CEO report: WAFIC waits on West Coast demersal survey
In September, WAFIC will receive the long-awaited stock assessments and the recreation isurvey results for fisheries across the State.
Top of the list will be the West Coast Demersal fishery where everyone wants to know if there any Dhufish left. Commercial fishers have been pointing to their sustainability concerns for many years, but the long delays and antiquated survey processes for recreational catch monitoring mean the reports can be up to three years old. Today, recreational surveys still point back to the COVID lock-down period.
WAFIC has been working closely with our fishers who know the way to manage this fishery and they are recommending a move to quota-based catch and bringing in strict real-time recreational fishing management arrangements.
I know this sounds like a squeaky wheel, but WA fisheries are desperately overdue for digitalisation and real-time management solutions. It’s hard to imagine in 2025 that we still rely on paper-based reports and random phone surveys when the technology platforms already exist to responsibly manage wild harvest.
Ironically, many of those that are resisting the changes most vigorously are those that also claim to support sustainability. We need to move to flexible management based on real-time data. The concept is so obvious that it’s hard to understand the push-back.
Work continues to progress on the outcomes of the South Coast Marine Park and Greater Kimberley Marine Park process, with some clarity and direction expected next month.
And as the government fisheries and environmental agencies struggle to deal with the management of existing marine parks we have been advised to prepare for an upcoming announcement on the Exmouth Gulf Marine Park. Details are unclear at present, but we’ll keep you posted as we hear more.
The operating environment remains challenging, but we are hoping the assurances that we have had from the new Fisheries Minister to date will deliver a new platform for co-existence and more efficient fisheries management that will support a more realistic platform for co-existence between all parties in the marine estate.
We’ll keep you posted as we learn more.
You’ll find plenty more news updates in our new-look newsletter. Please note any upcoming events as we have a very busy time ahead.
Cheers,
Mel