Cockburn Sound/Mangles Bay- No Crabbing for 2107/18: Closure.
Here's a copy of Email recieved this morning:
Looks like it's still not good for the Crabs!
Further to the below and as you are aware, the Department recently completed its 2017 assessment of the status of the blue swimmer crab stock in the Cockburn Sound Crab Fishery.
The assessment identified that while the egg production index has improved, the abundance of juvenile crabs is still well below the limit reference point. Fisheries therefore considers it appropriate that the Fishery remain closed (to both sectors) for the 2017/18 season.
Fisheries will continue to undertake breeding stock and recruitment research surveys in Cockburn Sound throughout 2017/18 and re-assess the status of the Fishery next year. At this time, Fisheries will provide an update to the Western Australian Fishing Industry Council and Recfishwest on the status of the crab stock and discuss the future management arrangements for the Fishery.
If you require any further information please contact me.
Regards,
Jodie
Jodie O’Malley | Fisheries Management Officer
Strategy and Aquatic Resource Division
Fisheries
My Dad taught me how to Fish-Thanks Dad.(RIP)
.thumbnail.JPG "Squid(do) and Pinky for dinner")
stricko
Posts: 222
Date Joined: 10/05/10
Key words here are both
Key words here are both sector's one of the main reasons found for the collapse of the fishery was the pro sector changing from gillnets to the more productive trap fishery this allowed them to target the large pre spawning females during the winter months I'm usually all for pro fishing but believe cockburn sound can't handle a amateur and commercial crab fishery so perhaps it's time to buy the pros out and make it a rec only fishery .
meglodon
Posts: 5981
Date Joined: 17/06/10
Just a question
I am just wondering how many pros where actually crabbing in the sound, when you compare it to the Mandurah water way it's not that much large (I think) and at last count I think there was 11 pros fishing Mandurah, I must admit I don't know if all of them were taking crabs.
pacey560
Posts: 31
Date Joined: 19/01/13
Instead of the
pros leaving their pots out in the sound all night maybe they should have to fish like the amateurs with drop nets?
stricko
Posts: 222
Date Joined: 10/05/10
There were 640 traps out at
There were 640 traps out at one time and the commercial catch peaked at 362 tons not sure how many operator's this was split between. The fact it's been fully closed for 6 years and that just come off the back of a 3 year closure to me says it can't hold up to that sort of pressure the split is 65%pros to 35%rec so if the pros were taken out there should be a abundance of crab can't se how the present set up benefits anyone a rec fish buy out would be money well spent i think
little johnny
Posts: 5329
Date Joined: 04/12/11
Not against pros in any sector
Of fishing . 1 thing I can't understanding in crabbing sector. When blue swimmers go( males) they keep potting 95 percent females. All internally full of eggs. Got me f---ed. i know they have to earn money but killing themselves in my books. Cockburn full of big blues ATM. Leave ramp to 8 knot marker. See 20 to 30 in straight line. All big blues
Browndog
Posts: 581
Date Joined: 10/04/12
Crabs
Yep, snorkelled through Mangles Bay and Palm Beach a few weeks back, can't put your feet down without stepping on a big angry blue! Hopefully that means that the population is recovering.
Move about 1km to a legal spot and struggle to see any....
Oh well, still a good swim. On another note, was about six big black rays swimming around and looked to be mating in about 1.5m of water, seemed to be attracting the crabs as there were probably 20 walking around on the sand and weed in the middle of the day, plus many more buried, just seemed to be in the one spot. Was interesting to see.
Cheers,
BD.
stricko
Posts: 222
Date Joined: 10/05/10
Wonder where the 640 traps
Wonder where the 640 traps went interesting as never heard of any by back if it's was mandurah the writing probably on the wall
PJim
Posts: 200
Date Joined: 26/04/11
Stricko, Im pretty sure the
Stricko, Im pretty sure the licences are only for particular waterways. So the fisherman from CS can't fish the Mandurah Estuary etc
I am an ex commercial fisherman and I believe it is time to get the pro crabbers out of the Sound, between them, the recs and the changing environment it doesn't bode well for Cockburn blueys in my opinion
Moking
Posts: 1252
Date Joined: 30/05/12
Yep - The alarms bells
Yep - The alarms bells started ringing when the Commercial Catch Rate in Cockburn Sound went from 362tonnes to 40 tonnes( in 2006).
It was the lowest Catch Rate since 1982.
My Dad taught me how to Fish-Thanks Dad.(RIP)
stricko
Posts: 222
Date Joined: 10/05/10
At 3 to the kilo 362 t was
At 3 to the kilo 362 t was over a million crabs even at its worst 40t was still a 120000 crabs if there license hasn't been used for 6 years and they still hold them has a buy out by fisheries or rec fish ever been proposed the present situation is ridiculous keep it closed to all stakeholders then what open it for a few years (maybe ) and then watch it all happen again.
Yarzi
Posts: 15
Date Joined: 14/02/12
Writing was on the wall earlier than 2005
2005 I was living in Onslow fishing all the time, noticed a comercial boat with huge drop/trap nets going out every day. A week later he followed us into the ramp at Beadon creek. While waiting to pull the boat out got chatting to the captain, he was up in Onslow trying out the grounds around the mangrove islands to see if a viable crab fishery was available. He said he had been telling the other Pro crab fishermen and powers to be the fishery was about to collapse for 2 years before he left, nobody listened. He was one of the fist comercial crab fisherman in the sound and one of the first to leave, to hear the heart break in his voice as he recalled the changes has stuck with me all these years.
Was Cockburn the fist fishery to collapse? I think not!
We are still paying for the choice to allow comercial cray fishermen to wetline.
I know we can't change the past. But we can change the future by looking at the past......
Why do people buy s#*t they dont need to impress people they don't like!
dodgy
Posts: 4563
Date Joined: 01/02/10
Was a commercial crab
Was a commercial crab fishery in Hedland for a while too. Apparently the transport to market killed it off.
Does anyone know where the love of god goes, when the waves turn the minutes to hours?
Dale
Posts: 7930
Date Joined: 13/09/05
The closure to the commercial crabbers in Geographe Bay was the best thing to happen down there, shame something similar wasn’t done up here.
"Just because you are a Character, Doesn't mean you have Character."
Mr Wolf
meglodon
Posts: 5981
Date Joined: 17/06/10
Those who do not learn from
"Those who do not learn from history are destined to repeat it", I don't know who is the author of those lines but they are/where right on the money in so many ways.
History can be a bitch of a teacher.
little johnny
Posts: 5329
Date Joined: 04/12/11
Gummy shark population
In Cockburn out of control. No dought there smashing crabs. Never seen so many over the years I have fished .
stricko
Posts: 222
Date Joined: 10/05/10
Do you think it's the same
Do you think it's the same for the occys i suppose there's a up side to it if so .i don't live metro but was looking forward to diving the sound for crabs this year so bit pissed about hearing of good numbers and not being able to get them.
stricko
Posts: 222
Date Joined: 10/05/10
Do you think it's the same
Do you think it's the same for the occys i suppose there's a up side to it if so .i don't live metro but was looking forward to diving the sound for crabs this year so bit pissed about hearing of good numbers and not being able to get them.
little johnny
Posts: 5329
Date Joined: 04/12/11
Occy always
Been in huge numbers ever since I was 12. Gummy sharks over the top , last 3 years going for smellys ( mullaway) .everywhere you go they are there in big numbers