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Fisheries Minister Norman Moore today outlined details of plans to limit the recreational fishing take of western rock lobsters.

Mr Moore's plans for the recreational fishing sector follows his announcement of tough restrictions on commercial fishers for the next two years to address the worrying decline in juvenile lobster stocks.

Mr Moore said that in addition to the 15 per cent reduction in commercial lobster fishing pots for the 2008-2009 season and a further 15 per cent pot reduction in 2009-2010, he would also impose new restrictions on recreational lobster fishing.

“Taking effect from December 1, or as close as administratively possible, the daily bag limit for lobsters taken by each recreational fisher will be reduced from eight to six,"  he said.

"There will be a similar reduction in the catch limit per boat from 16 lobsters to 12 and we will impose a ban on the use of power winches on recreational boats to prevent the lifting of commercial pots."

Mr Moore said he would also place a personal possession limit of 24 lobsters per licence holder. This will replace the existing "unrestricted" number of lobsters allowed per licence holder - subject to daily bag and boat limits - and will apply state-wide.

"This restriction will target hoarding and profiteering and help protect vulnerable lobster stocks," Mr Moore said.

"Starting next year, we will delay the current November 15 start of the recreational rock lobster season in zone C (which extends from Jurien Bay to Augusta and is where 80 per cent of recreational lobster fishing occurs) to coincide with the November 25 start of the commercial lobster fishing season.

"The commercial sector is experiencing some considerable financial pain in order to protect our valuable rock lobster fishery.

"I believe it entirely appropriate that recreational fishers shoulder their share of the burden to ensure the long-term, sustainable management and protection of this resource."

Mr Moore's plan to better manage the lobster fishery follows the release last week's of  monthly puerulus (young lobsters) figures which showed puerulus numbers were virtually nil.

This follows five years of declining puerulus counts and is obviously a matter of serious concern as it means the annual catch of around 11,000 tonnes of western rock lobster is under pressure," he said. (ends)

Media contact: John Duffy wk:  9422 3000  mob: 0417 932 985

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The Member for Geraldton, Ian Blayney, is urging Fisheries Minister Norman Moore to reconsider a plan to ban the use of power winches to lift lobster pots on recreational boats.....

Mr Blayney says he is concerned the measure would discriminate against people with disabilities and has written to the Minister asking him to reconsider.

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ORIGINAL: Fraser Hocks
Thats a minimum of 12 meal portions of crayfish per day (and maybe more if you get some big ones).

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I think that there is less meat in 6 crays than 4 category one fish (much less if you get some big ones). I don't see that it is reasonable to reduce a bag limit on the basis that you can't eat it all in one sitting. I'd like to see someone eat a whole 6kg dhu, let alone a big one. The reduction in bag limit will have no effect on my take, but I would like to see decent statistical reasoning behind it.

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ORIGINAL: Brian Guest

Cameron, I have to disagree with you.
This is one area they do appear to have good data on which is currenlty showing bad trends.

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Fish Resources Management Amendment Regulations (No. 11) 2008
Made by the Governor in Executive Council.

1. Citation
These regulations are the Fish Resources Management Amendment Regulations (No. 11) 2008.

2. Commencement
These regulations come into operation as follows —
(a) regulations 1 and 2 — on the day on which these regulations are published in the Gazette;
(b) the rest of the regulations — on 1 December 2008.

3. Regulations amended
These regulations amend the Fish Resources Management Regulations 1995.

4. Regulation 16FA inserted
At the beginning of Part 4 Division 3 Subdivision 2 insert:

16FA. Possession limits — western rock lobster in the West Coast Region
Subject to regulation 16E(3a)(c), (3b)(c) and (3c)(c), for the purposes of section 51(1) of the Act, the maximum quantity of western rock lobster that a person may be in possession of in the West Coast Region is 24 western rock lobsters.

5. Schedule 3 amended

In Schedule 3 Part 3 Division 4 column 2 of the item relating to “Rock Lobster” delete “8” and insert: 6