Both sides are now claiming they will create massive Marine Parks along the Kimberley Coast.

Good news if recreational fishing will be allowed!  What if the Greens wont give up and demand a total ban on fishing?

Been for walks along the beach each side of the jetty, and along the jetty. The state of the jetty is terrible. Lights not working, rubbish bins missing, the concrete piles have split and are all showing signs of disintergration. The beams are starting to come adrift, some already missing. the deck is up and down and cracking.

The trouble (shark fishing, etc), fishing issues(undersize catches) etc etc all on this forum.

I think it should be pulled down, the concrete piles etc taken out to form an artificial reef.

This can then be used by snorklers and for schooling would be scuba divers.

Maybe a Suba club house could be set up. No I don't dive.

With the surf-lifesaving facilities going up, picnic areas, a beautiful beach, do we really need this unsightly structure?

As usual the Department of Fisheries will do what all government departments do. They will "consult widely" and then do what they originally intended. This gives the impression that the views of Joe Public have been considered when in fact it is all a con.

Topic should be put in General Discussion to at least get the biggest audience possible even if efforts to modify their intent are futile

Angling quotas to be scaled back
Daniel Mercer, The West Australian Updated February 22, 2012, 1:30 am

The State Government would halve the amount of popular types of eating fish that recreational anglers are allowed to have under sweeping changes proposed for the sport in WA.

The Department of Fisheries will today release a wide-ranging review of WA's recreational fishing rules, outlining its plans to simplify the system and help protect threatened species.

At the heart of the review is a proposal to slash possession limits for demersal scale fish such as pink snapper, dhufish, and baldchin groper, which are highly targeted but vulnerable to overfishing.

Fisheries director-general Stuart Smith said that under the draft review, anglers would be allowed to have only 10kg of fillets for demersal species State-wide, compared with the current limit of 20kg.

They would still be able to possess up to 20kg of fish fillets, provided the rest came from other types of fish such as pelagic species, which include tuna and mackerel, or those which lived near the shore.

These included bream and tailer.

Another change put forward by the review includes reducing bag limits for some demersal species from four to two to bring them into line with the stricter rules that already apply between Augusta and Kalbarri.

The total number of demersal fish a person can catch will also be reduced from seven to five, except on the west coast where there will be a "mixed bag" limit of two on demersal species.

Mr Smith said standardising many of the rules was aimed at making it easier for the hundreds of thousands of West Australians who went recreational fishing to enjoy the sport.

"It's well intentioned having local rules but you end up with a level of complexity that just doesn't work, particularly when you have a mobile population, Mr Smith said.

He said it was also prompted by concerns over the sustainability of several "high-risk" fish species whose numbers were under constant pressure from the growing popularity and sophistication of recreational angling.

"People shouldn't be out there fishing to fill their freezer," he said.

"They should be out there fishing for the experience and to catch a feed of fish for themselves and their family.

"The sort of volumes that will still be allowed to be caught are still well in excess of fish for the person and their family."

WA's recreational fishing lobby Recfishwest was cautious in its response to the review, saying it supported simplifying current arrangements but had reservations about some of the proposed restrictions.

Recfishwest's acting chief executive Andrew Rowland hinted the group might seek to challenge some aspects of the plan, urging fishers to submit feedback during the review's two-month consultation period.

Paul Hillary, who is a member of the Marmion Angling and Aquatic Club, said recreational fishers had "taken it in the neck" with previous restrictions and questioned the merit of the latest plan.
'People shouldn't be out there fishing to fill their freezer.' "Fisheries Department director-general *Stuart Smith *

The betting odds on the state election as published recently is Liberal win $1.20 the Labor party $8.60. Now being a bit of a sporting type person myself and not opposed to the ocassional punt on the nags as are a lot of other people on FW i should imagine, the way i see it is, it's a two horse race and the way I vote which I'm required to do by law influences which horse gets first past the post something I can't do  at the gallops so here's the opportunity for a lot of us punters to make some serious bucks and not have to bend the law in the least as long as we can get enough support from like minded people that are not opposed to making some easy cash. Forget the politics as all the pollies are only interested in is lining their own pockets so i urge you all to consider what I'm proposing and get your bets on and cash in.

"An Australian freshwater crayfish is threatening Zimbabwe s aquatic ecosystem, scientists say."

AP © An Australian freshwater crayfish is threatening Zimbabwe's aquatic ecosystem, scientists say.

Scientists in Zimbabwe say a freshwater crayfish brought from Australia is breeding out of control in the northern Lake Kariba, devouring the food sources of other fish and putting the nation's entire aquatic ecosystem at risk.

Officials at the Zimbabwe University lake shore research station say the red claw crayfish, introduced a decade ago for a fish farming project, has no natural predators in the wild - crocodiles don't like them - and they produce clusters of eggs up to half the size of a tennis ball that hatch prolifically.

Baby crocodiles still feeding on insects have been observed eating the crayfish, as have Lake Kariba's piranha-like tiger fish, but they generally thrive in deeper water than the crayfish.

Chief ecologist Crispen Phiri said the exploding, migrant crayfish population is infesting rivers, dams, ponds and tanks much farther afield where ''the scavenger eats everything -rotting vegetation, anything organic and micro-organisms" that other aquatic life and fish need.

The red claw crayfish, scientifically Cherax Quadricarinatus, is robust and hardy and cannot be poisoned without killing other natural species, Phiri said.

It survives and multiplies in virtually any fresh water supply and though its flesh is high in protein it is not popular in the diet of ordinary Zimbabweans, even those facing food shortages in the troubled economy.

Phiri said it is not clear whether the sister crayfish, or Cherax Destructor, is infesting Lake Kariba, too. As its scientific name suggests, it is a burrower which can cause structural damage to drainage and hydroelectric installations in Kariba, one of the world's largest man made lakes stretching about 300 kilometres on the Zambezi River along the northern border with neighbouring Zambia.

Like professionals in most Zimbabwean institutions, the scientists are suffering acute shortages of funding. The station's only research vessel has been docked for more than five years awaiting cash for repairs. What the ecologists do know is that the red claw migrates deep into river systems.

"We have to do a lot more work on the crayfish invasion," Phiri told The Associated Press.

''We don't know yet what will happen to the ecosystem. It is an omnivore and eats detritus, rotting vegetation, dead fish, the eggs of bream and other aquatic life as well as all the organisms that are crucial in the whole ecological chain," he said.

Nor is it known exactly how many crayfish are in Kariba lake. Phiri says they are most visible breeding unchecked close to human settlements, harbours and slipways for boats. Kariba's "kapenta" fish, a tiny tropical whitebait or sardine that has become a staple food, was also introduced into the lake but does not migrate because it only lives in deep water lake conditions.

The red claw from Australia was first "farmed" in neighbouring Zambia but has already found its way deep into that country's lake tributaries where its worrying impact is also being urgently tracked.

The solution to the crayfish crisis, said Phiri, seems to lie in commercial exploitation in traps similar to those used to catch marine lobster.

In stores in Harare, it sells for $US9 ($A8.80) a kilogram, $US12 ($A11.73) still alive in fish shop aquariums, and far more in upmarket restaurants patronised by the wealthy well-travelled elite and Zimbabwe's growing Chinese community.

Phiri said impoverished villagers capture the red claw and relocate to water closer to urban markets in central Zimbabwe.

Neighbouring South Africa has banned commercial operations and breeding of the still water crustacean in Argentina, Mexico and Australia is strictly controlled for environmental reasons.

''We don't have the resources on the ground to licence or police exploitation on the right scale at Kariba," said Phiri. "The important thing is we don't want people to introduce it elsewhere."

Premier Colin Barnett has vowed to split up the Department of Environment and Conservation if re-elected, in a move that would be the biggest shake up of environmental management in WA in years.

Launching the policy in Bunbury today, Mr Barnett said he wanted to separate the two core functions of the DEC: management of WA’s conservation estate and environmental licensing and regulation.

The plan would see the creation of the Western Australian Parks Authority, which would look after the State's 100 national parks, State forests, nature and conservation reserves and 13 marine parks.

“A dedicated WAPA will focus on providing the highest possible protection for our parks and reserves from environmental degradation and provide high quality access to unique environments for people to enjoy,” Mr Barnett said.

“We have some of the most spectacular national parks in the world, like Karijini National Park and Cape Le Grand National Park, and it makes sense to have a dedicated authority focused on their management.”

While land management would be given to the WAPA, environmental regulation would be hived off into another new agency, the Department of Environment Regulation.

This department would also be responsible for the Waste Authority.

Environment Minister Bill Marmion claimed the policy was a significant improvement on current arrangements and would “increase transparency, reduce duplication and streamline approval processes”.

In a statement, the Liberal Party said arrangements for the two new agencies would be in place by 2014.

Planning for the WAPA’s new headquarters would start after July 1, with construction to start in the first half of next year.

As part of the announcement, Mr Barnett also revealed a re-elected Liberal Government would stump up $20 million over four years for new and upgraded facilities in 11 national parks.

There would also be money to establish the new WAPA headquarters in Bunbury.

Rockfishing Anchor points to be now installed at popular rockfishing sites in Albany like Salmon Holes after the Premier overturned DEC's decision to not have them. DEC's reasoning, they could provide fishers a false sense of security, 'harness syndrome' or the ropes tied to the points could create a tripping hazard. Ray Walker and others campaigned for this first back in 2003 and was told then no by DEC(CALM) too. Well its been a while but got there eventually. Now to get them installed and to educate fishers the benefit of using them and how to use them.

A lot of people scoffed about the proposed federal marine parks being the thin end of the edge, well here's a second state one announced within 3-4 days of the previous randomly announced one.

How long till rec fishing in Australia itself is completely in the gun do you reckon?

www.news.com.au/national/new-marine-park-at-eighty-mile-beach/story-fndo4e3y-1226564417916

Just saw this press release on the SFP's facebook page.

In a nutshell they are proposing one dhufish per angler on recreational boats where each angler holds a valid rfbl.

A group of lobster fishermen are at war with Fisheries Minister Norman Moore over reductions to their catch limits which they claim could force operators to the wall.

Just weeks before the new lobster fishing season is due to begin, tensions over the carve-up of the lucrative fishery have exploded in claims of bloody-mindedness and belly-aching.

Central to the row is a decision by Mr Moore to give operators in the southern zone, south of Jurien Bay, fewer lobsters per pot than those in northern fisheries off Geraldton and the Abrolhos Islands.

The decision, after months of negotiations between the rock lobster industry and State Government, gave operators in the southern C zone a quota of 71kg per pot.

In comparison, operators in the B zone, off Geraldton, and the A zone, around the Abrolhos Islands, were granted quotas of 84kg and 91kg per pot respectively, rounding out the overall fishery's 5500-tonne limit.

Mr Moore said his decision had been based on the C zone's submission through industry body the WA Fishing Industry Council. Changing the decision at "such a late stage" would be inappropriate and unfair because it could undermine the sustainability of stocks and disadvantage other fishers.

"It is time for fishers to accept that the industry is moving to the final stages of a fully tradeable quota managed fishery, managed on a zone-by-zone basis, which has sustainability and maximum economic yield as its principal drivers," Mr Moore said.

Mike Thompson, who runs a big lobster fishing and processing business at Cervantes with his brother David, claimed Mr Moore's decision had already stripped about $250 million from the value of the southern fishery.

He said the move would have effect his profitability but the ramifications would run far deeper for smaller operators.

Mr Thompson predicted it could make some fishing businesses unviable, forcing people out of the industry and delivering a further blow to communities still hurting from previous measures to rein in the lobster catch.

http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/breaking/15532287/fishermen-minister-at-odds-over-catch-limits/

Apparently he will be announcing the parks today...and there is no change to the final draft plan.

Which means Rottnest Trench and Geographe Bay are included, plus the new Two Rocks dive zone.

Did anyone notice that the City of Busselton advertised the local laws on the Busselton jetty in the local paper. One of the local laws was a possession limit of two lines per fisher. Several local fishers went to the City of Busselton and thankfully the law has been changed to a in use limit the same as everywhere else of two lines and no possession limit. 

d and eat it. Picture: Svet's Journal.

A delicious feast of oysters, molluscs, crabs and fresh fish rained down on Lazurnaya Bay in the country's far east.

There was nothing else to do but to pick up the seafood and have a BBQ. Picture: Svet's journal

The seafood BBQ enjoyed by locals was the result of Typhoon Bolaven. The storm caused chaos as it tracked over Russia, halting the Trans Siberia Railway, stopping ferry services and causing black outs.

Local girl Svetlana took these amazing images of the seafood beach for her blog. 

There was so much seafood that after a while there was no point in getting any more. Everyone was full. Picture: Svet's journal.

"I live here for more than 20 years, but I've never seen anything like this. Now we know what 'manna from heaven' means,” Svetlana said. 

The day of the seafood feast will be talked about for years in this part of Russia.

Just saw Tony Burke is on QandA tonight.

Can go to this link to ask a question of him. http://www.abc.net.au/tv/qanda/

Reading current questions there seems to be a number questioning Setting up Marine Parks while allowing a Super Trawler into the country.

Many thanks to the office of Dr Mike Nahan, Liberal Member for the seat of Riverton for these pics.

Supporters, Mike Nahan and Rex Hunt

Supporters

Rex Hunt, Karl Langdon and Andrew Rowland

Rex Hunt

Recfishwest

Supporter with great banner

Boats at the event

Boats at the event, Is this you Ron?

Olympian Pole Vaulter Emma George and her kids

Mike Nahan and Hal Harvey and kids

Mark Haffenden Eureka 4WD Training, Hal Harvey and Mike Nahan

Crowd

Crowd

Crowd

I wish I could have been there, Enjoy.

I'm surprised I haven't already seen anything on this forum about this, but this is one of the biggest threats to fish stocks in australian waters that anyone could imagine - a 140 metre "Super trawler" that is concentrating on redbait and jack mackeral, to sell to Africa. It will be based in Devonport Tasmania, but is operated by an international company and will fish the waters up both sides of the country, including WA waters. 

The biggest opposition so far that I have seen has come from recreational fisho's chasing the big Southern Bluefin Tuna off the south east corner of Tas - this is an area that holds big numbers of some of the biggest SBT in the world, usually from March till around July, every year. The reason those fish are caught there is because of the amount of redbait in the water - SBT's natural food source. Considering SBT are approaching the "Endangered" list, ripping out the very thing that feeds them seems incredibly irresponsible to me.

I initially thought this thing was only going to be fishing up and down the east coast - which is bad enough in itself, but it is also going to be fishing right across the bite and up the west coast as well. Recreational fisho's have been blamed for just about everything that can go wrong in the oceans, and are facing ridiculous bag limits and more and more marine parks every year, yet a monstrocity like this is being given the go-ahead. I've attached a link, try googling it and be aware that this thing will be operating in the very waters that WA recreational fisho's are already being slowly but surely forced out of - to protect fish stocks

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-08-12/burke-weighs-into-super-trawler-debate/4193158

The Margiris is the second largest super trawler in the world and it will soon be fishing Australian waters from NSW to WA. Here is a very intresting article and videos from the ABC discussing the pro's and cons of the super twawler fishing Aussie waters. Personally I think no super trawler should ever be able to enter Australian waters.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-08-15/super-trawler-debate/4200114

 

From Ifish Facebook page, re a national phone campaign tomorrow on marine parks and the Margiris.

"Many of you have been asking what you can do to show your support AGAINST the Marine Parks issue & the Super Trawler. Tomorrow I will be making a call to my local Politician along with 1000's of other passionate fishos for "Phone a Pollie - Tuesday August 21st"

They want people to call in and say "don't lock us out" and also stop the super trawler.

WA pollies that should be rung:

Melissa Parkes (02) 6277 2189, member for Freo

Gary Grey (02) 6277 7600, Member for Brand

Suggested comment: "Hello I would look to pass a message on to the member for XXXX

"Please tell Tony Burke not to lock me and Australia's five million recreational anglers out of marine parks and stop the super trawler. We just want to go and catch a fish."

We are running a Keep Australia Fishing Convoy on Wednesday, Aug 29, at 2pm and we need your support!!!
The convoy will start in Fremantle and head to a meeting point (destination still to be confirmed) at around 4pm, where we will hold a public rally, with keynote speakers, special guests, etc.
There will be opportunities to join the convoy along the way, or you can join us at the rally afterwards.
We want to see heaps of people towing boats in the convoy, and cars without boats as well.
We also want to see banners, placards, signs, etc.
Regional anglers should get involved too, I know of at one least one town that is already planning to run its own rally in conjunction with the main one.
We also want people to come up with innovative ways of promoting the Keep Australia Fishing message to the wider public. Post your effort to the Keep Australia Fishing Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/KeepAustraliaFishing, and we'll pick a winner, who will win a fantastic prize.
I will post more details as they become available at http://www.facebook.com/events/296479800451230/
It's time to make a difference!

http://www.westernangler.com.au/forum/topic?id=3742

Wow what chance do the little guys (US) have.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eI0r01ppgmk&feature=player_embedded#!

 Google the name of this Fishing Vessel, if you think that the Pew Group are bad for fishing wait until this monster gets to Tassie. It is trying to leave Holland but Greenpeace have stopped it at the moment.

It is supposed to be fishing for bait fish off tassie , then where next east coast, south coast and then the west. I have sent an email to Sunrise about this and the Pew  Group, the more we get complaining

the better chance we have of being heard.

http://www.fishingworld.com.au/news/pew-admits-it-targeted-australia-for-lockouts-left-us-alone

Tell the Environment Minister how you feel about marine parks. Only takes a few seconds. Please pass on to all your friends.
www.keepaustraliafishing.com.au/site/campaign1_join.php

Just read on the ARFF website that foreign conservation groups accounted for 70% of the submissions received by the commonwealth on the MPA's. Don't you just love it when other countries dictate what should be done in our local waters based on ignorance.

If you own a boat and you do not currently visit Rottnest Island on your boat the Rottnest Island Authority would like you to complete a survey to provide your views about Rottnest Island. 

The results of this survey will be used to identify priority areas for future development and improvements on Rottnest Island.

What will you do when the Sea Shepherd decides you are fishing in a sanctuary zone and bears down on you?

Anglers out, Sea Shepherd in...looks like we are about to be on a par with illegal fishers and Japanese whalers...

FRIDAY HARBOR, Wash. — June 17, 2012 — Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, the world’s leading marine conservation organization, has announced it is offering its expertise, vessels, and resources to help patrol and protect Australia’s newly established and world’s largest marine reserve, the Coral Sea, in an effort to help safeguard this magnificent ocean resource and its marine life.

After a lengthy public comment period, The Australian Government announced Thursday it had taken a bold step to establish the ocean preserve. In a statement on the Government’s website, they said: “This action represents a turning point in the conservation and management of our oceans.” It further explained:  “Just like national parks on land, marine sanctuaries are now an accepted and mainstream part of the national agenda to address the unprecedented threats facing our unique marine life.”

In making its announcement, the Government stated enforcement will be key to the success of the newly established network of marine parks. Without it, foreign fishing vessels will continue to exploit the region’s fragile ecosystems through poaching, over-fishing, shark-finning and other illegal activities.
Former Herbert MP Mr. Lindsay said the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority should be in charge of monitoring the world's largest protected marine park.  "There's no point in having a marine park unless you can patrol it and police it," he said.”  He added: “They would have to receive adequate funding, they can't do it in their existing budget. Even if it does take another $10 million, it's money well spent.”

In response to the Australian Government’s remarks, Sea Shepherd is offering its assistance to collaborate and employ its resources and expertise to protect the waters from foreign fishing vessels illegally operating inside the new Coral Sea marine sanctuary, providing an enforcement solution that would be at no cost to the Australian taxpayer.

Sea Shepherd would also provide vessels and welcome members of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, or other appropriate Australian authorities, to be represented onboard ship on patrol in the Coral Sea.

The organization would work alongside the appropriate Australian authorities to design strategies, implement appropriate programs and facilitate prosecution of illegal fishing activities.

“Sea Shepherd has a long legacy of successfully defending and preserving marine ecosystems and animals worldwide and we have a very strong base of support in Australia. Our program in Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, is a model example of how our organization can support a local government in protecting its shark population and marine ecosystems. We have contributed more than $4 million dollars toward the acquisition of a patrol boat, the installation of vessel identification systems, training, enforcement, a team of fin-sniffing patrol dogs, and legal support for prosecution. We have been commended by the Galapagos government, Navy, and Marine Reserve officials. Together, we are protecting their rich waters from poachers and illegal international fishing fleets who aim to plunder local economies and ecosystems.”

“Sea Shepherd is prepared to work with any government or local agency to protect their waters,” says founder Captain Paul Watson. “We have resources and experience unlike those of other conservation organizations including world-wide awareness and support, ongoing program implementation, media relations expertise, training, shark fin-sniffing dogs, and vessel identification systems.  We stand ready to put our enforcement expertise to work for Australia’s Coral Sea for the long term."