Publication Date

6-2008

Series Number

177

Publisher

Department of Fisheries, Western Australia

City

Perth, Western Australia

ISBN

1 921258 27 6

ISSN

1035 - 4549

Abstract

A 12-month survey of boat-based recreational fishing in the West Coast Bioregion (Augusta to Kalbarri) of Western Australia was conducted at boat ramps between 1st July 2005 and 30th June 2006. During the survey a total of 15,999 boat crews were interviewed, of which 13,185 (82%) had been undertaking some form of fishing activity and, of these, 10,382 (or 79%) of fishing boat crews had been ocean line fishing. The total annual recreational boat based fishing effort for the West Coast Bioregion was estimated to be 1,557,000 fisher hours (95%CI: 1,495,000 – 1,620,000), which is a 15.5% increase in nominal fishing effort (i.e. this does not include increased efficiencies generated by technological improvements) compared to a similar survey conducted on the West Coast Bioregion in 1996/97. The survey estimated the highest catch (by number kept) was whiting (404,400, which includes a mixture of four species), Australian herring (288,400), squid (83,800), skipjack trevally (73,700) and King George whiting (48,400). The largest estimated catch by weight kept was Western Australian dhufish (186 tonnes), followed by the whiting (46 tonnes), pink snapper (40 tonnes), Australian herring (40 tonnes), skipjack trevally (34 tonnes) and baldchin groper (28 tonnes.

Number of Pages

44

Keywords

Demersal, West Coast Bioregion, Recreational fishing, Western Australia, Kalbarri, Abrolhos Island, Wetline fleet, Commercial fishing, Demersal gillnet, Demersal longline (shark) fishery, West Coast Demesal Scalefish Fishery, Sustainability, Ocean Line Fishing

Disciplines

Aquaculture and Fisheries | Marine Biology | Natural Resources and Conservation | Natural Resources Management and Policy | Sustainability

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