Abalone today
Mate of mine, Bluey, wanted to show his son, Jeff, the ropes on how to get some abbs. Not knowing any decent spots NOR i took him down to a little secret spot i used to dive 35 years ago, yesterday for some reconinance. Weather was great and the abbs were there in abundance just off the reef.
Headed down there this morning just before 7am and BLOODY HELL. It is no secret spot. There were hundreds of people there.
Most of the families there were of the non-swimming kind and very few of them even had masks on. I have to ask the question of how do you see if the abbs are size before plucking if you cant even see them. Most of the people were just feeling around, without a guage in hand, and plucking them off.
If you look real close you can see the people in the hundreds right up to the next headland.
While looking around the beautiful model Lily found this number plate bent in half and tossed in the ocean. Looks like there is a stolen car out there now with new plates on it. If you know anybody in the northern area with a car stolen recently then it might be worth mentioning to them. The authorities have been informed.
Sometimes when the water is quiet, you can hear the fish laughing at you !
z00m
Posts: 1086
Date Joined: 10/05/14
Trailer plate
Since it starts with 1T it is a trailer plate. Probably doesn't help whoever lost the trailer.
Sulo
Posts: 256
Date Joined: 13/08/11
I went out purely for a look
I went out purely for a look see at a northern beach and was absolutely staggered how many people would just pull an ab of the reef only to measure it and throw it back in the water, watched one guy pull and toss at least 15, it was no matter though, a short time later his mask, snorkel and wetsuit mate soon had him and all of his 4 hangers on loaded with a bag limit while he was off to refill.
Certainly an eye opener just to go and watch the blatant disregard for rules and the wellbeing of the fishery.
Fisheries were there and they definately had their hands full. They could have ten times the officers out there and still not even touch the sides of the people breaking the rules. Hardly any wonder it is such a short season...
meglodon
Posts: 5981
Date Joined: 17/06/10
Same thing happening
The same thing is happening to the crabs down here at Mandurah at the moment, bloody criminal.
glastronomic
Posts: 892
Date Joined: 16/02/11
Many People getting Abalone
Many People getting Abalone but also Parking infringements in our streets!
Good to see as they park their cars just every where.
Big commotion and arguments.
Ocean reef marina also was more than full and again parking on the verges and main road!
what a mess!
quadfisher
Posts: 1146
Date Joined: 28/09/10
Overated discs of desperation!
Well compared to the pure effort , time , risk and damage done anyway.
Sure I have had fresh abs on a bbq down south , and yes there were nice , but
not that nice , to risk life and limb to get a feed.! We just came back from a relaxing couple of hours crabbing
this morning at Mandurah, hit the water at around 530am , not a sole in sight until we were leaving , just cooked them
and did the old chiefs privledge of lost claws, bloody loverly, you can keep ya abba dabbas.
quadfisher
kknlk
Posts: 200
Date Joined: 30/12/08
Fisheries own literature
Fisheries own literature states that abs are unlikely to reattach once they're pulled off and that you're supposed to measure first before taking. Yes, you can carry a gauge but you've got to use it before you pull off the abs. With waves crashing and foaming how likely are you to see size if you're not wearing a mask? Fisheries need to tighten up this part of the law and do something. As for me I mark the size on the end of the tool I'm using so I can measure for sure
Madmerv
Posts: 672
Date Joined: 24/01/15
Totally Agree
My section of the coast today looked to be pretty well behaved. Possibly because i was holding a camera with a big lense and photographing everybody. Still i saw a few people walking back to the shoreline and tossing a few abbs back in. Most of the people i saw had no guages.
Sometimes when the water is quiet, you can hear the fish laughing at you !
Ashen
Posts: 1042
Date Joined: 22/03/13
Abs are very overrated
Have had them in many ways... Not too bad, but nothing to jump over the moon about.
Quadfisher, your idea of fishing and enjoying the hobby is a perfect scenario. Enjoy a few hours in and on the water, catch a bag, then go home and have a feed of fresh fish or crabs etc. Perfect!!!
A fish in the hand is worth 10 in the water!
Madmerv
Posts: 672
Date Joined: 24/01/15
No risk
Not sure if you looked at the photos Quad but the risk was non existant. Personally i didnt pay the $40 to get any myself, as a feed they are overrated, but they are just another of the bounties we can harvest and for lunch today on the barbie they were better than a few cheap ass snags from coles. Thanks to Bluey for sharing with my family.
The over fishing of Abbs and hence the super restrictions on collecting them is mainly caused because most of asia has destroyed their own stocks and are now paying a premium for ours. Asians there for equate abbs with high end seafood, high cost, and seem to want to get as many as possible. If they were only a few bucks a Kg then i'm sure they would not be sought out so much.
As for the crabs mate, well i'm sure i'm not the only one who loves the taste but hates the time it takes to get any decent amount of flesh from them. Must be spoilt taking 15sec to get 4 times the meat from a cray tail. Each to their own.
Sometimes when the water is quiet, you can hear the fish laughing at you !
quadfisher
Posts: 1146
Date Joined: 28/09/10
Risk?
Surf Life Saving WA reports that in the past two years, three people have lost their lives whilst abalone fishing in WA.
“Three drowning deaths in just two years is an alarmingly high figure for just one coastal recreational activity,” explains SLSWA Community Safety Manager Chris Peck.
I was generalizing about masses of people , normally unuse to waves and rips and reefs etc, many whom are not strong swimmers, risking all for a feed.
Today looked calm.
I agree mad merv, crabs can be more fussy , but for some reason I find eating many crays ( prob cause of the richness) a bit over bearing , but seem to enjoy crabs , time
after time.
And yes thanks ashen , I was trying to get across, that the enjoyment of the activity is paramount to the experience.
quadfisher