Karijini Red Claw
Submitted by Francis on Wed, 2020-07-01 15:06
I'm taking the family on a trip north in Aug/Sep and will be spending a few nights in Karijini. I stumbled across this old post: http://fishwrecked.com/forum/pilbara-redclaw
I called DPAW and they had no idea about red claw in any of the gorges and weren't aware if fishing for them was acceptable or not. They said it hasn't been asked before. Seemed strange. Just want to throw this out there and see if anyone has any info on this ?
Getting a few red claw isn't really in the plan, but if they are there - and I can help the environment by taking a few to eat - then I will happily oblige !
Thanks
Mike
dodgy
Posts: 4563
Date Joined: 01/02/10
Biggest issue I see is how
Biggest issue I see is how you would catch them. Ban on any traps in any national park in Aus as far as I'm aware.
There are a few good red claw spots around and some quite close to karrijini area. If you have a dig on google you will find a research paper that was published on them a few years back.
Does anyone know where the love of god goes, when the waves turn the minutes to hours?
Adam Gallash
Posts: 15610
Date Joined: 29/11/05
Wittenoom gorge
Work mates said there was a heap in wittenoom gorge about a month ago when they camped there, could see the eyes in the torch lights.
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meglodon
Posts: 5981
Date Joined: 17/06/10
catch'em eat'em in big numbers
As far asI know red claw are a notious import to WA and it is most desireable to eradicate this import, I must say I'm supprised by the answer you got from DPAW or what ever they want to be called themselves this week. I think an email to fisheries might be a good move just to be sure about the status of red claw in this state and the legality of catching them in parks.
Francis
Posts: 326
Date Joined: 17/06/08
Thanks for responses - I was
Thanks for responses - I was also very suprised by the DPAW response. I'll give fisheries a call/email tomorrow and find out for sure, will report back with what they say. I'm sure the kids would enjoy catching them and as they are pest would be more than happy to get rid of a few !
Ill take a look on google and also at wittenoom - at the very least it looks like another cool stop to check out!
Adam Gallash
Posts: 15610
Date Joined: 29/11/05
Yep
Yep Gorges in behind town where the asbestos used to be mined are pretty cool and worth a look. Not quite karajini, but still nice. Usually drop thru for lunch on way back to ktown.
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bradz
Posts: 693
Date Joined: 29/10/07
Wittenoom??
Perhaps I am being a little niaive Adam, but I thought Wittenoom is not the sort of place you should be visiting, or even drive through. My understanding was that its still deemed as a contaminated area.
Just be careful guys. The town is closed for a good reason.
I did then the best that I knew how. When I knew better, I did better.
Jim
Posts: 1321
Date Joined: 05/05/06
Heap of construction to the
Heap of construction to the west of wittenoom, been thru there a few times now and the asbestos isn't confined to wittenoom where the bulk of it is. A bloke I know up there found a big chunk and didn't know what it was and started pulling it apart haha, realised what it was and took it to the office and was told to get out of the office and get rid of it! Seen a light on in one of the houses there in wittenoom. Eerie place
Bend over
Adam Gallash
Posts: 15610
Date Joined: 29/11/05
Yep
Yep fair call Bradz, its an at your own risk type deal. Although there are still people living there (or were last time i went thru) from when it was a town.
I personally saw the risk as low, but in the day and age of safety, consequence is certainly not a good outcome as the guys have outlined below.
Cheers
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Mark_M
Posts: 158
Date Joined: 10/04/15
Good luck getting a
Good luck getting a definitive response from Fisheries, they will probably handball you back to Parks & Wildlife.
Best option might be to ask.."can I use snares, nets or traps to help eradicate a declared pest from Karijini?" :-)
Way back in 2007 the then minister Jon Ford, created special rules for Lake Kununurra around the use of Opera House nets to tackle the redclaw invasion and demise of local cherabin.
Alan Carpenter’s media statement from 2007: re Fisheries minister allowing opera house traps.
https://www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au/Pages/Carpenter/2007/10/Minister-allows-fish-traps-to-reduce-feral-redclaw-population.aspx
Fisheries only list them as an introduced pest, with no info about capture other than rules about the specifications for opera house nets in L. Kununurra.
WA Fisheries pest info, (nothing on legality of capture).
https://www.fish.wa.gov.au/Sustainability-and-Environment/Aquatic-Biosecurity/Identifying-Pests-And-Diseases/Pages/Freshwater-Pest-ID.aspx
Redclaw trap info for Kununurra
https://www.fish.wa.gov.au/Fishing-and-Aquaculture/Recreational-Fishing/Recreational-Fishing-Rules/Pages/North-Coast-Bioregion.aspx
https://www.kimberleyecho.com.au/news/tips-to-help-catch-kimberley-redclaw-galore-ng-ya-357228
Research from 2016, supposedly the first recorded sighting in Karijini
http://www.wetlandresearch.com.au/wrm-discover-the-introduced-redclaw-crayfish-cherax-quadricarinatus-in-karijini-national-park/
little johnny
Posts: 5330
Date Joined: 04/12/11
They look
Tasty.
Francis
Posts: 326
Date Joined: 17/06/08
Cheers bradz, I'll look into
Cheers bradz, I'll look into the advice re: Wittenoom and the azzy - its a good point considering i'll have the little ones on board
And Mark thanks for the info ! This topic has now somehow diverted my attention from preparing for the trip ! Very dissapointing that an invasive species as been let loose up there. I read through the research paper and while its good that they have only been found in one or 2 of the pools in karijini, I wonder how long it will take for them to invade the other pools. I'd assume they are like marron and can walk fair distances to new water, but maybe the heat combined with the distance might be a saving grace !
Email has been sent to fisharies and DPAW - will post what I find
little johnny
Posts: 5330
Date Joined: 04/12/11
Work with few guys
Who worked up there . Retired now . Unfortunately both lost one of there kids . One in mid 20 s , over in mid 30s . Also one of bosses died , had young family , very sad . All where babies there , they use to line all roads with the stuff . Bugger that
davewillo
Posts: 2258
Date Joined: 08/09/16
Went there with my high
Went there with my high school for a week in the late 70's and they used the tailings instead of blue metal to make the roads. Much bluer that way! To put it in perspective, we got a short tour down the underground mine which was closed by then and the town basically abandoned. Imagine that these days!
PGFC member and lure tragic
dodgy
Posts: 4563
Date Joined: 01/02/10
Can still get into the mines
Can still get into the mines these days. Shafts are open in a couple of places. Few clips on YouTube of people in exploring them.
Does anyone know where the love of god goes, when the waves turn the minutes to hours?
eziliving
Posts: 865
Date Joined: 30/12/09
The father in law passed
The father in law passed away last year from mesothelioma. He last 3 years fighting it which is bloody good as 94% (or thereabouts) die after 9 months from diagnosis. He was a child there and went back to work there in his early 20's. it's not good watching someone die like that. I've been there a couple off times to have a look out off curiosity. Blue dust everywhere.
Get busy living, or get busy dying!
timboon
Posts: 2924
Date Joined: 14/11/10
Agree with Adam its a very
Agree with Adam its a very interesting place to check out....
Eerie forsure!!
The cemetery is worth a walk, so many unmarked graves with old drill rods used to mark the 4 corners,,,
There is asbestos in most of the Pilbara from what I know, obviously higher concentrations in some areas like Wittenoom...
Entirely up to the individual to go have look though, you'll be reminded multiple times by the large signs you are entering a restriced area!
Francis
Posts: 326
Date Joined: 17/06/08
So far no update from either
So far no update from either DPAW or fisharies by phone or email - seems like no-one can (wants) to give a difinitive response. Will give a bit longer and see if they get back to me.
Francis
Posts: 326
Date Joined: 17/06/08
Just an update - fisharies
Just an update - fisharies got back to me and confirmed that any sort of traps are not permitted in Karijini. There is no issue with using snares or standard marron nets. So I'll take a couple of marron nets and try our luck.
Thanks to all for the input. Appreciate it.