- Putting safety first is vital for abalone fishing in Western Australia
- Good stock levels of Roe's abalone along the Perth Metro coast
- Don't take risks on the reefs and pay attention to lifesaver warnings
West Coast Zone (WCZ) abalone fishing gets underway today, with the first one-hour session expected to attract thousands of fishers between Busselton Jetty and Moore River.
Four fishing sessions are scheduled to occur on Saturday mornings over the summer, supported by Surf Life Saving WA lifesavers and volunteers at popular fishing locations along the Perth coast.
Weather forecasts are assessed by Surf Life Saving WA ahead of each fishing session to make sure conditions are safe for fishing to go ahead.
From today, the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development's (DPIRD) compliance effort will be bolstered with an extra 22 new Fisheries and Marine Officers joining the ranks.
The 11 female and 11 male trainee officers will be supported by experienced officers to check catches and ensure fishers are licensed to fish for abalone.
The recreational fishery is managed to a total allowable recreational catch, set each year using a catch prediction model based on independent survey information and environmental factors such as sea surface temperature.
In early 2024, DPIRD researchers will be overseeing abalone stocking as part of a Metro Roe's abalone stock enhancement project that will run over the next three summers.
The abalone stocking, in collaboration with Recfishwest, is funded using $414,301 from the Recreational Fishing Initiatives Fund and putting license fees to work to enhance this important WA fishery.
As stated by Fisheries Minister Don Punch:
"Abalone fishing is very popular in Western Australia, with almost 17,000 licenses issued this season so far, and many of the licensed fishers collecting Roe's abalone along the Perth coast today.
"With the support of Surf Lifesaving WA, we take safety very seriously in this fishery and I urge fishers to wear appropriate clothing and footwear when they head out on to the reefs.
"I thank the lifesavers who give their time to monitor safety at our popular abalone fishing locations, and I welcome the 22 new Fisheries and Marine Officers who will join other DPIRD compliance officers to ensure catch rules are followed.
"Research staff and volunteers will also be on hand to help count and weigh abalone catches each session to ensure the sustainability of the fishery - necessary data that helps assess how much is caught every session."
