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Perth Now
21-05-2025
- General
- Perth Now
Fishing ban on cards for popular spot in Perth's south
Cockburn council has thrown support behind a councillor who wants all fishing banned around an artificial reef off North Coogee due to fears the practice will attract sharks to the snorkeller's paradise. Cr Pheobe Corke said a rise in spearfishing at the reef off C.Y. O'Connor Beach is what encouraged her to pursue a blanket ban on fishing within 50m of the man-made reef. 'The artificial reef is fast becoming a popular snorkelling spot,' she said. Your local paper, whenever you want it. 'There are swimmers snorkelling every day and school parties are visiting regularly. Councillor Pheobe Corke said the rise in spearfishing at C.Y. O'Connor Beach is what encouraged her to pursue a blanket ban on fishing within 50m of the artificial reef. Credit: City of Cockburn 'Recently people have been seen spearfishing there, and the number of spearfishers appears to be rising rapidly, this is creating a dangerous situation as gidgees and blood in the water can attract sharks. 'This destination is only going to become more popular with snorkellers and therefore swift action is required to ensure visitors to the artificial reef have the same protections as those visiting the Omeo Dive Trail.' The grounds for her request, which was endorsed this month by Cockburn council, are that the site is an important fish habitat area and a blanket no-fishing zone would help the City of Cockburn manage aquatic resource sharing issues at the site. The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development granted a no-fishing zone on the same grounds around the Coogee Maritime Trail, one of Perth's most popular spots featuring the wreck of the Omeo. Cockburn council has thrown support behind a councillor who wants all fishing banned around an artificial reef off North Coogee. Credit: supplied However, approval of and any subsequent enforcement of the city's proposed rules by DPIRD were contingent on support from Recfishwest and the WA Fishing Industry Council. Recfishwest and WAFIC said they don't see why fishers and swimmers can't co-exist at the artificial reef. 'There is no reason why fishers and other water users can't peacefully co-exist, which is the norm along our coastline,' a Recfishwest spokesperson said. 'The nearby Ammo Jetty in Cockburn Sound is a great example of this where fishers, divers and swimmers all enjoy the amenity the jetty provides as a public asset — there would be no reason we can see why the C.Y. O'Connor artificial reef would be any different.' Similarly, a WAFIC spokesperson said: 'WAFIC is committed to co-existence in the marine environment and will seek to support a mutually agreeable solution that doesn't unnecessarily impact commercial fishers.' The City of Cockburn, in partnership with global marine and subsea services company MMA Offshore, doubled the reef's 135 concrete bombora modules to 270 late last year. The swimming spot has continued to attract an array of fish, marine invertebrates and marine flora, with a recent survey revealing 68 fish species in the area, a 134 per cent increase from the 29 species recorded before the reef's existence. The WA Undersea Club president Matthew Johnson told PerthNow despite no hard evidence showing an increase in the number of spearfishers at the artificial reef, he doesn't doubt it's true. The WA Undersea Club president Matthew Johnson told PerthNow despite no hard evidence showing an increase in the number of spearfishers at the C.Y. O'Connor artificial reef, he doesn't doubt it's true. Credit: fish_arms_mattyj 'Common sense says it has to be true,' Mr Johnson said. 'Spearfishing has grown in popularity in the last five years in particular, and if they have built an artificial reef there it would make sense. 'It's a ridiculous thing to say that more people are spearfishing so we should ban it, wouldn't you say more people are spearfishing so let's build another reef and continue to bring more people to our beach, it's just so backwards.' Mr Johnson was disappointed to hear spearfishing concerns was at the crux of Cr Corke's argument. 'The thing is sharks are in the water anyway. They exist, they are there, there's no kidding ourselves with that, any form of fishing attracts sharks,' he said. 'Spearfishing is by far the most sustainable form of fishing, there's no bycatch, you select what you catch, you don't shoot undersize fish, your not leaving hooks, fishing line or tackle in the water, it literally is the most sustainable form of fishing. 'It's this idea of hunting with a gun that seems to upset people, this attitude that it is some sort of barbaric blood-thirsty thing is so wrong.' Mr Johnson said the reef presented a unique opportunity for amateur spearfishers in Perth to learn and he thinks authorities should harness the rarity of it. 'The WA coast is spoilt for fishing, but the issue is all our reef structure is quite a distance off the coast so you really need a boat to get out to that sort of ground,' he said. 'There's next to no opportunity for spearfishers from the shore on the metro coast. 'To me that location really represents an entry-level spot for people to dabble in spearfishing — it's a positive thing that should be supported by local government. 'Fishing and outdoor activities, particularly at a shore-based location like that will attract young people and families, any real serious fishermen will be out on a boat somewhere, the council should be promoting young people getting outside and being active.'
West Australian
20-05-2025
- West Australian
Popular marine mollusc is off the menu as fishing restrictions come back into action
From the Busselton Jetty to the South Australian boarder, a popular marine mollusc is off the menu as fishing restrictions come back into force. The annual closure of the southern zone for abalone fishing started this month, with recreational fishing for greenlip, brownlip and Roe's abalone now prohibited until October 1. In addition to the annual season closure, the year-round no-take zone for greenlip abalone between Busselton Jetty and Shoal Cape remains in place as part of a strategy developed by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development and Recfishwest to allow the stock to recover after past marine heatwave events. Currently, the South Coast is undergoing a strong marine heatwave which can have broad impacts on all species of abalone. Management and extensive research of the fishery is carried out during the year, along with the monitoring of commercial and recreational catches to protect the sustainability of the species. Acting director of regional compliance in the south Brad Tilley said patrols run during the southern zone's recreational abalone season highlighted the majority of fishers did the right thing. 'DPIRD in-season patrols found a generally high level of compliance, but there were 10 infringement fines, and 13 warnings issued, and several people will face court for catching more than the limit, no fishing licence and cleaning catch on a beach,' he said 'On the positive side, no one was detected with catches of greenlip abalone, which indicates good compliance with the ban. 'Abalone fishers should always be careful not to remove any abalone from its habitat, without knowing what species it is. 'Taking abalone and discarding them later puts pressure on the abalone population because discarded or disturbed animals have a high risk of mortality. 'Abalone already face a range of environmental perils, so careful assessment by fishers and compliance with zone closures is vital.' DPIRD is asking if anyone who sees or suspects illegal abalone fishing taking place is urged to report their concerns to FishWatch by calling 1800 815 507 to report what you've seen, or, alternatively use the online form at Crime Stoppers.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Yahoo
Frenzy as annual phenomenon takes over Aussie beach: 'Catching them by hand'
A massive school of salmon has sparked a fish frenzy at a Western Australian beach, with the numbers so high fishermen were able to pluck them out of the water by hand. Armed with rods, nets and buckets, opportunistic fishermen took to Cheynes Beach on Wednesday as thousands of salmon arrived as part of their annual migration. For Gareth Dunn, the assistant manager of the beachfront Cheynes Beach Caravan Park, the big schools of fish that have come and gone over the past week have helped him tick off a 'first'. 'Personally, I have never caught a fish. The first time a school came in I chucked a rod in and I caught 15 back-to-back,' he told Yahoo News. 'After the 15th, my shoulder was getting tired,' he laughed. 'It was ecstatic from the beginning.' The giant school of fish chased smaller herring onto the beach, allowing fishers to load up their rods with the bait fish and instantly hook a salmon. Gareth managed to land himself a 86cm whopper. 'People were catching them with their hands,' he said. 'People were getting nets in and catching them with a net. 'We were lucky that we were just down at the beach at the right time.' Video from the shoreline shows the water full of movement, with aerial photographs showing another massive school sitting in the bay. A study by Recfishwest estimates WA fishers spend around $331 million a year chasing the salmon. Gareth said each year, the park sees a spike in bookings as fishermen descend on Cheynes Beach to take advantage of the salmon migration. 'We have recurring bookings that come down every year just to catch salmon,' he said. But the guests that frequent the park are not all interested in the fish. Cheynes Beach is home to three of Australia's most rare and elusive birds; the western whipbird, the noisy scrub-bird, and the western bristlebird. Incredible reason for 'jaw-dropping' spectacle off coast Photos capture once in a century event in Aussie coastal town: 'Special' Fisherman spots unusual phenomenon near buoy 12km off Aussie coastline 'We have a lot of birding groups from around the world that come down and spend a few days here trying to see if they can find them,' Gareth said. 'And then we have the southern right whales that give birth and feed their young in our bay between July and October. It's not uncommon to see a whale about 50m from the beach with their babies. 'And between April and July blue whales come through as well.' Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
