DPIRD issues warning to recreational fishers to comply with demersal scalefish rules in West Coast Bioregion
Authorities have issued a reminder to follow the rules after Fisheries officers seized a vessel in Geraldton this week following the discovery of an allegedly illegal haul of demersal fish.
The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development has warned fishers about the importance of complying with recreational fishing rules surrounding demersal scalefish in the West Coast Bioregion.
The reminder comes after DPIRD fisheries officers found 46 demersal fish on board a vessel at the Geraldton boat ramp on Monday, May 19 — a figure well above the permitted daily bag limit of two per fisher and a boat limit of four.
Three men from Geraldton were on board the vessel, according to a DPIRD spokesperson.
Recreational fishing of demersal scalefish is only permitted for six-and-a-half months of the year in the West Coast Bioregion (from Kalbarri to Augusta). These fish include pink snapper, WA dhufish, baldchin groper and breaksea cod.
Boat-based fishing closures are put in place from February 1 to March 31, August 1 to September 15 and October 15 to December 15 as part of the management plan to support the recovery of demersal fish stocks.
DPIRD director regional compliance Mid West Michael Kelly warned fishers who engaged in illegal fishing practices posed a significant threat to the vulnerable fisheries.
'Among the fish found on the vessel were 24 pink snapper and 10 baldchin groper. The haul also included two dhufish, seven redthroat emperor, two coral trout and a wirrah cod, well exceeding the daily bag limit for demersal scalefish,' he said.
Mr Kelly said the vessel of the offender had been seized and investigations were ongoing.
'While many recreational fishers in WA do the right thing to catch a feed for themselves and their family, there's zero tolerance for those who breach the rules,' he said.
The rules differ for the Abrohlos region and recreational fishers are encouraged to become familiar with bag and possession limits before they take their boats out.
The recreation fishing rules can be found in the
Recreational Fishing Guide
on the
DPIRD
website.
Anyone with information on illegal fishing activities is asked to call the
FishWatch
reporting line on 1800 815 507 or lodge it via the online form on
Crimestoppers
.
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