"No Excuse For Breaking Rules"
I m writing this after reading the "weekend west" after returning from a camp out last night marroning up Moore riv..
I read the paper and in the article on page 41. It saying the fisheries is going too or already have a more obvious fisheries presence... Well we camped out from early yesterday till this morning, so lil over 24 hours.. We were only a few kms off the hwy and didn’t see fisheries AT ALL.. I now that they would be more concerned about the dams down south for the marron. But it wouldn’t he too hard to get 2 fisheries officers that live close by to pay a visit to the camp sites along the Moore River. We weren’t the only group that was unhappy we didn’t see fisheries at all in like a lil over 24h..
Fisheries have to get out there more as news paper articles don’t and will not do their jobs for them..
After that we had a good night had 8 people with marron licenses and managed I think 16 big marron and “HEAPS” of small ones which went back inn for next year.. The river system looks very healthy water clean and running and seen loads of small fish and big mullet and also seen a cobbler or two.
Call me Brad as that's my name..
Leemo
Posts: 3712
Date Joined: 22/02/07
well mate, tbh in the metro
well mate, tbh in the metro area, the last 5 times ive been fishing, ive seen, and talked to the fisheries officers. ive noticed a much greater prescence!
bludgin' since 94'
Silk200611
Posts: 286
Date Joined: 08/02/09
That is realy good i Hope to
That is realy good i Hope to see them some time soon myself... As iv been doing a lot of metro fishing lately and havnt seem em only the water police seem to be out and about a lil more then past years...
Call me Brad as that's my name..
MattMiller
Posts: 4171
Date Joined: 15/06/09
Good to hear that about metro
coz i'm sure there are alot of ordinary individuals breaking the rules. But to be honest i havn't seen a fisheries officer whilst fishing in the southwest for 7-8yrs. To think the numbers of people that are in this area especially this time of year it's concerning.
Man Overboard
Posts: 957
Date Joined: 16/01/10
Matty, last year i had the
Matty, last year i had the tinnie in the bay about 8 times after the ban, up until Australia Day.
I was buzzed by the fisheries ( in their boat ) 3 times and pulled up at Quindalup ramp 3 times to check our catch and answer survey questions.
This year i know they were at Canal Rocks checking sizes etc, at least once after Xmas.
MattMiller
Posts: 4171
Date Joined: 15/06/09
Well
i'm happy to hear that mate. They should be visably out at least every weekend. I guess it's just like everything else in that they go where they can make the most money?
Man Overboard
Posts: 957
Date Joined: 16/01/10
Be careful what you wish for,
Be careful what you wish for, As long as you do the righty don't worry.
For all you know they may have been keeping an eye on the river
Silk200611
Posts: 286
Date Joined: 08/02/09
No need to be careful if ur
No need to be careful if ur doing the righty.. and i dont think they were keeping a eye on anything last night as there were at least 3 dif groups of people getting about with spot lights and scoop nets and no one was checked, as we were asking people if they had seen fisheries around.
The answer was "yeah right" never seen them here in the 15 years that he has been going to that location, from one middle aged guy..
Call me Brad as that's my name..
Adam Gallash
Posts: 15665
Date Joined: 29/11/05
Sigh
I just can't bring myself to comment on this properly, ok, just one thing. WA's coastline is approx 8880 km's long and you have less than 100 fisheries officers to patrol it. Of those 100 officers, some are probably on long service leave, some are on training, some are on holidays, some are on their days off (OMG, did I actually say that) and some of them are working, yep, some of them. Of those 75 officers left, probably 50 of them are regional which leaves you 25 officers in the metro. Then those 25 officers we divide their time up into commercials, rec crayfish, demersal licenses\rec fishing, fresh water, Series Offences Unit, oh and then marroning. (probably a few others in there I forget) So we are left with about 2 officers who are expected to be somewhere a couple of km's off the road in Moore river somewhere within the space of a 24 hour period. Damn those pesky FMO's not doing their jobs properly, they should all be fired!
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fishy fingers
Posts: 1719
Date Joined: 28/04/07
I think that sums it up!
but I think those two could spread themselfs out a bit
Silk200611
Posts: 286
Date Joined: 08/02/09
No adam you got this one
No adam you got this one wrong.. they know this is the bizzy time of the year and with the 100 fishery officers they can give somone a job and hire more OR what about volunteers?? Im only saying that they should be out there more offen... Never said there not doing there jobs properly. Also the gov. needs to allocate some more cash to help out them over worked fisheries officers..
Call me Brad as that's my name..
Leemo
Posts: 3712
Date Joined: 22/02/07
yeah. ive seen the same
yeah. ive seen the same officers a few times around the place. saw the same 2 guys for about 4 weeks straight at hillaries a while back.
bludgin' since 94'
max199
Posts: 812
Date Joined: 09/05/06
No
there's plenty around! We love them!!
Silk200611
Posts: 286
Date Joined: 08/02/09
all im saying is that there
all im saying is that there were aprox 30 to 50 people just in the lil area that we were staying inn.. 11 guys just in our group..
Now if all the 30 to 50 peole took 2 , 3 or many more "coz fisheries NEVER come here" under size marron it wouldnt take long and we have nun left in that area, And also im shore not all of them had a Marron lic.. cos i was saying to one group of young people that i had to get my lic renewed before i could come out here, and there respoce was "do u need a lic, how much are they"
Just in our group of 11, 8 of us had the vaild lic.. Thats $320 to fisheries just from our group, "whats the money being spend on not fuel if Leemo said hes seen then at the same place a few times in a 4 week period" so comon thats a lot of money there missing out on if some people didnt have a licence..
Call me Brad as that's my name..
Billcollector
Posts: 2156
Date Joined: 16/05/09
Next time Silk200611 pre warn
Next time Silk200611 pre warn then that you will be there and they surely will turn up because after looking at your comments here no doubt they would want to check out your intelligence level as well as your catch. They can't be everywhere
Silk200611
Posts: 286
Date Joined: 08/02/09
Call me Brad as that's my name..
just dhu it
Posts: 1081
Date Joined: 14/05/09
how many spots
i would back Adam in his comment , you guys make a list of how many fishing spots on road and off road there are in a 100 mile radius of Perth alone , then you work out a schedule for where the fisheries are supposed to be to ensure every area is covered night and day over a weekend period only, i dont hink so , but i owuld have to agree there is a shortage of officers out there , but there.s only so much cash the government is willing to put up each year
3Shoes
Posts: 5
Date Joined: 26/12/10
Re: "No Excuse For Breaking Rules"
Whoa silk200611,
I don't like the sound of that....... "Also the gov. needs to allocate some more cash to help out them over worked fisheries officers."
Us small fry pay too damn much as it is.
BUT, I whole heartedly agree that more fisheries officers are needed.
My suggestion is:
Sack half the useless politicians in this state goverment and use the saved salaries to employ twice the number as trainee fisheries officers.
Rejuvenate the VFLO program.
Increase the fines and penalties for offences
Hit the PROS harder with increased fees rather than the little blokes
Improve public education to include travel and backpacker guides.
Over the past 2 years I have been stopped by fisheries once only at Kwinana Beach ramp. I had 3 squid and 5 herring.
I have seen them about on several of my kayak forays, but yes, they are far and few betwwen. Far too few and far too far.
bod
Posts: 2321
Date Joined: 03/05/06
here ya go
Campaign underway to recruit more Fisheries Officers Date: Friday, 7 January 2011
The Department of Fisheries is advertising for new recruits to join a team of around 110 officers (FMOs), who carry out a range of compliance-related activities in recreational and commercial fisheries and aquaculture operations around Western Australia.
Strategic Compliance Manager, Tina Thorne said FMOs played an important role in the community and, after training, the new officers could be appointed to numerous locations around the State, or as part of patrol vessel crews or recreational mobile patrol units.
“Working as an FMO is a great job for people with an affinity for the marine environment and working outdoors, who enjoy interacting with a wide range of people and want to contribute to the management of WA’s valuable fisheries and aquatic environment,” Ms Thorne said.
“The FMOs help to educate and inform the public about the State’s fisheries, as well as ensure people comply with Western Australia’s fishing laws, marine safety obligations and the rules that apply in marine parks and other protected areas.”
Ms Thorne said the work involved interaction with stakeholders, industry and the community in general and, with experience, officers had the chance to carry out specialist investigative tasks, such as surveillance and intelligence operations.
“FMOs often work closely with other agencies, including WA Police and the Department of Environment and Conservation, on a range of compliance matters,” she said.
“When offences of a serious nature are detected, the officers may be required to write statements and prosecution briefs and give evidence in court.
“Anyone chosen to join the team will work with and be guided by experienced FMOs, who will share their knowledge about the job.
“We help people decide if the work will suit them and their families, via a questionnaire on pre-appointment requirements that puts applicants through a self-assessment.
“The department is seeking to appoint selected people to a recruitment pool, from which appointees may undergo an intensive training program (during which they are paid), before being given the opportunity of becoming fully-authorised FMOs.”
More details about this employment opportunity and the self-assessment questionnaire are available at www.fish.wa.gov.au. Click on the “jobs” link, in the sub menu on the home page. Applications close on 7 February 2011.
flangies
Posts: 2557
Date Joined: 11/05/08
They were at E shed last
They were at E shed last night, checking catches. E SHED!
carnarvonite
Posts: 8706
Date Joined: 24/07/07
Marron sites
How is it possible for them to cover all the marroning spots when they range from east of Albany through to north of Gin Gin on the Moore river covering at a rough guess some 2500 square miles and most down windy tracks that take hours to get in to? Give them a go. What do you do, take all the northern ones, ones tied to crayfishing, coastal ones and get them to concentrate on marron alone, piss off and get your prioties right. What do you expect them to do, broadcast to the general public where they are going to be at what time?
They have a very difficult job to do and are doing their best with the resources they have and the last thing they need is someone sniping at them because they didn't run into one of their patrols.
Adam was spot on with his assessment on how things stand. After all there are on 24 hours in a day and only so many hours a person can work in those hours before he/she has to by law take a break.
sea-kem
Posts: 15247
Date Joined: 30/11/09
Most definately agree
Most definately agree Carnarvonite, the state is huge. I impressed when they stayed in Seabird last year land and water based and gave the place a good going through ( I reckon they had enough paperwork to keep them busy for a month...all the fines handed out.) It's not their fault it's the government. They are piss poor (both sides). This is where the fishing license money should be going.
Love the West!
strike_zone
Posts: 403
Date Joined: 09/09/10
faark that
i dont want see any fisheries officers when im out three of them annoyed the shit out of me and my kids at claremont jetty one night even wanted to check out what we bought from red rooster luckily the chook was sized
spinksy
Posts: 266
Date Joined: 06/10/10
Need more of a presence
I get out most weekends in the northern suburbs and get checked once a summer... Not enough of a presence. Last time i got checked there were 4 of them in the same car!! A nice new Hilux... Least i know where some of the RFBT money went but 4 in the same car!!!!!
salm0n hunter
Posts: 99
Date Joined: 10/03/07
dont stress to much !!!
old mans been marroning welly for 35 years and has never seen one till this day
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c88DeKDBRjs salmon season last year 2009
abeldog
Posts: 801
Date Joined: 12/04/10
Fishing Inspectors
Doing a Great Job with the limited resources that is available to them.
It's arrogant people who choose to think that the rules that are in place don't apply to them.
More Education & Stiffer Penalties quickly soughts them out
"People See Things As They Are & Ask Why???
We Can All Dream of Things That Never Were and Ask Why Not!!"( RK )
barneyboy
Posts: 1392
Date Joined: 08/01/09
If you arent doing the wrong thing!
why would you be worried! I bet though it will be the time that you do something wrong that they will turn up!! Its enough to keep me honest! ha
FEEEISH ONNN!!!
Faulkner Family
Posts: 18330
Date Joined: 11/03/08
with you there on that one.
with you there on that one. no need to cheat for a feed. if you cant do it legally , dont bother at all.
RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together
roberta
Posts: 2773
Date Joined: 08/07/08
Must agree
I've had fisheries come to me while old farts gone to get the trailer in club grounds, we had nothing to hide, Fisheries go for it and they did got on the boat, as I told them we'd only gone squidding and whiting fishing, they were happy with what we caught (within the bag limit) and off they went, as Fisheries has a key to get into the club and spot check fisho's coming in. Don't have a problem with them looking in our boat. Had Marine and Harbours go through our boat to see if we had a stolen motor or GPS etc on our boat, old fart said go for it boys by boat is HIN registered, think thats what its called.
Ginger Tablets Rock
HuggyB
Posts: 2515
Date Joined: 03/08/08
Wasn't there
a big song and dance about how all the license money and so fourth would be put back into fishing and fisheries? Make a stronger presence at popular fishing locations etc. I've personally seen very little evidence of that happening so far......I know they cant be everywhere all the time - its just not economically feasible. But during peak times in limited seasons (ie marroning), they should have a presence at popular spots. I have done a lot and varied fishing and never once have I seen a fisheries officer come and check
I'd love to see a breakdown of how all the extra funds from the RFBL and other license fee increases have been allocated because it doesn't seem to equate to more officers "walking the beat".
The Terrorist - coming to a fishing spot near you.........
Three Lions
Posts: 152
Date Joined: 15/08/07
They have been really good
They have been really good out of Peron and Woodies.