Publication Date

2-2006

Series Number

153

Publisher

Department of Fisheries, Western Australia

City

Perth, Western Australia

ISBN

1 877098 82 5

ISSN

1035 - 4549

Abstract

A 12-month creel survey of recreational boat-based and shore-based fishing in the Pilbara region (Onslow to Broome inclusive) of Western Australia was conducted between December 1999 and November 2000. During the survey 3,085 boat crews were interviewed at public boat ramps when they returned from their fishing trips. Patrols conducted along the coastline interviewed 73 groups of boat-based fishers and 569 groups of shore-based fishers at fishing locations and camp sites.

The total annual recreational fishing effort for the Pilbara region was estimated to be 201,000 fisher days (95%CI: 193,000 – 210,000). This comprised 109,000 fisher days by boats launched from public ramps, 26,000 fisher days by boats launched from beaches and 67,000 days by shore-based fishers.

The total recreational catch of all finfish species for the region was estimated at 383 tonnes (95%CI: 331 – 435). This was approximately one sixth of the commercial catch of 2,442 tonnes taken in the region during 2000. The most common species kept by recreational fishers in the Pilbara region were (in order of estimated weight kept) spangled emperor (31 tonnes), narrow barred Spanish mackerel (28 tonnes), golden trevally (26 tonnes), blue-lined emperor (23 tonnes), blue swimmer crabs (22 tonnes), blackspot tuskfish (22 tonnes), threadfin salmon (18 tonnes), green mud crabs (17 tonnes), mullet species (13 tonnes), estuary cod (13 tonnes), black-tip reef shark (12 tonnes), Queensland and Australian spotted mackerel (11 tonnes) and stripey seaperch (11 tonnes). These catches do not include charter boats and therefore understate the total recreational catch for the region.

Anglers have adopted modern technology to increase the efficiency of recreational fishing with 71 percent of boats launched from public boat ramps fitted with an echo-sounder and 40 percent using a global positioning system. There was a very high level of compliance with the fishing regulations. Only five percent of boats launched from public ramps, three percent of boats launched from the beaches and one percent of shore-based fishers interviewed kept undersize fish. Very few fishers exceeded the bag limits. Most fishers had a reasonable knowledge of the fishing regulations and knew the bag (67%) and size (67%) limits for the species they were targeting or the predominant species they had caught.

Number of Pages

61

Keywords

Pilbara, Fishing, Recreational boat-based fishing, Recreational shore-based fishing, Survey, Boat ramps, Finfish species, Fishing regulations, Monitoring

Disciplines

Aquaculture and Fisheries | Marine Biology | Natural Resource Economics | Natural Resources and Conservation | Natural Resources Management and Policy

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