THE recently announced ban of recreational fish catches between Kalbarri and Augusta from October to Christmas this year will hurt many South West businesses, South West MLC Barry House said last week.
In the new recreational fishing package for the West Coast Bioregion, Fisheries Minister Jon Ford banned recreational catches of pink snapper, baldchin groper, breaksea cod and red snapper between Kalbarri and Augusta from October to Christmas this year and between October and January 31 in years following.
Mr Ford said the wide-ranging package of changes for recreational fishing, which would apply from October 15, was designed to ensure the sustainability of fish populations along the West Coast Bioregion and at the same time preserve the enjoyment of the recreational fishing experience for Western Australians.
“The whole point of today’s package is to ensure that some of our most popular species can survive so Western Australians can continue enjoying their most favourite pastime,” the Minister said.
“By acting now, we can start rebuilding stocks so they can return to sustainable numbers.
“This package will see recreational catches of some of our most vulnerable fish species reduced by more than 50 per cent in the first 16 months.
“It means recreational fishing will become far more sustainable, ensuring a quality experience for more fishers and their families for generations to come.”
However, Mr House, who criticised the Minister last week for bans on commercial fishing in the metropolitan area,–saying it could lead to excessive fishing in the local region–said this new decision would badly affect tourism.
“By effectively wiping out recreational fishing in the South West Region’s most crucial tourism period there is no doubt that this will have a direct impact on tourist numbers,” Mr House said.
“Ultimately it is the businesses that will suffer, whether it is the bait and tackle shops or direct suppliers to the fishing industry to, more broadly the shops, accommodation, restaurants and other outlets that rely on the boost in summer trade to sustain their businesses.
“This decision will inevitably put more pressure on the South Coast Fishery east of Augusta to the South Australian border.
“Since the announcement was made I have been contacted by many people in the recreational fishing sector and local businesses who are extremely concerned about the impact this closure will have on the fishing and the region.”
However, local camping and fishing shop salesperson Adam Acosta said he believed people would simply fish for other species, such as herring, skippy, whiting and bream.
“It will put other pressure on fish stocks, but I think (those stocks) could handle it more than the demersal fish,” he said.
“It will affect our business a little bit, with the loss of bait sales and tackle, but I think something has to happen to manage stocks, as a fisherman and as a person who cares about the resource.
“On the whole, the people I hear from are all right with swallowing the pill.”
He suggested the Fisheries Department implement a fishing licence for recreational anglers, which was enforced in many other parts of the world.
“I think it would be an easy way for the Fisheries to get more funding to protect fish stocks,” he said.
Meanwhile, The Wilderness Society WA has expressed disappointment with the Fisheries Minister’s decision.
TWS WA Marine co-ordinator Dr Jill StJohn said that by shortening the initial proposed fishing ban to 10 weeks in early summer, the final strategy misses the main spawning season of dhufish.
“The Minister and businesses associated with recreational fishing have badly missed the main point,” she said.
“No-one benefits from extinction.”