Fish bites: Perth man fined over Shark Bay snapper breaches

The man, from suburban Willetton, was fined $4000 for breaching the Eastern Gulf season closure and was handed a mandatory penalty of $2295 for the nine snapper. He also had to pay court costs of $225.90.

The court heard the man caught the fish despite a “large roadside, illuminated and flashing” sign placed beside the boat ramp warning fishers that snapper could not be taken.

“The court heard the accused and three other men were fishing by line on 3 June, on a dinghy out from Monkey Mia, when a compliance officer from the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development approached the vessel and identified himself,” the WA Primary Industries and Regional Development Department said in a statement.

“At that stage the offender threw four pink snapper overboard, one of which the compliance officer was able to recover,” it said.

“A further five pink snapper were found when the dinghy was searched and, because the other men aboard declined to answer any questions regarding the catch, the Willetton man who was also master of the vessel was charged and, last Friday, convicted of taking nine pink snapper during the Eastern Gulf closed season.”

Shark Bay’s three separate inner gulf snapper populations are small and do not breed with each other or with ocean snapper, so need to be carefully managed to ensure their longer term sustainability, the department said.

Snapper fishing is closed from August 15 to September 30 each year in the Freycinet Estuary, and from May to July in the eastern Gulf.

Two migratory fish species that spend some of their life in Australia’s freshwater systems have bounced back from years of drought, research has shown.

Australia suffered severe drought from 2001-09 which saw the mouth of the 2000-kilometre-long Murray River close up as the river’s flow slowed by 70 per cent.

However, closing off access to the sea was devastating for migratory fish – and especially lamprey and congolli – that need both fresh and saltwater in their life cycles.

Major flooding in 2010 threw these fish a lifeline, with particularly congolli numbers observed crossing the Murray’s estuary barriers jumping from just 1000 in 2017-10 to more than 200,000 in the summer of 2014-15.

Daiwa has launched its new range of Australia-specific jig spinners for anyone targeting freshwater fish species including Australian bass, sooty grunter, jungle perch, redfin and more.

The jigs, compatible with Daiwa’s Bait Junkie soft plastic baits, feature a realistic baitfish head and a single dimpled willow leaf spinner for flash and vibration.

The jigs also include a light fibre extension from the jig head that converts the jig into a weedless one.

The jigs are suited for fishing anywhere from the surface to the bottom, and can come in 5g, 7g and 10g weights, as well as in gold or silver.

The jigs are priced from just $9.99, Daiwa said.

Australian fibreglass fishing boat specialist Haines Hunter has appointed a new dealer in Sydney’s north.

Blue Bottle Marine in Dural will stock a range of Haines Hunter display boats in its showroom.

Shimano’s Saragosa SWA reel range – built for catching big fish in extreme conditions – has updated its line-up with two new models.

Joining the range are the Saragosa 14000XG and 18000HG larger-size reels, featuring the same aluminium alloy chassis as the rest of the range, while the entire range adds Shimano’s Infinity Drive pinion gear system that yields greater and smoother cranking power.

Shimano has also optimised the newly designed body to reduce weight and improve balance.

The Shimano Saragosa SWA reel range is priced from $399.