle, e.g. alley mergers.
A clear process should be developed by the government as a matter of priority to resolve problems of this nature.
I NFORMATION FOR MANAGEMENT – CATCH AND FISHERY PERFORMANCE
- Key issues and proposals
- Species biology
- Quality indicators for recreational fisheries
The Department of Fisheries is introducing a structured angler log program in the South Coast region for key species in specific regional areas. Only a limited amount of biological information is available for many of the species targeted by recreational anglers on the South Coast. Research should be undertaken on the following key recreational species in the South Coast (in order of priority) to provide information on species biology and stock structure.
To assist in monitoring fishing quality, 'fishing quality indicators' should be developed to monitor recreational fishing in the South Coast and used to measure effectiveness of management strategies.
P ROTECTING VULNERABLE FISH AND MANAGING THE RECREATIONAL CATCH
- Key issues and proposals
Currently, monitored set nets are allowed in all seawater within 800 meters of the coast, not specifically closed to nets. Netting is also permitted in several of the major estuaries and river systems on the south coast, although permitted times and open seasons vary considerably throughout the region. An overview of the current netting rules for leisure activities on the south coast is shown in Appendix B.
Trawls must be confined within 800m of shore in all oceanic waters of the South Coast region that are not specifically closed to netting (currently only applies to set nets).
P ROTECTING AND ENHANCING RECREATIONAL FISHING QUALITY
- Key issues and proposals
Other uses, such as commercial fishing and aquaculture, must be of a type and level compatible with recreational fishing values for the area. The importance of recreational fishing as a component of tourism and lifestyle should be recognized in the Integrated Management Planning Process and the Marine Reserve Planning Process. Members of the recreational fishing community believe it is important that fishermen act with a sense of personal responsibility when accessing fishing grounds through agricultural land.
Members of the recreational fishing community support the development of a code of conduct for access to fishing sites through farmland to achieve a desirable outcome where recreational fishermen can continue to have access to fishing locations, especially inland waters.
R ESOURCE SHARING
- Key issues and proposals
- Resource sharing processes
In order to achieve better management of chickenfish resources, a more comprehensive management approach should be adopted and a separate process should be established to deal with resource sharing issues. At the Recreational Fisheries Planning Day, there was strong sentiment that the following issues should be addressed in any resource sharing process to accommodate recreational fisheries. The following species should be prioritized for total catch management under integrated management.
For each species, a forum should be held with key stakeholders, including recreational, commercial, native and conservation groups, to identify key issues to be considered in the development of an integrated management plan for the South Coast region.
P ROTECTION OF FISH HABITATS
- Key issues and proposals
Several areas on the south coast are currently closed to various forms of fishing to protect unique or sensitive habitats. Remote wilderness fishing areas can be considered as a possible alternative to 'no-take' protected areas or as a buffer zone around protected areas to provide greater protection to sensitive areas. One area identified as a 'Remote Wilderness Fishing Area' by the regional RFAC and stakeholder groups is Twilight Cove, located on WA's remote south-east coast.
Consideration is being given to managing Twilight Cove as a remote wilderness fishing area on an experimental basis.
I MPROVING COMMUNITY STEWARDSHIP - EDUCATION AND COMPLIANCE
- Key issues and proposals
- Education strategies
- Field management and compliance
- Implementing management and education strategies
A comprehensive regional guide to recreational fishing in the South Coast region is being produced to inform and educate anglers about recreational fishing management arrangements. An annual media campaign is implemented to promote recreational fishing and fishing ethics in the region. The mobile patrols operate seasonally in areas of greatest demand, and will have the capacity to operate seasonally in the South Coast region.
To solve this problem, special resources must be made available for recreational fishing compliance in the region.
P ROVIDING ADEQUATE RESOURCES FOR MANAGEMENT AND ENHANCEMENT
12 Lobster Industry Advisory Committee Report to the Honorable Minister for Fisheries 24 September 1987. 103 Future Management of the Water Charter Industry in Western Australia by the Tour Operators Working Group (September 1997). Discussion paper prepared by Kevin Donohue on behalf of the Lobster Industry Advisory Committee.
Future management of the water charter industry in Western Australia, Final Report of the Fishing Tourism Operators Working Group.
