State gives no guarantees

Commercial fisherman?s catch of dhufish.

The State Government recently unveiled its revised package to tackle the issue of dwindling fish stocks, but it has claimed that there is no guarantee the proposed regulations will work.

The modified package aims to increase stocks of high-risk demersal species, such as dhufish and pink snapper, in the west coast bioregion by reducing recreational catches by at least 50 per cent.

With research showing certain demersal species are at risk of overfishing under current commercial and recreational arrangements, Fisheries Minister Norman Moore said the 50 per cent reduction was required in order for the fishery to remain sustainable.

The new list of regulations is not as forthright as the first set of proposals announced earlier this year, however, Mr Moore said the Government could turn to tougher measures if the regulations failed to meet the reduction targets.

While no regulation is foolproof, one recommendation that could have been explored is a requirement that every demersal fish caught, whether that be of legal size or under, becomes part of an angler's daily bag limit.

There is every possibility that if this approach was implemented, the desired reduction targets could be reached because less demersal fish would be hooked if the rule was adhered to.

The benefit of this recommendation is that undersize dhufish and other demersal species that are susceptible to barotauma will not be released dead or dying, and an angler then will not attempt more catches to make up their bag limit.

Although the new package includes a requirement to carry a release weight that helps in reviving demersal fish caught in deeper waters, these fish revival devices do not always work.

Perhaps this could be an option worth exploring if the proposals listed below fail to meet the required reduction target.
The new proposal package includes:

•Abolishing the proposed annual $150, fortnightly $60 and daily $20 demersal scalefish licence.

•Introducing a mixed daily bag limit of two demersal scalefish, of which only one can be a dhufish.

•A daily boat limit of two dhufish will apply, however, there will be a boat limit of six dhufish permitted for charter boats in recognition of the business pressures on charter operators.

•A requirement to carry a release weight by anglers fishing for demersal species, to assist in mitigating barotrauma and improve survival rates of demersal scalefish returned to the water.

•A two-month season closure from October 15 to December 15, inclusive, remains.

•The $30 recreational boat fishing licence remains but will only apply to people fishing from registered boats and will be used by researchers to build a database of boat fishers and their catch.

•Non-licensed fishers - not just those under the age of 16 - may fish free with a licensed fisher provided the provisions of the licensed fisher's daily bag and size limits are honoured.

•A simple $15 ‘ticket' system is proposed for charter clients who don't already hold a boat fishing licence.

•Standardisation of other fishing licence fees to $40 for marron, lobster, abalone, rock lobster, net fishing and freshwater angling. Licences taken out concurrently are entitled to a 10 per cent discount on the transaction.

Money raised through the sale of recreational licences will be placed in the Recreational Fishing Trust Fund to exclusively fund activities related to recreational fishing. A 50 per cent discount for fishing from a registered boat licence will apply for pensioners and people under 16 years of age.

The Department of Fisheries aims to complete a review of the current licence structure of the charter boat industry by early 2010.

The new licensing system has been estimated to generate an additional $1.9 million, to bring the total estimated annual licensing revenue to $4.9 million.

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