Scott Coghlan
Posts: 2399
Joined: 5 June 2003
From: Perth, Western Australia
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My response emailed to the West:
Hi Beatrice, I am the editor of Western Angler magazine, WA’s leading fishing magazine since 1985. I am also a freelance journalist, having worked for AAP, The Australian and The Sunday Times. I almost choked on my Weet Bix today when I read the pieces in the West, citing the ‘research’ of Jessica Meeuwig and Jill StJohn. I am not blaming you – you have just reported what they have claimed, but it needs some balance. I consider myself a reasonable man, who takes fisheries management very seriously, and able to see two sides to all stories, if the fish are under serious threat then action has to be taken, and I am sure that the Minister will take appropriate action. BUT...this kind of ongoing diatribe does nothing to further GENUINE debate on Fisheries management in WA. In fact, it harms the process with spurious claims. The video footage, upon which Jessica Meeuwig is basing her assumptions, was very limited and any angler who has chased dhufish knows that you will only catch them (or film them) if you are in the right place. They tend to be residential, do not aggregate in large numbers and need a certain underwater environment to settle. I am sure if an experienced dhufish angler took them to likely spots and got them to set up cameras there, they would see dhufish. It’s all about where the cameras are. For example, the camera that caught the white pointer was in very shallow water at Rotto, you are not going see hide nor hair of a dhufish there. Find a decent lump out in 50m and you’d be much more chance. Dare I say you could actually manipulate placement to prove the no dhufish argument if you wanted. Ten cameras on the North Mole for seven days wouldn’t see many dhuies. And I have in the past heard her boast of about 800 hours of footage, which sounds like a lot, until you break it down per camera, it was about 2 days per camera. Hardly a valid sample. It’s like saying a block is 800 square metres – sounds huge until you realise it is just 40x20. This research is based upon only a few hours of footage which has been used to reach this enormous conclusion. What if conditions just weren’t right for any dhufish to be in that area over the two days? All anglers have had times when spots that have been productive in some trips have been barren on other visits. It’s what fish do. Again, a far bigger sample would be much more compelling. Jill StJohn conducted conducted research when working formerly at the Department of Fisheries suggesting that dhufish died when released by anglers, which was subsequently discredited. If she’s to be quoted as an expert I think readers should know that. To add further perspective readers should also know that both are strong advocates for large ocean closures and no doubt the dhufish is being used to support this objective. Now I am not saying that dhufish are not under pressure and that more management is not needed – quite the opposite is my stance actually. I want to see good, innovative management to protect what is an iconic WA species. However, this management needs to be based on good scientific rationale, with input from those recognised experts in the ways of dhufish. The ill-informed, and dare I say it, biased comments add little towards reaching this goal and aim to engender fear in the wider public, who don’t have the deeper knowledge of the issues dhufish are undoubtedly facing. Did either StJohn or Meeuwig attend the landmark Dhufish Workshop at Murdoch University a couple of years ago? If you would like further information from me, or to have a chat, email me or call me on 0414 685 169. Cheers, Scotty
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Dhuie Stocks : Today's West - 
and how will that affect the dhufishes ability to be sustained 
Well done on your media work as well . 
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