Extract from letter from Don Punch Fisheries Minister
Today I received an email from the Minister which did not address 95% of the issues I raised. I assume this is a standard letter sent to all those concerned.
Note that he says a reference group from the recreational, charter and commercial sectors recommended a catch reduction of 50%. Did they recommend this and who represented the recreational sector at this time? Obviously he feels the new ban has the approval of all these sectors. Is this the case? This is the main substance of the email.
Thank you for your email regarding the sustainable management of demersal fish stocks in the West
Coast Bioregion (the area between Kalbarri and Augusta.)
Demersal Scalefish in this area have been in a formal 2010-2030 recovery plan following a period of
over-fishing in the 1990s and early 2000s. Objectives of the recovery plan were to end overfishing,
rebuild the demersal fish stocks and ensure long-term sustainability. Scientific stock assessments or
“health checks” have been undertaken periodically throughout the recovery plan.
The most recent scientific stock assessment released in November 2021 shows that while the best
efforts of commercial and recreational fishers had helped to halt the decline, stocks were not
recovering fast enough to safeguard the future of these fish. Demersal species like dhufish and pink
snapper are slow growing and live up to 40 years. The stock assessment shows there are very few
older fish in the population and most fish are below 10 years of age. It is vitally important that older
fish are present in the breeding populations to replenish stocks.
In February 2022, an industry led reference group of representatives from the recreational, charter
and commercial fishing sectors, recommended to the State Government that the total catch for
demersal species be reduced by 50 per cent to meet 2030 recovery targets for demersal scalefish.
Phase one consultation involved Recfishwest, Marine Tourism WA and the WA Fishing Industry
Council gathering feedback and suggestions from their respective fishing sectors and providing
submissions to Government. This feedback and suggestions were used in the development of
proposed management options put forward by the State Government.
The State Government has invited Western Australia’s recreational, charter and commercial fishers to
comment on proposed management options to help rebuild stocks of demersal scalefish, including
iconic indicator species pink snapper and dhufish. I encourage you to visit
https://yoursay.dpird.wa.gov.au/wcdemersal to have your say.
The public consultation is open for a six-week period, ending at 5pm on Friday, 30 September 2022
TorquenFish
Posts: 321
Date Joined: 30/12/12
Sounds familiar
Hmm... reads "similar" to mine
"Thank you for your email regarding the sustainable management of demersal fish stocks in the West Coast Bioregion (the area between Kalbarri and Augusta.)
Demersal Scalefish in this area have been in a formal 2010-2030 recovery plan following a period of over-fishing in the 1990s and early 2000s. Objectives of the recovery plan were to end overfishing, rebuild the demersal fish stocks and ensure long-term sustainability. Scientific stock assessments or “health checks” have been undertaken periodically throughout the recovery plan.
The most recent scientific stock assessment released in November 2021 shows that while the best efforts of commercial and recreational fishers had helped to halt the decline, stocks were not recovering fast enough to safeguard the future of these fish. Demersal species like dhufish and pink snapper are slow growing and live up to 40 years. The stock assessment shows there are very few older fish in the population and most fish are below 10 years of age. It is vitally important that older fish are present in the breeding populations to replenish stocks.
In February 2022, an industry led reference group of representatives from the recreational, charter and commercial fishing sectors, recommended to the State Government that the total catch for demersal species be reduced by 50 per cent to meet 2030 recovery targets for demersal scalefish.
Phase one consultation involved Recfishwest, Marine Tourism WA and the WA Fishing Industry Council gathering feedback and suggestions from their respective fishing sectors and providing submissions to Government. This feedback and suggestions were used in the development of proposed management options put forward by the State Government.
The State Government has invited Western Australia’s recreational, charter and commercial fishers to comment on proposed management options to help rebuild stocks of demersal scalefish, including iconic indicator species pink snapper and dhufish. I encourage you to visit https://yoursay.dpird.wa.gov.au/wcdemersal to have your say."
They must take us for idiots.
striker
Posts: 222
Date Joined: 26/09/14
Mines
The same with a link to click to fill in the survey , copy and paste and ignore the details seems to be their go to position at the moment.
Markie
Posts: 2140
Date Joined: 06/08/10
Same for me.
Same for me.
Ericl
Posts: 450
Date Joined: 02/05/11
Yep, me too
Got the same pdf pasted in.
Don't spend all your money on beer, boats, and fishing. Save some to spend foolishly
rob90
Posts: 1522
Date Joined: 06/02/13
Same here. We should all
Same here. We should all write a generic email back and email it at the exact same time. So when the clown rolls into work he gets to read how he is a numbskull multiple times
Hi my name is rob............. and I'm a........... fishaholic
Moondog
Posts: 131
Date Joined: 25/06/18
Yeah I got the same thing
Yeah I got the same thing last night aswell! I've emailed the e petition link back to him 4 times today asking if he would sign it.
selthy
Posts: 285
Date Joined: 27/05/11
These generic responses add
These generic responses add to an interesting observation made whilst reading the various stock assessment reports. Has anyone else noticed this little detail and feel frustrated and concerned about due process being followed???
- Dons's response refers to a "scientific stock assessment released in November 2021"
- Whilst the stock assessment which is linked to the recreational consultation paper is dated October 2021. Moreover, this paper uses recreational catch estimates from 2017/18 data. https://www.fish.wa.gov.au/Documents/research_reports/frr316.pdf
- Of even greater interest is a seperate 2021 State of Fisheries report (https://www.fish.wa.gov.au/Documents/sofar/status_reports_of_the_fisheries_and_aquatic_resources_2020-21.pdf). Not only does the report use the same 2017/18 data to assess West Coast Demersal fish as a medium risk (which is described in the paper as "acceptable; with current risk control measures in place (no new management required)), the paper also notes that an updated (fifth) survey was undertaken between September 2020 & August 2021, with the results due for release in 2022.
I emailed DPIRD last night about this updated survey. With a very quick turn around the Senior Principal Research Scientist responded this morning advising "The survey data is going through a review process as well as engagement with stakeholders and is expected to be released in the latter part of 2022."
Now, before I get too excited, this updated survey may be more damning on us recreational fishers, particularly with the reported increase in recreational activity during our COVID border closures. However, why would such a brutal proposal be announced by the fisheries minister when updated data is imminent? There must be more to this.
Jackfrost80
Posts: 8047
Date Joined: 07/05/12
That is some brilliant work
That is some brilliant work mate. I'll be sending a version of this to my local MLA.
Officially off the Pies bandwagon
Moondog
Posts: 131
Date Joined: 25/06/18
Good effort picking up all of
Good effort picking up all of that and calling out more of the bullshit mate.
the new survey wouldn't be a case of the peasants are onto us we need to re work the numbers would it?
selthy
Posts: 285
Date Joined: 27/05/11
Thanks for the positive
Thanks for the positive feedback gents. Maybe I'm naive, however I trust the employees of DPIRD to do their job with professionalism, just like I'm sure everyone on here performs their role to a standard they are comfortable with. My take is that the report has been in train for a while and it is going through the appropriate governance processes. This is a good thing. Although, I could be wrong.
Moondog
Posts: 131
Date Joined: 25/06/18
Only time will tell mate. I
Only time will tell mate. I have no faith about "following the science" it's a new propaganda tool as far as I'm concerned. The "science" we have followed for the last 2 years hasn't been right so why will this?
Swompa
Posts: 3781
Date Joined: 14/10/12
I got the letter today. Feel
I got the letter today. Feel lucky to get the same copy and paste rubbish as everyone else.
Simo_
Posts: 1843
Date Joined: 13/11/06
Waste of time writing
Waste of time writing letters, these clowns don't care, they are running a dictatorship with no opposition... hopefully everyone will learn from this and not vote for them again.
Bring on April
slugger
Posts: 156
Date Joined: 17/02/11
same reply
he will be getting what for back , as didnt answer one single question
just have to keep at this, becuase if it dies a quick death without constant harrassment by us all, that will please them to no end
Ericl
Posts: 450
Date Joined: 02/05/11
re-sent my letter
Re sent my letter stating that it is obvious that the minister didnt read a single word of what I and thousands of others had to say
Don't spend all your money on beer, boats, and fishing. Save some to spend foolishly
Pete F
Posts: 310
Date Joined: 07/01/18
Total waste of time putting
Total waste of time putting pen to paper, clearly we can't "Have our say" because no one is listening.
Cheers
Pete F
Posts: 310
Date Joined: 07/01/18
I re sent mine asking him to
I re sent mine asking him to read it before responding.
Cheers