There will be new reduced daily bag limit and a possession limit change in the 2012 marron fishing season in WA. This will be done as precautionary measures to deal with changing environmental conditions. An expert committee of freshwater fisheries stakeholders, including Recfishwest and Department of Fisheries’ managers and researchers, reached consensus on the changes and put a recommendation to the Minister for Fisheries Norman Moore, which he has agreed with.
Dr Kim Walshe, Department of Fisheries’ Principal Management Officer for the Southern Bioregions, said that the 2012 Marron season would run from 8 January to 5 February. He told that the new season daily bag limit will be reduced from ten to eight marron and the possession limit will drop from 20 to 16 marron in non-trophy waters.
He said that the reductions have been necessary because rainfall in the region for 2010 was the lowest recorded. Dr Walshe said Recfishwest, the peak recreational fishing body, supported the precautionary measures to protect marron stocks, and would be helping to raise awareness of the rule changes with recreational fishers.
