ANGLERS participating in GAMEX 2017 reported that the event was fantastic, with valuable information, fun social events and good fishing, despite the windy weather.
Three trophies were awarded to anglers, as well as a number of highest point scored and champion individual and team accolades.
Ryan Turner won the Steve Pitman Memorial Trophy for most skilled angler. He recorded 7709 points over 11 line classes and 10 species on board with team Razorback.
Exmouth favourite Eddy Lawler won the George King Memorial Trophy as top tagging captain. He tagged 18 billfish at the helm of Pelagic Hooker.
Perth Game Fishing Club took out the prestigious Interclub Award for Tag and Release Billfish.
The Phil Tickle Memorial Trophy for most meritorious capture went to Murray Lewin from Salty Dog for capturing a 7.5kg queenfish on 1kg line.
The positives from GAMEX included some very valuable data collected by the two scientists sent up via Recfishwest to take samples and do research on fish captured.
There were 85 sharks tagged and 411 billfish raised, with 133 billfish tagged.
The contentious issue of a shark being weighed during the event has raised interest in the continued shark debate, and contradictory to sensationalised reports in the media from some groups this shark was dead when it arrived back to shore.
EGFC co-operate in this and other research, such as a study on the sensory organs in the heads of large oceanic sharks being conducted by the University of Queensland.
The two sharks that were captured during GAMEX 2017 were caught within the code of practice of IGFA and GFAA.
Game fishing is a sustainable recreation that delivers significant economic and sociological benefits to both the local community of Exmouth and Western Australia as a whole. Sadly, social media misinformation has led to inaccurate accusations and threats from individuals with illegal practices.
Shire of Exmouth commissioner, Ian Fletcher, said GAMEX provided a platform to showcase Exmouth and the Ningaloo Reef.
“GAMEX is one of the highlights of Exmouth’s events calendar and independent research conducted in 2016 showed that it injects about $1 million into the local economy each year,” he said.
The full list of results can be viewed on the EGFC website.
