Fishing Report – October 5, 2017

ANGLESEA

» Still Salmon being caught off local beaches
» Reports of some flathead offshore when fishers get out
» Reports of gummy shark being both inshore and offshore when weather allows
» Some reports of King George whiting in close.

APOLLO BAY

» Weather conditions are still poor
» Reports of Salmon still being caught off both Wild Dog and Marengo
» Salmon still being caught off the harbour wall
» Reports of couta in the harbour are still coming in
» Gummy shark being caught off some of the local beaches but not in any large numbers
» The aire and Barham rivers are continuing to produce some bream.

For all your bait and tackle, go to Apollo Bay Sports. Phone Steve or Jen, they will be more than pleased to help you. Phone 5237 6434.

BARWON HEADS

» Pinkie snapper and whiting reported offshore when fishing is possible
» The odd gummy shark has been reported off the beaches
» Most local beaches are still reporting salmon catches
» The Barwon River is still seeing reports of the occasional King George whiting, trevally and salmon.

TORQUAY

» Weather continue to affect reports
» Still reports of pinkies and flathead offshore
» Some King George whiting and sand whiting are being caught in close
» Reports of barracouta being caught offshore continue
» Reports of the occasional gummy shark catch off the beaches continue as well reports of salmon
» Spring Creek is still producing some small bream.

Remember Torquay Tackle and Sports. For all the best available advice in Torquay on tackle and bait, drop in at the store and see Ross or Josh to ensure you get the most up-to-date information available, or phone 5264 8207.

QUEENSCLIFF

» Weather conditions are still poor
» Report from St Leonards continue with King George whiting, flathead, calamari and the occasional gummy shark being caught
» Clifton Springs is reporting some pinkies, King George whiting, calamari and flathead
» Queenscliff reports King George whiting and calamari catches
» The creek continues to produce reports of trevally and salmon
» Swan Bay entrance continues to produce whiting, taylor and calamari
» Point Lonsdale, reports of trevally and salmon continue
» The White Lady continues to produce whiting, with some good catches of calamari taking place
» indented head is reporting flathead, King George whiting and calamari.

TWO commercial divers who illegally exchanged abalone at sea have been fined a total of $3,500 and ordered to pay costs of $3,825 in the Frankston Magistrates court.

Victorian Fisheries authority director of enforcement and education Ian Parks said the offences were detected as part of Operation Alto, which ran alongside Operation Odin, for 18 months and was focussed on ensuring compliance with abalone fishing rules and quota limits.

“Both operations monitored fishers in the central zone of Victoria’s commercial abalone fishery,” Mr Parks said.

“There are 34 licences and approximately 22 operators (divers) in the central zone, which has a total allowable commercial catch this year of 274 tonnes for blacklip abalone and 3.4 tonnes for greenlip.

“The illegal abalone transfer was observed by Fisheries Officers following a short conversation between two divers in boats off Cape Schanck in March 2016.

“Men in one boat dropped a catch bag of abalone over the side, which was collected shortly after by a diver in a second boat.

“The diver who transferred the abalone exceeded quota, failed to return abalone to the water and had no copy of his licence aboard. He was fined $2,000 without conviction and ordered to pay $1,850 costs.

“The diver who received the abalone provided inaccurate information on his docket and sold fish taken in contravention of the Fisheries Act was fined $1,500 without conviction and ordered to pay $1,975 costs.

“One deckhand was fined $1,000 and $1,858 in costs while the other was ordered to pay $1,840 in costs and was released upon giving an undertaking of good behaviour for 12 months.”

Mr Parks said Operation Odin had also been successful in apprehending offenders and ensuring that this important fishery, which provides jobs regionally and exports high quality seafood product to Asia and elsewhere abroad, remains sustainable.

“A company, deckhand and two licensed operators were found guilty of various abalone offences including the unauthorised harvest by people not nominated on the licence, inaccurate record keeping, taking more than the quota and undertaking commercial and recreational fishing at the same time.

“They were fined a total of $6,000, plus costs of $697, in the Korumburra Magistrates Court.

“The sustainability of the fishery and integrity of the quota system depends on accurate reporting of catch and fishing effort. The transfer of abalone between divers and subsequent misreporting undermines this system, increasing the risk to Victoria’s valuable abalone resource.

What a waste

A concerned reader sent me this week’s picture showing 13 snapper dumped on thebeach near the Clifton Springs boat ramp earlier this week.

They estimated some of the snapper being up to 1.5 kilograms in weight but some were also likely undersize.

Anyone who may have further information on this or how this occurred, we would like to hear from you. Alternatively contact Fisheries on the number below.

Anyone who sees or suspects illegal fishing activity is urged to call the 24-hour reporting line 13 FISH (13 34 74).

Photos

Please forward them to [email protected], with type of fish, weight, length, location and your name. I am more than happy to place your photos in My Big Catch.