Publication Date

12-2024

Publisher

Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development WA

City

Perth

Abstract

For over two-decades, volunteer recreational fishers have been diligently filling in angler logbooks as part of the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) Research Angler Program (RAP). The program, which began in 2004, was initially designed as a tool to enhance data collection for estuarine finfish in the West Coast Bioregion.

Throughout time, the program expanded to collect data on all species, habitat types and bioregions, generating community involvement all over the state. To date, fishers have reported data on over 19,000 fishing trips and more than 450 different fish and invertebrate (crustaceans and molluscs) species.

Fishers participating in the program have made a significant contribution to the sustainable management of fish and invertebrate stocks in Western Australia (WA). Recreational fishers can gather large volumes of data over a much broader area than could be gathered by scientists alone.

Data such as regional and seasonal catch composition (species, size), distribution of effort and fisher behaviour (e.g. duration of fishing sessions) has improved the quality of stock assessments for various recreational species including Australian herring, black bream, blue swimmer crab, yellowfin whiting, spangled emperor and tailor.

This newsletter provides a summary of the data collected over the 20-year program from 2004 to 2024.

Number of Pages

12

Keywords

angler logbook, volunteer recreational fisher, catch and effort, retained and released species, Australian herring, Black bream, King George Whiting, Silvery trevally, Blue swimmer crab, Tailor, Weeping toadfish

Disciplines

Aquaculture and Fisheries

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