Wed 22/04 BEST 13:26-15:26 01:53-03:53 FIRST CRESCENT

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1 FISHING REPORT FOR SATURDAY 18 TH APRIL 2015 SOLUNAR PREDICTIONS, SUN RISE / SUNSET TIMES AND TIDES FOR THE WEEK SOLUNAR PREDICTIONS DAY / DATE PREDICTION PREDICTED SOLUNAR TIMES MOON PHASE Sat 18/04 FAIR 09:43-11:43 22:10-00:10 NEW MOON Sun 19/04 GOOD 10:38-12:38 23:06-01:06 Mon 20/04 BEST 11:34-13:34 00:02-02:02 Tues 21/04 BEST 12:30-14:30 00:58-02:58 Wed 22/04 BEST 13:26-15:26 01:53-03:53 FIRST CRESCENT Thurs 23/04 GOOD 14:20-16:20 02:46-04:46 Fri 24/04 FAIR 15:11-17:11 03:36-05:36 These are the predicted MAJOR and minor Solunar periods this week, adjusted to Perth time. For anglers in the Pilbara and in Esperance, they will need to deduct approximately 20 minutes. To calculate the minor period, add approximately 6 hours 45 minutes associated with these calculations. SUNRISE AND SUNSET TIMES FOR PERTH FOR THIS WEEK: DAY / SUNRISE SUNSET MOONRISE MOONSET DATE Sat 18/04 06:39 17:53 05:46 17:38 Sun 19/04 06:39 17:52 06:53 18:25 Mon 20/04 06:40 17:51 07:59 19:10 Tues 21/04 06:41 17:50 09:03 19:59 Wed 22/04 06:42 17:49 10:03 20:51 Thurs 23/04 06:42 17:48 10:58 21:45 Fri 24/04 06:43 17:46 11:48 22:39 Please Note: Where a rise time is noted with a 'p', it means that the time listed is for the previous day. Where a set time is noted with an 'f', it means that the time listed is for the following day. This complication is because the Moon rises, transits and sets almost an hour later every night, so every few days there is a 24-hour 'calendar day' in which the Moon either doesn't rise, or doesn't set. These times will be adequate for general purpose use in the Perth metropolitan area. However, corrections must be applied for other locations in Western Australia. PREDICTED TIDES FOR FREMANTLE THIS WEEK DAY / DATE TIME AND PREDICTED HEIGHT (in metres) Sat 18/04 03: : : : Sun 19/04 02: : : Mon 20/04 10: : Tues 21/04 11: : Wed 22/04 10: : Thurs 23/04 11: Fri 24/04 00: : NOTE: These are the predicted tides for Fremantle and there may be some variation due to wind strength and direction. For other popular angling locations please use the following approximate corrections; Heirison Island Causeway + 1 hr; Canning Bridge +1 hr 20 mins; Rockingham + 6 mins; Peel Inlet + 3 hrs; Rottnest Island - 10 mins; Hillarys Marina - 15 mins; Two Rocks Marina - 10 mins; GENERAL FISHING:

2 NORTH MOLE DRIVE CLOSED APRIL INCLUSIVE: North Mole Drive will be closed for works from the evening of 19 April until 24 April. The gate at the start of North Mole Drive near the Caltex service station will be closed from Sunday evening of 19 April for works to proceed during the week. North Mole Drive will be re-opened on Saturday 25th April. Fremantle Ports apologises for any inconvenience. Last week I wrote about salmon turning up along the metropolitan beaches, particularly those in the southern suburbs. Well they have really started to have an impact and there are many reports of fish being taken from many locations. I had heard of fish being taken from beaches around Mandurah, Safety Bay and Port Kennedy, Rockingham, the Ammunition Jetty at Coogee, the north end of Cockburn Sound and the Five Fathom Bank. This week I have received reports that they have been taken from the North and South Mole on a regular basis, from the beaches between Cottesloe and Brighton Road at Scarborough, Trigg Island, and the marina walls at Hillarys, Ocean Reef and Mindarie. Many of these fish have been up around the 3 kg mark and many more have been in excess of 5 kg, which is a great fish by anyone s standards. It is pleasing to note that many anglers are resorting to releasing the larger fish and if they want to eat one, have taken a smaller legal sized fish. I believe that the smaller fish do taste a little better than the larger fish and are not as dry. There are many recipes available to anglers but if you take care of your catch from the moment it is landed and prepare your fish when fresh removing the red meat, then it will be OK. Some prefer to use it in a curry, others just egg and breadcrumb the fillets. Others do a myriad of different things with a host of herbs and spices but I believe the best adage with cooking fish is keep it simple. If you haven t kept your fish on ice after capture and haven t taken the best of care after capture, an old fishmonger s tip will help enhance the flavour and help prevent that fishy smell. It's important to make sure your fish smells like the sea, and not, well, like fish. That's one indicator of freshness. However, after the fish has come home, gone into the fridge, or been frozen and thawed, it may start to take on a fishy smell. The solution is easy: A quick soak in a bowl of milk, and that fishy smell is all gone. Here's the science: Trimethylamine oxide is a common chemical in living things - it's colourless, odourless, and produced by normal metabolic processes. When a fish or shellfish is killed however, it breaks down into Trimethylamine, which is the chemical responsible for that fishy smell that we all know so well. If your cut of fish isn't too far gone: as in the flesh is still firm and it's only a few days thawed in the refrigerator at most, a quick soak for about minutes in a bowl of milk will help get rid of the odour. The casein in the milk bonds with the trimethylamine, and while it's not a full extraction, a quick soak can pull a good bit out of the flesh and reduce the odour. Just make sure to pat the fish dry before you season and start cooking. Of course, you won't have this problem if you eat your fish fresh. This is an old fishmonger's tip that will help you save that fillet. For those of us who have retired and enjoy a peaceful sojourn down at our favourite fishing spot, this week will possibly be a bit quieter as the kids have headed back to school. I really don t mind having young anglers fishing around me as it is interesting to watch and learn from them. They are not afraid to get in and get their hands dirty and are prepared to try new things and are not set in their ways. They are also lateral thinkers and will experiment with a new idea and if it doesn t work, they fiddle and tweak up their gear and do something different. As a result they often come up with some ideas and concepts that are then adopted across the board. They are great communicators and users of a variety of multi-media and talk to one another about their results and what has worked and what didn t. We older anglers have a lot to learn from them and if we don t stop and listen to them and observe them we are really missing out. I keep on writing about Take a Kid Fishing and I believe that it is important. They aren t the only ones who can learn new tricks. Keep an open mind and look and listen you may learn something new! Looking back at my fishing records it is recorded that in recent years there have been a number of larger snapper taken from the beaches between City Beach and Brighton Road at Scarborough around this time of the year. Following the first of the autumn / winter sets of heavier seas and swell we have found the snapper on the bite in close to shore. Anglers chasing school sharks or mulloway from the beaches have caught these fish. There have also been a number of mulloway up to 15 kg taken around this time of the year so get out the thermal undies and stay warm and put in some hours as you will be rewarded. Please don t light a fire on the beach as this is not allowed and most shires (who control the beaches) have banned them and there is a severe fine for anyone lighting one.

3 As the winter chills really set in many of our senior anglers (aka grey nomads) head to warmer climes in the north. Most of these itinerant anglers have already gone. Those who have waited a little while are now possibly regretting the decision to leave a little later as the winter chills set in. Many of them head for fishing locations such as Carnarvon, Dampier/Karratha, Point Sampson and even Broome. These are all great angling spots when you want to escape Perth s cold weather. Having spent some time working in the north west I can really appreciate the warmer weather (and the rain) up there as well as some great fishing. Here is the weekly report from Fabio Varrone of Fab Fishing and Tours in Denmark. Well this week it was all about the salmon and bonito. Anglers young and old have come down to enjoy the game of salmon along many of the beaches around Denmark. They have been taken on the bottom and the top, with lures and with bait. Even with no bait! The rocks around Denmark are producing the bonito and samsonfish when they have been able to get through the schools of salmon. The occasional average sized Yellowtail kingfish has been pulled from the bottom as well as medium sized snapper. There is plenty of whiting and herring up close to shore in pockets, you just have to wait and find them. Herring have been hard to find all along the rocks and at night the squid have been taken as well. In the Wilson Inlet with a slight increase of water coming in, there have been plenty of crabs being caught up the west end as well as the odd snapper being taken from Prawn Rock Channel. There has been no sign of King George anywhere according to most reports. There have been no reports from offshore since the boat ramp was closed for the Easter period. That's all from Fab Fishing & Tours in Denmark, watch that swell, stay safe If you have some fishing information, have caught a good fish and have a picture of it and want to brag, or have an item that may be of interest to other anglers and wish to share it, you can send the details toabc720saturdaybreakfast@yahoo.com.au and I will try to incorporate it into the blog. I am particularly interested in getting some pictures of fish, locations and dinghy and kayak captures for publication. Life is short, do something you love - go fishing!!! WHAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING AT POPULAR FISHING LOCATIONS: MANDURAH: Tim s Thicket to Preston has seen some small to medium sized salmon taken earlier in the week, along with some good sized tailor. Bigger salmon are still moving north and are a little further offshore with boat anglers taking a few fish.

4 The Dawesville Cut is still producing some good fishing. There are plenty of herring and a few tailor being taken, as well as an occasional small salmon from the ocean end. Garfish are still in numbers off Avalon and Roberts Point. Anglers need to be aware that the smaller ones make great bait for the bigger tailor and salmon. There are plenty of herring and tarwhine along with a few small chopper tailor in and around The Cut. There are still good reports of plenty of herring on the beaches from Halls Head to the Cut along with a few whiting. All around the Canals, Marina and Bridges there are plenty of herring, small tailor, whiting and tarwhine in the estuary. Black bream and small mulloway have been reported in both the Murray and Serpentine rivers. Along the beaches to the north of Mandurah there have been good catches of herring, whiting and tarwhine. There are regular reports of reasonable sized mulloway being taken just after dusk along this stretch of beach. SECRET HARBOUR / PORT KENNEDY / WARNBRO / ROCKINGHAM / SAFETY BAY: Herring have been widespread but not in any great numbers. A few small salmon have made an appearance at Coventry Reef with anglers taking some nice fish up to 4 kg. The Sisters have been producing some good catches of tailor in the morning on the reefs to the west of the islands. Whiting are still on the sand patches to the east and some decent sizes have been seen at the boat ramps. Salmon have been taken from many of the beaches and jetties around this section of coastline and anglers report that sizes have varied from just over legal length to some around 80 cm, which in my estimation would put them at around 4 kg. There have been good garfish around Long Point, Penguin Island, Point Peron and Rockingham Beach as well as whiting and squid. Anglers fishing the jetties at night have taken some large mulloway during the past week. Whiting have been taken in good numbers out in the bay along the weed beds and also from shore in the mornings. The stretch between the two boat ramps is probably the better spot to fish. Tailor catches are still being reported from the beaches near Long Point and further south to Secret Harbour. Sizes and numbers have generally been down but you can still get a feed. COCKBURN SOUND: The Causeway has also been producing herring and skippy. The Bent Pin and the Southern Flats have been the spots for King George whiting, with some reports of fish reaching nearly a kilo. Mangles Bay and Sulphur Bay are producing plenty of squid. Whiting numbers are starting to pick up again in the same areas. There are still reports of a few boat anglers taking mulloway in the Sound. They are usually being taken from the deeper sections of the Sound over the coral / gravel patches. The fish have been around the kg mark. There are also reports of good King George whiting being taken from over the gravel beds in the Sound. Boaties working the Five Fathom Bank report jewfish, snapper, some big tailor, yellowtail kingfish, and samsonfish. Anglers fishing throughout the Sound have reported taking some good salmon with fish up to 5 kg. Many have been taken trolling lures and others have taken un-weighted mulies cast and left to drift looking for snapper or mulloway. KWINANA / NAVAL BASE / WOODMAN POINT / COOGEE: Salmon have featured at many locations around the area with some good sized fish being taken. Most anglers report good catches of herring and garfish from most popular spots. Woodman Point and Kwinana Beach have been fishing well for garfish and herring and this area has also produced some good fishing for sand whiting. There are still plenty of scaly mackerel around and these provide an ideal bait for a live baiting situation for mulloway or a mackerel. FREMANTLE / INNER HARBOUR / LOWER REACHES OF SWAN RIVER Anglers fishing from both moles earlier in the week had a field day with salmon, bonito and mulloway all being taken at different times during the day. Some days they were fairly regular and on others they were rather spasmodic. The South Mole has been producing plenty of herring, tailor and tarwhine. Berley works well for herring but also attracts blowies if you use too much. The beaches south of Fremantle have produced good numbers of herring and tailor along with some nice whiting in the mornings. Out on the North Mole there have been a few herring, tailor and whiting caught. Size is a little small and many fish are being returned. There are also reports of mulloway and pilch or yellow-eyed mullet and a lot of herring, tailor and whiting.

5 Port Beach has seen a few herring and garfish landed along with some whiting. In the inner harbour the wharves around E Shed are still producing mulloway on a regular basis along with a few smaller species. There are a few good tarwhine and skippy being taken from the bridges a little further upstream. Don t forget that the North Mole will be closed to enable Fremantle Ports to undertake works from the evening of Sunday 19 April until 24 April. The gate at the start of North Mole Drive near the Caltex service station will be closed from Sunday evening for works to proceed during the week. North Mole Drive will be re-opened on Saturday 25th April. For information relating to fishing in Fremantle Harbour area refer to the Fremantle Ports web site at ROTTNEST ISLAND A few salmon have been reported from the waters around Rottnest. The majority of these fish are not overly large, but are providing a lot of excitement for anglers chasing herring. Anglers fishing the west end of the island have been catching mixed bags of herring, skippy, salmon and an occasional yellowtail kingfish. Out on the FAD s there are mahi mahi and other assorted pelagics being taken. PORT BEACH / LEIGHTON / COTTESLOE / SWANBOURNE There are a few herring and plenty of garfish right along this stretch of beaches along with a few whiting, flathead and skippy. Anglers should take home a reasonable feed if they put in a bit of time and use berley judiciously. Tailor are still being taken from the groyne of an evening and there have been several larger tailor taken from the beach around 800 m north of the groyne. Swanbourne Drain has been producing a few chopper tailor, herring and skippy. One angler in the region reported that he saw big schools of fish in the surf. I was told recently of some schools of very big mullet being spotted along the northern beaches, so I am presuming that this is what they were. Grant Street Reef at Cottesloe continues to produce excellent fishing with a few herring and plenty of big garfish. These fish provide an ideal bait for large tailor. A note received from Tom Newton during the week; Hello, My friends and I are only teenagers but have been to Cottesloe groyne fishing several times and have caught a few herring on small Halco twisties but today we went out and including the herring we threw back or just came off we must have caught around 40 but only kept 27 as we have to feed our families but still I would like to inform you what a great spot Cottesloe Groyne is. Here is a photo of our catch. CITY BEACH / FLOREAT / SCARBOROUGH / TRIGG ISLAND / NORTH BEACH. Brighton Road and Floreat have fished well for herring and some big skippy. Anglers fishing from the reef at Trigg Island and from the reefs a little further north have taken a occasional small salmon. Floreat and City Beach have been producing good fishing during the morning with skippy, a few herring and garfish and some big sand whiting. There are also a few flathead being taken. City Beach and Floreat beaches

6 have had tailor on the bite at dusk and several good fish have been taken during the last week. There have been a few herring and garfish at the North Beach jetty but space is a premium. HILLARYS / OCEAN REEF / MINDARIE Again there are plenty of garfish and a few herring around this area. The rock walls are producing some reasonable bags of fish. Anglers fishing for squid have done well from the south wall of the marina. There are reports of schools of larger fish being seen by boat anglers just out from the marina during the last week. As large schools of mullet are migrating north at the moment my thinking is that this is what they are. One angler ballooning from the western side of the marina during the week landed a spanish mackerel around 15 kg. The west side of Hillarys has been producing tailor, just over legal size. Anglers are catching the tailor on white bait and unweighted mulies YANCHEP / TWO ROCKS / MOORE RIVER The rock walls at Mindarie have been one of the better spots to catch herring and garfish. The beach at Club Capricorn is consistently featured in reports of tailor. Tailor are also being taken from the beaches along the coast between Mindarie and Two Rocks with some very good fish being taken on lures. The Moore River / Guilderton area continues to produce exceptional fishing for beach and river anglers. Large tailor are still being taken from the beach just to the north of the river mouth. Mulloway are also being taken from the beaches adjacent to the river mouth. There are some good bream in the river, a little upstream. BOAT FISHING: Offshore, out from Mandurah, fishing has been excellent with some good mixed bags being reported. Five Fathom Bank has been fishing well for big skippy, breaksea cod and the odd snapper. There are reports of Westralian Jewfish, King George whiting and baldchin groper being taken over coral / mud bottom. Salmon are also featuring in the bags of anglers fishing out wide and some have been taken in 30+ m of water on the bottom. Small boat anglers report that they have been taking some good sized pink snapper from the reef system out from Hale Road in City Beach. There are mixed reports of fish in close around the Three Mile and surrounding reefs. Though mainly smaller Westralian Jewfish can be found here, there has also been the occasional pink snapper. Small boat anglers are reporting that there are plenty of small squid out in front of the Fremantle Sailing Club. Big tailor have been reported from the offshore reef sections around Cottesloe and some of these fish are over 60 cm long. They have been feeding on herring, smelt and squid. Anglers fishing in the shallower water around the West End of Rottnest and in Gage Roads are reporting plenty of 3-4 kg yellowtail kingfish. On the southern side of Rottnest there have been plenty of breaksea cod and Westralian Jewfish in m of water. The south east corner has been producing nice big King George whiting and plenty of herring as well. An occasional spanish mackerel is still being taken on a trolled lure along the back of both the Five Fathom Bank and the Three Mile Reef systems. Out at the FAD s, anglers report good fishing for smaller 3-4 kg mahi mahi. In deeper waters west of the island there are reports of grey banded cod, and small Westralian Jewfish along with lots of large skippy to 1.5 kg in fairly deep water. Out from Hillarys and Mindarie anglers report Westralian Jewfish, snapper, break-sea cod, and baldchin groper. All the action appears to be occurring in depths of water at 40 m to 60 m, or outside of Direction Bank in depths up to 110 m. SWAN AND CANNING RIVERS: There have been reports that a couple of mulloway were landed well upstream around the Bassendean area and another near the Causeway. Mulloway have also been taken from around the bridges with some fish over 10 kg. Most of the mulloway have been taken by anglers using live baits. With the recent rains bringing some runoff the water will look a little dirty but don t be deterred by this. The freshwater will flow over the top of the salt water and the fish will still be in their favourite haunts beneath the upper layer of freshwater. Black bream are spread throughout the river system at the moment with reports of good fish coming in from around the Shelley area and at Canning Bridge and an occasional better one at Mt Henry Bridge. Black bream reports from the Maylands area indicate a few smaller fish being taken. The rains will assist in triggering the breeding cycles for this species and they will move further upstream to the brackish water prior to commencing their breeding cycle.

7 "Bad times make the good times fishing even better" A RECIPE FOR SPICY AUSTRALIAN SALMON CUTLETS Serves 4 Ingredients: 8 Australian Salmon cutlets 2-3 cm thick 2 tablespoons virgin olive oil 3 tablespoons white flour 3 tablespoons curry powder 2 tablespoons brown sugar 1 tablespoons turmeric 1 tablespoon paprika chopped parsley lemon wedges soy sauce Method: Mix flour, curry powder, brown sugar, turmeric, and paprika. Pat cutlets dry using paper towelling and coat with mixture until covered. Heat pan on high and add oil. When oil starts smoking, reduce heat to medium. Fry cutlets, turning after about 4 min. Cook until golden brown. Serve with soy sauce, and lemon wedges and on a bed of steamed jasmine rice. A LITTLE BIT EXTRA: KEY SPECIES CALL ARTIFICIAL REEFS HOME from Recfishwest s Broad Cast # April 2015 Two years have passed since the first purpose built and approved artificial reef was deployed in the state's south west and anglers have told their stories of the many Westralian Jewfish, snapper, skippy and 20 kg+ samsonfish caught on the reefs over this time. But do you really know what the reefs look like underwater? How much growth do they have on them? What species are calling the reefs home? How many fish are on the reefs at any one time? Now a new FRDC (Fisheries Research and Development Corporation) funded project, that looks into the applications and benefits of these artificial reef structures in WA is shedding light on the marine unknown. The project also compliments the work the Department of Fisheries are doing monitoring these reefs. Some of the awesome footage and photos being captured on the reefs is available to check out on the South West Artificial Reef Facebook Page. MORE BARRA RELEASED from Recfishwest s Broad Cast # April 2015 Around 100,000 Barramundi fingerlings around mm in length were released into Lake Kununurra late last month. The latest stocking by the Kimberley Training Institute in Broome is part of the ongoing program to create a world-class impoundment fishery in Kununurra. There have now been close to 400,000 barramundi stocked into Lake Kununurra since the program started early in The good news that there are reports of small barra of around the size that would be expected after the stockings being caught. Fish from cm in size have been caught in the Lake, which is in line in what was hoped for at this stage. As have proven by barra stockings over east, success can be a lengthy process, with the stocking of Lake Tinnaroo taking more than five years to reap full dividends. More stockings in Lake Kununurra are planned

8 for later this year and rec fishers are already starting to see the benefits of having a developing world class sports fishery on their doorstep! RECFISHERS SUPPORTING SUSTAINABLE SEAFOOD DAY from Recfishwest s Broad Cast # April 2015 Friday, March 20 was Sustainable Seafood Day. It was a chance to celebrate sustainable fishing practices, and at the same time acknowledge the part recreational fishers are playing in better management of our fisheries resources in Australia. Here in WA, we have some of the best managed fisheries in the world and Recfishwest congratulates all fishers and communities which help make that happen. There are a number of sustainability achievements that recreational fishers have supported, and they show the absolute commitment most anglers have to promoting healthy fisheries. One of those closest to the heart of Broome locals is the removal of commercial netting in Roebuck Bay in late This had led to dramatic improvement in the quality of the Roebuck Bay fishery in just over year. Recreational fishers were also key players in the move to protect pink snapper spawning aggregations in Cockburn Sound. The annual demersal closed season has also become an accepted part of recreational fishing in the southern half of the state, with latest reports showing strong stock recovery for the species it was brought in to protect, including the iconic Dhufish. There are also a number of fantastic restocking programs underway around the State supported by Recfishwest. These included the stocking of aquaculture-bred barramundi, mulloway, black bream and prawns in WA waterways. Recreational fishers have also supported marine habitat enhancement, with artificial reefs boosting species diversity in the South-West. These are just some of the ways recreational fishers are playing their part in keeping Australia s seafood supply sustainable. FISHERMAN FINED $10,000 FOR FALSE INFORMATION Media release Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) 25 th March 2015 The Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) has again reinforced that illegal fishing activity will not be tolerated with a Western Australian Commonwealth fishing vessel skipper convicted and fined $ in the Perth Magistrates Court. Mr Paul Harrison of Wickham, was an authorised agent of Seafresh Pty Ltd and skipper of the fishing vessel Ocean Raider. He was found guilty of failing to submit accurate and fully recorded fishing logbooks to AFMA. He was also found guilty of failing to abide by habitat protection move on provisions within the North West Slope Fishery located off Exmouth, Western Australia. In handing down the penalties, His Honour, Magistrate Bayly recognised the seriousness of the offences, stating he, did not consider the offence to be trivial and the fines took into account the need for deterrence and ensuring adequately punished. His Honour also found that, general deterrence was necessary as it was important to ensure that our fisheries are well regulated, such that they remain for future generations. AFMA General Manger of Fisheries Operations, Mr Peter Venslovas said that the fines imposed reflected the seriousness of illegal fishing. Mr Harrison has demonstrated blatant disregard to the very rules in place to protect his livelihood and as a result he has been punished, said Mr Venslovas. We have rules in place for a reason to not only ensure the long term sustainability of our natural resources are protected for future generations of Australians, but to secure a viable Australian commercial fishing industry. The actions committed by the Mr Harrison undermine his industry and the fisheries management measures in place. AFMA takes illegal fishing seriously. If you suspect illegal fishing or black-market fish supply to be occurring in your area please contact 1800 CRIMFISH ( ).

9 HAVE YOUR SAY ON HOW BOAT MOORINGS ARE MANAGED IN WA Media Release from the Department of Transport. There s still time to have your say on the first stage of a Department of Transport review into improving access to moorings. A discussion paper was released early in February with a set of objectives and concepts and the Department says feedback can still be given on these until the 8th of May. The best way to have your say is to fill in the online survey availablehttp:// But this won t be your last chance, a second period of public consultation will take place from June to late August this year. IS IT REALLY SUSTAINABLY CAUGHT? From Fishing World e-news 16 Mar 2015 By John Newbery In late February the canned tuna brand Sirena began an extensive campaign to position its product as 100% sustainably caught. It pushed three messages: first, that its tuna was caught using pole and line, not nets; second, that the fish are traceable, with all Sirena supplier contracts including an obligation to sign and comply with Sirena s Code of Ethical Sourcing policy; third, that it requires all of its suppliers comply with the labour laws in which that supplier operates. Sirena used some full page editorials and very good writers to explain its push and has both a website, sirena.com.au/sustainability, and a Facebook page to provide more information and encourage discussion. It s clearly a major marketing decision from the company which has always supplied an excellent product (yellowfin) but which in the past didn t rank high on the sustainability table, when compared to other canned tuna brands. Independent market researchers have for years been telling us that Australian consumers are becoming more aware of environmental issues when buying food, with major retailers adopting sustainably sourced policies for much of their seafood. It will be interesting to see if this commitment translates in to increased sales of Sirena tuna and if other big players in the industry feel compelled to follow their lead. It s a big advance from the old dolphin safe endorsement that many brands carry. They may be dolphin safe... up to a point... but much of the tuna is still caught in purse seine nets, using FADs, with by catch issues, in waters of poorer South Pacific nations who ve leased their extraction rights to big overseas operators. Sustainable fisheries should still be the goal in a world where the population continues to expand and the sea s resources decline. Here at Fisho we ve supported aquaculture as the industry with most potential to feed a fish-hungry world in the long term, but we acknowledge the criticism around the use of small pelagics and other trash fish to keep the marine side of the industry profitable. Aquaculture already provides over 50 per cent of the seafood consumed, but its continued development must depend on the development of fish diets that don t unduly impact wild fish populations. Sustainable extractive fisheries should be driven by good science and sound research, and in recent years Australia s federal, state and territory fisheries agencies have all gotten a lot better at developing policies and procedures which can keep the fishing industry viable while protecting our stocks of wild fish. There s still plenty of room for controversy though, as these agencies political masters still pursue economic development agendas which may not line up all that well against real principles of sustainability. Think long lining marlin, bottom trawling, beach hauling, tuna ranching, super trawlers... In a follow up article DEFINING SUSTAINABILITY From Fishing World e-news 16 Apr 2015 By John Newbery Last month s piece on Sirena tuna led to a response from FRDC Executive Director Patrick Hone which highlighted the difficulty in agreeing on what exactly people mean when they discuss or write about sustainable wild catch fishing. Patrick mentioned a discussion paper which attempts to find some agreement on the terms commonly used. It s currently in its third draft, and has been developed by a working group which includes seafood and fishing industry, environmental and rec fishing members. The paper examines five key elements for examination: target and by-product species; bycatch species; threatened, endangered and protected species: aquatic habitat; aquatic ecosystems. It then proposes

10 some common language suggestions derived from the technical definitions which have in the past caused differences of opinion or confusion between stakeholder groups. Here s some examples of the group s suggestions for terms that we all see thrown around in both the mainstream and fishing media: Target species: The most highly sought component of the catch. By-product species: A fish taken incidentally that is retained and sold. Fish stock: A population of a species of fish that is distinct from, e.g. does not interbreed with, other populations of the same species. Biomass: The total weight of a fish stock. Total allowable catch (TAC): TACs are catch limits (expressed in weight) that are set for fish stocks after a formal stock assessment has been conducted. These total catch limits can incorporate catch across multiple sectors i.e. commercial, recreational and indigenous. Overfished stock: When fish stocks are depleted to unacceptable levels. Overfishing: When a stock is being harvested at a rate that does not allow the stock to recover to a sustainable level but the stock is not yet at the undesirable level. Harvest Strategy: A policy that specifies rules for managing fish stocks sustainably, profitably and for social benefit. Bycatch: The unwanted and untargeted fish and other marine creatures trapped or affected negatively by commercial fishing gear during fishing for a different species. Discards: Any part of the catch that is returned to the water, whether dead or alive. Endangered species: A species that is seriously at risk of extinction. Protected species (includes Threatened Species): Threatened fish species are those protected by law because of low population numbers or special values to Australians and the world. There are many more definitions proposed in the paper, including for aquatic habitats and ecosystems. Each has a corresponding technical definition from which it was derived. Very useful material for anyone wanting to both better understand and engage in meaningful debate on these sometimes emotive and divisive topics.