West Australian recreational fishing body, Recfishwest, says its alternative management package for demersal scalefish species introduced last year has been successful.
Recfishwest Acting Executive Director Kane Moyle said the management strategy devised by the recreational fishing sector to reduce its take of west coast demersal scalefish (pink snapper, baldchin groper and dhufish) by 50 per cent, without the use of a high licence fee or four month closure, has worked extremely well.
“We are thrilled that the government implemented the package that the recreational sector had assured would meet the 50 per cent reduction,” Moyle said.
“Recreational fishers deserve praise for the way they have embraced these new management arrangements.
“Recfishwest worked hard with its members to put a proposal to government for a reasonable boat fishing licence fee of $30 per individual fishing from a registered boat.
“Recfishwest recognises the importance of a licence as a valuable research census tool and an additional revenue source. These funds will be applied to recreational fishing priorities such as; habitat and stock enhancement, recreational tagging and logbooks and education.
Recfishwest had also advocated the compulsory use of release weights by those targeting west coast demersal species in a bid to improve fish survival rates.
WA’s closed season for high risk west coast demersal scalefish runs from October 15 until December 15.
