Walpole, worry?

madaff · #1 03-02-2003, 06:10 AM

In the thread below labeled Swanfish. I made mention about keeping a fish for a feed, for which there is nothing wrong with that. BUT!!!!!!!!

What about the bag limit of 20 fish for Walpole, even more worring is that how many people who will now fish with lures that never previously done so. To them there is every possibility that they will fish to the bag limit. The Swan has a bag limit of 4, which is about perfect, given that bream breed like rabbits. I hate to see what could happen.

The fishing over the weekend was nothing short of sensational, and I am pleased I experienced what can happen. But what will it be like in the next few months(while it's in the news). I my opinion I would try to surpress as much info as possible as it could become open slather.

The event was fantastic, even though we had Melbourne weather.

A very well done must go to Ira and helpers who made the event run like it did.

diesel · #2 03-02-2003, 07:39 AM

I couldn`t agree more Rob, it`s been on my mind for a while now and having seen what can be done stocks could be decimated very quickly, also flounder and flathead have a bag limit of 20 in the inlets, why hasn`t the bag limit been standardised around the state?

. To confuse things even more KG whiting have a different size limit at walpole as well, hopefully Mark and Heath will be able to monitor catches closer in there new positions

Bear · #3 03-02-2003, 07:46 AM

It is a concern Rob.

As much as we ALL here want to help people catch Bream, we also want them to be responsible about it.

All we can really do is hammer on the doors of those who count. That and hope that the catch and release message is getting through.

Maybe that's an idea for Warren. How about a page where we all here can add our names to a growing group that want the bag limits to change everywhere.

Thoughts.

AndrewH · #4 03-02-2003, 08:11 AM

I was fishing and a fellow, fisherman, mentioned to me that it would of been a better idea to of increased to size limit of bream to 2 cm more than it is now. His reasons were to give the bream a 1 or 2 more years to grow and breed.

What would be your thought about this idea?

Andrew

Bear · #5 03-02-2003, 08:19 AM

8-20 bream is still 8-20 bream. Multiply that by the number of people who keep bream and it makes a difference.

In the end, the new limits make no difference if they are not policed properly.

madaff · #6 03-02-2003, 08:24 AM

The bag limit of 4 fish should be state wide, that way there can be no confusion. This should also apply to rec netters. On top of that all fish of 40cm's and above must be released.

Bear we should have our own conservation forum on this site where a direct link to fisheries is set. That way they can monitor feed back from people who actually fish. That way we do not have people speaking for us, who have thier own agendas and have too much on thier plate.

AndrewH · #7 03-02-2003, 08:52 AM

That is also what this fisherman also said that about over a size the fish should be put back.

He is also agrees with the new bag limit. He thought that the extra size limit, would give the bream a few years more in there sexual maturity age, to breed.

I only wish he would email me. He was a real eye opener. Even gave me some equipment that he made. I didn’t catch anything, and I'm still in my 3 week draught of catching anything locally.

I told him about breammaster.com too.

Got to still love fishing even if you dont catch anything.

#8 03-02-2003, 09:21 AM

Hi Rob,
Do you have any stats on how many bream were caught over the weekend?

On the issue of bag limits.

I think the bag limit should be changed to a possession limit.

2 years ago I fished Walpole and there were several people that fished twice a day for 2 weeks, 1 of those people had informed me that he had caught 18 bream that morning, during the next few minutes I learnd that he had 68 bream in the freezer and was intending to keep fishing for another 2 days, I was unable to convince him of the error of his ways. Rang fisheries but no one turned up.

It's not the first time I've reported illegal fishing, but no one turns up.

I know it's expensive but an education programe works better than enforcment, when the wife and kids apply pressure to the errant person it has a greater effect, try refusing your kids when they point out your speeding and putting their lives at risk. Take the message to schools.

I'm still keen to see your boat set up and sounder as I have a Hornet 435 as well.

Bear · #9 03-02-2003, 09:32 AM

Sounds like a great idea Rob.

We as active fishos need to take a greater role in getting things going. Whether it's via a site like this or by writing to papers, pollies or Recfishwest. They need to hear what WE want.