Fisheries Report No 60 - Amateur net fishing survey of two Western Australian south coast estuaries in January 1981

Authors

D. I. Heald, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Western Australia

Publication Date

1984

Series Number

Fisheries Report No 60

Publisher

Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Western Australia

City

Perth

ISBN

0 7244 9309 3

ISSN

0726-0733

Abstract

Following the return of the administration of fishing activities in Wellstead estuary and Beaufort Inlet to the Western Australian Government in October 1980, a survey of the amateur net fishing in these two estuaries was undertaken in January 1987, The purpose of the survey was to document usage, species catches and size composition of fish caught in respect of mesh size used and the success rate of amateur net fishermen as compared to their expectation. At the time of the survey, Wellstead estuary had been closed to the sea for 13 months and Beaufort Inlet for 27 months and the respective surface salinities in each estuary were 54% - 63% and 45%. - 46% . Out of a total of 443 parties met at Wellstead estuary during survey, 6% used set nets whilst out of 33 parties met at Beaufort Inlet, 73% used set nets. 76 mm mesh nets (the minimum legal size mesh permitted for these estuaries) was most popular in each area within the 57-7174 mm range of meshes being used. The total number of sets during the survey was about the same in each estuary. Net fishermen achieved a mean catch rate of 8 fish per overnight set in Wellstead estuary and 20 fish per set in Beaufort Inlet, The Legal mesh which achieved the highest mean catch rate of fish was 76 mm for Wellstead estuary and 83 mm for Beaufort Inlet. Dominant species in set net catches were sea mullet (36%) and Aix-spined Leatherjacket (33%) in Wellstead estuary compared with mainly sea mullet (84%) in Beaufort Inlet where catches equalled or exceeded expectation on 66% of sets compared to Wellstead estuary where only 37% of catches satisfied the fishermen. Catch data gathered in Wellstead estuary in 1987 after winter rains revealed that fish catch rates had trebled and the species composition was 58% sea mullet and 33% black bream in the estuary whereas dater (after the estuary broke to the sea in January 1982) the fish catch rate was twice the January 1987 Level and the species composition had again altered to 54% black bream and 27% sea mullet.

Number of Pages

66

Keywords

Recreational net fishing, Western Australia, Estuaries, Wellstead Estuary (Bremer River), Beaufort Inlet (Pallinup River)

Disciplines

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

Recommended Citation

Heald, D I. (1984), Fisheries Report No 60 - Amateur net fishing survey of two Western Australian south coast estuaries in January 1981. Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Western Australia, Perth. Report Fisheries Report No 60.
https://library.dpird.wa.gov.au/fr_rr/268