West Coast Demersal Scalefish Resource Harvest Strategy Development
A working group comprising representatives from the
Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Recfishwest, WAFIC,
and the charter fishing industry, as well as commercial and recreational
fishers, has been established to commence the development of a harvest strategy
for the West Coast Demersal Scalefish Resource.
Including iconic species such as WA dhufish, pink snapper
and baldchin groper in waters from just north of Kalbarri to Black Point, east
of Augusta, the resource supports one of the state’s most popular recreational and
charter fisheries. It’s also an important commercial fishery which supplies the
local domestic market with fresh wild caught seafood.
The resource is currently halfway
through a 20-year recovery plan, and while there are some
early signs of recovery, there is still a long way to go until stocks have
fully rebuilt.
The harvest strategy will set out clear recovery objectives and
milestones to ensure the resource continues to recover within acceptable
timeframes. The draft harvest strategy will be released for public comment later this year. Should the harvest strategy identify a need to alter catches to
meet recovery objectives, an appropriate management response will be developed in
consultation with relevant stakeholders.
Terms of Reference for the group are available, as well as notes from the working group's meetings: