Fishing licenses and West Coast restrictions.

[TerryF]

Fishing licenses and West Coast restrictions.

The Government/Cabinet/Minister have decided. Announced 2 July. Apply from mid October 2009.

2 month closed season for West Coast demersal species 15 Oct to 15 Dec each year.

More demersal species included in the West Coast list, not just a "vulnerable 5". Coral and Coronation trout, Cods, Dhufish, Emperors, Baldchin groper and Tuskfish, Blue Groper, Hapuku, Bass groper, Trevella, Grey banded rock cod, Parrot fish, Pink Snapper, Queen snapper, Red Emperor, Red snapper, bight redfish, nannygai and swallowtail, Tropical snappers and sea perch (mangrove jack, fingermark, job fish, stripey sea perch etc.) Foxfish and Pigfish.

State wide boat licence fee $30 for any fishing from boats, (unless the activity is covered by one of the separate licences also held, eg recreational rock lobster)

West Coast demersal fishing licence from boats $150 per year, $20 for 1 day, $60 for 14 days.

Other licence fees increased to $45 each. Umbrella licence removed.

50% discounts for Pensioners and Children under 16. Children under 16 fishing with a licenced fisher don't need a Rec boat fishing licence if using part of the licenced person's daily bag limit.


EDIT EDIT 4:15PM Ignore this >>>Some ambiguity in the wording about children under 16 needing a licence, (eg demersal licence) when fishing and using part of the licenced person's daily bag limit. Understand that the intention is no licences required for this.<<< Ignore this EDIT EDIT Yes a separate licence IS required.


Shore based fishing for finfish doesn't need any licence, that means shore based catch of demersals doesn't need a demersal licence. Closed seasons for West Coast demersals applies to shore based fishing too.

Revenue raised from the new licensing system would be quarantined in a recreational fishing trust and only spent on matters related to recreational fishing.

The review reports which were part of the decisions on restrictions will be released.

Mixed bag limit for lower risk category 3 fish in the West Coast bioregion will reduce from 40 per angler to 30 and for medium risk category 2 fish from 16 to 12.

Tailor slot limit changes to only 2 fish over 50cm (previously only 2 fish over 60cm) within the unchanged 8 per day bag limit.

Review of all these after 12 months of operation.

Some details still to be explained or clarified.

Source:- Minister for Fisheries Media Statement:- http://www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au...?ItemId=132159

Recfishwest Media Release http://www.recfishwest.org.au/MediaR...hanges2009.htm

Strong reaction expected to West Coast Recreational fishing changes.

Recfishwest has predicted a public outcry over the latest measures announced by Fisheries Minister Norman Moore.

Recfishwest executive director Frank Prokop said that despite recognising the benefit of a recreational fishing licence system, his organisation did not support Minister Moore's new fee structure.

"Fees for different activities such as fishing for rock lobster, abalone, marron and fresh water species have been raised and standardised to $45 each," Mr Prokop said.

"The addition of two new licences - $30 for anyone fishing from a boat and an additional demersal fishing licence costing between $20 a day to $150 annually - means that keen anglers who want the complete suite of fishing activities will have to pay $405 per year.

"This is in stark contrast to the previous umbrella licence which cost $81."

Mr Prokop said that despite flaws in the previous umbrella licence system, Recfishwest believes at the very least, that a discount for fishers who undertake multiple licensed fisheries must be included in the new management structure.

"We agree with the plan to quarantine funds raised through the new licence system into a recreational fishing trust account," he said.

Recfishwest will be steadfast on ensuring any revenue is managed by the recreational sector for enhancement and management needs of the fish resources we access.

"Our preferred licensing model would be for a much lower fee shared amongst all recreational fishers," Mr Prokop said.

Recfishwest supports a state wide boat fishing licence, but as a step towards a general angling licence. This would spread the financial cost, allow for the needs of all fishers to be met and provide data across all recreational fisheries.

"The extremely high fee structure is obviously aimed at helping to make the recreational West Coast Demersal fishery cost recovered and we are concerned this cost will act as a financial disincentive to fishers who wish to target these species."

The commercial West Coast Demersal fishery harvests 50% of the resource, but its fee structure is not even close to being cost recovered.

However, Mr Prokop believed that there are some good elements to the package.

We support the moves to introduce new bag limits on category 2 and 3 inshore species and to fund new research into the status of these stocks.

Recfishwest strongly supported the change to the tailor slot limit to become two fish larger than 50 cm instead of two fish over 60 cm which will provide additional protection for larger tailor.

Recfishwest supports a two month closure as opposed to the four month closure proposed by the previous government.

We believe that it sends an important message to anglers that we have a part to play in managing stocks of species such as dhufish. Recfishwest believes that the government has seriously under-estimated the impact the closed season combined with extremely high demersal licence fees will have on reducing recreational participation and catch.

"The performance measures for the fishery must be developed such that they allow the recreational sector to benefit from a stock recovery. We also urge an independent assessment of the impact of these management reforms and ongoing review." Mr Prokop said.

Recfishwest is also pleased that the government did not pander to the irresponsible demands for area closures from radical marine conservation groups.

"One of the benefits of licensing is that it allows the recreational sector to have greater influence on management reforms. Recfishwest is also calling on the government to apply the same risk and cost recovery principles to Marine Park management where proponents contribute nothing financially to management."

Mr Prokop expected strong opposition to these proposals in a number of areas, especially given the extremely high cost of fishing and the contribution it already makes to the economy.

"The money MUST be used responsibly with the benefits of management being returned to recreational fishing.

After all, this is a $750 million industry and an essential component of the Western Australian way of life." Mr Prokop concluded.

ENDS Media Contacts

Frank Prokop, Executive Director - Recfishwest ph. 9246 3366 or 0419 949 118
Kane Moyle, Policy Officer - Recfishwest ph. 9246 3366 or 0403 898 432

TerryF
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Beavering away in the background.......

[Danmaso]

sucks to be in wa atm...

[Bear]

State wide boat licence fee $30 for any fishing from boats, (unless the activity is covered by one of the separate licences also held, eg recreational rock lobster)

[brad mcdonald]

yeah got that bit too bear....

so if i want to jump in a car topper and drift the warren for a feed of red fin (a pest) it will cost me $75 ..........

fish the swan from a boat $30 + rst + boat rego + insruance

catch a pinkie ...... $150

............ well they haven't closed the fishery but dam near priced it out reach for a lot of people.

[mantacboss]

What a whole lot of questions that will need answering.
Mr Moore i hope you can get the answers out quickly.
3 1/2 months to get it right.

Ash.

[brad mcdonald]

i guess the increases should mean the state gov can now afford to pay for someone to police the new rules ...... hmmmm maybe

[brad mcdonald]

Originally Posted by mantacboss

What a whole lot of questions that will need answering.
Mr Moore i hope you can get the answers out quickly.
3 1/2 months to get it right.

Ash.

ahhh looks like they expect questions

http://www.fish.wa.gov.au/docs/pub/R...uly%202009.pdf

[Bear]

Confusing:

NOTE:

A Recreational Boat Fishing Licence will
NOT be required where an existing licensed
fishing activity (e.g. rock lobster or abalone
fishing) is conducted with the aid of a boat,
providing that the only type of fishing undertaken

on that trip is within the scope of the licence.

and yet

What species do I need a West Coast Demersal
Scalefish Licence for?

When fishing in the
West Coast Bioregion (Kalbarri to Augusta)
from a boat, a West Coast Demersal Scalefish
Licence is required to take the species/families
identified in the table below. These same
species will be prohibited from being taken in
the West Coast Bioregion by recreational fishers
during the recreational demersal scalefish

closure - 15 October to 15 December, inclusive.

I would have thought having a fishing license would mean I don't need a boat license?

[Shane]

I would like to know the rational behind charging people fishing from boats a fee and not charging people fishing from shore. If they came to me and said that the $30 I paid went to maintaining the Maylands boat ramp and cleaning up the Swan, double thumbs up.

But I get the impression that they just want to get fees to hire people to stand at ramps to bust people bringing in fish without a license, and not hiring people to check shore bashers size limits. Charge everyone fishing a flat fee and support the resource that we enjoy.

[Mark M]

http://www.fish.wa.gov.au/docs/pub/R...uly%202009.pdf


Seems the new license is more about charging boaters to carry fishing gear on their boat and not an angling license as shore bashers are free

Easy to target boaters as DPI already has a data base of owners.

The challenge now is to make sure that peak bodies such as RFW are represented on the board which controls the trust account where all the new rec license money is held in trust to support "recreational fishing".... and not just another pool of dosh for the Govt to syphon

One good use for the trust $$ might be to buy out all the remaining pro licenses for bream Send Frank an email to get it started

Macca, by my reading of the text, your FW fishing license (now$45) will cover your whether your fish for reddies by shore or BOAT, you will only need the extra $30 license to catch anyhting else that isn't demersal Ha Ha , like herring or bream......

Note also that the fishing license is not for "the boat" everyone on board who angles need to stump up the thirty.

Need to read some more and comment later.

ps Macca , you already had to pay boat rego, insurance and RST so stop whinging

[Justin Boyle]

I haven't read the full article but at a quick glance the only people that will be able fish don't have the time. Those people are lawyers because they are the only people that could understand the complexity of fishing laws in Western Australia it seems. Fishing is a sport that should be enjoyed by many and I think it unreasonable that it should be so difficult for me to understand what my requirements are.

JB

[Bear]

Hefty increases in other licenses:

Rock Lobster:		$38.00
	Marron:		$26.00
	Abalone:		$44.00
	South West Fresh Water Angling:		$26.00
	Net Fishing:		$31.00

[brad mcdonald]

Originally Posted by Mark M

ps Macca , you already had to pay boat rego, insurance and RST so stop whinging

nah why stop now .....

happy to pay whatever the license fee is, but i cant understand why its so bloody complex. i can't see what would have been wrong with a flat fee of, gee i dont know, $50 a year, fish for whatever you want, however you want, with in the law.

see i'll never make it in poiltics with logic like that.

[barrajack]

Jeez guys glad I dont live over in the west, you guys are being ripped off.

Surely these price rises will have adverse effects on the industry over there. Money is tight enouh as it is wiht out pollies pulling more out of the everyday fisho.

dont take it lying down fight the bastards!!!!!!

[Dror]

Geez talk about making it confusing. Every Monday and Tuesday there is another change to bag limits and slot limits and so forth. Unless people are actively looking for the information constantly it will be impossible to know if you are doing the right thing or not.
I would be willing to bet that 90% of recreational anglers do not know the rules at this stage.

Cheers, Dror