Who monitors recreational fishers, PIR.SA?

[doobie 5,802]

I'm curious.

 

I read from time to time in posts that 'fisheries' are at boat ramps checking over boats and catches etc for any illegal fish catches and so on - and good on them.

 

But how often do they do this?  More in warmer months I would reckon.

 

But do they also concentrate on fishers fishing from jetties, beaches and/or rocks on catch sizes and number of lines in the water?

 

How many times do you see a fellow fisherman on a jetty with more than 2 lines in the water - some have been seen with 5 or more.

 

This doesn't seem to be a rare thing, but quite a regular occurance of people fishing with more rods/handlines than is allowed.

 

Of course, the majority of fishers abide by the rules but there are always some that don't.

 

I have never seen an official on a jetty checking what people have.  This is not to say they haven't done so, but I have never seen them on a jetty.

 

Do they concentrate more at boat ramps than jetties? - probably.

 

The reason I bring this up is due to the number of times I see people abusing the regulations of more than 2 lines (and maybe a teaser) in the water whilst on a jetty and they just seem not to give a sh*t about rules (or they are not aware of the rules).

 

Should Fisheries/PIR.SA ask councils to place a sign of regulations on jetties with regard to how many rods/lines are allowed - after all, on most jetties there is a chart on minimum fish size limits.

 

Food for thought.

 

 

 

 

[plankton 725]

I'm pretty sure they are spread quite thin, they don't have very many fisheries officers and they have to cover the whole state. I can't imagine their budget is very big either, the government seems to love passing laws but isn't so keen on funding enforcement.

 

If you see illegal activity you can call Fishwatch and make a report, I have before and even though they couldn't send anyone at the time at least they're aware of the problem and might catch them in the future.

[doobie 5,802]

True, I believe there is only around 12 employees to cover SA, so are spread very thin unfortunately.

 

But if wanting to report people to them, obviously a few discreet photos, rego etc. would certainly help them.

[AquaticResearch1 1,046]

I've talked to fisheries while fishing on the Bluff jetty, so they do get around to land based spots.

 

Might cop a bit of flack for this, but what the hell.

 

I only ever fish two lines at a time because really it is all I can manage effectively. But, personally I wouldn't report somebody for using two rods and a handline off a jetty. I mean, come on, if their not getting in your way or taking up a heap of space, why not just shrug and except it rather than getting all up in somebody else's business and flustered about it? It's not like somebody with a Tommie under a squid float, and a couple of rods is going to make the sky fall down.

 

Would much rather stop the people taking hundreds of undersize mulloway from the coorong or raping bream stocks in the Onk then see already thin fisheires resources wasted on an extra bloody handline.

 

Not having a dig, just my opinion.

[doobie 5,802]

Yep, same here, just 2 lines as that is managable.

 

And I wouldn't report someone for have that 3rd line in the water either and would just shake my head and keep walking, but what gets my annoyed are the ones that have say 5 rods spread out and even a handline or 2 tied to the railing.

To me that is excessive whether they were catching anything or not.

 

And I agree that catching people who have a bucket of undersize fish or way over their bag limits certainly takes priority.

 

But I generally only see the jetty side of things as I have no boat, but would like to see more presence by fisheries from time to time - but accept they can't be everywhere, especially as they are undermanned.

[Underpants 1,543]

Alas it is pretty unfortunate that we require regulation enforcement officers to manage adherence to regulations that exist to (hopefully) to ensure sustainability of future fish stocks for all of us.

 

From my limited understanding they are very much under resourced-budget, funding, man power etc.

 

Over my fishing 'career'.....I have seen fisheries only twice,  once  last season and recently on my last wading session (last WE):  'Fish Watch' in the car park when we arrived, essentially providing an 'education' service, handing out regs brochures and crab measures, further explaining how to measure crabs (aided with some pretty cool laser cut metal 'crabs') and 'Fisheries' when we returned, checking catches and handing out (sadly) expiation notices to the usual crabbing culprits.

 

I understand Fish Watch are volunteers and Fisheries are on payroll?

 

I'd pay a rec licensing fee,  if it alone goes directly  to regular regulation enforcement ( sigh) .

 

Sadly i cant see it going anywhere other than the 'general treasury slush fund'.

[keenfisho 1,416]

A mate of mine is a fisheries officer and yes very very underfunded. The boat levy that we pay should be at least partly used to help fund fisheries but I'm not actual sure that levy ever goes to what its meant to.

[seagypsy 1,182]

Maybe they could trade some of the $100,000 dollar land cruisers in and buy tritons and stop buying ultra expensive twin engine patrol boats.

[Booma 1,360]

Have seen fisheries at semaphore jetty a couple of times, fishwatch at garden island and snowdens beach......I guess they go with the percentages of where most offences turn up

[doobie 5,802]

Yes it is an up hill battle for fisheries being undermanned and not much money thrown their way - they can only do what they can with what they have.

 

I am starting to see a few people mentioning they have seen fisheries around, so maybe with the warmer weather their schedule has increased.

 

I still reckon by a placing a sign at boat ramps and jetty entrances with some kind of regulation rules/fines will apply, might help towards reducing the number of fisherman doing things against the rules (it may just make them think twice before taking undersize or over bag limits or using too many rods/lines etc).

 

On jetties (not sure if every jetty around SA) but the installed metal sign showing fish minimum sizes (can't remember if it shows limits as well) is helpful to some fishermen to check size (have seen people use it).

 

I know signs are not going to stop the ones that are going to break the rules anyway, but it may at least help towards educating people who were not actually aware of some regulations (even though the onus is on them to check them).

 

Of course any erected signs would not allow for all regualtions etc to be listed as there are quite a few - surely they would be better than nothing imo.

 

If these type of signs are not at boat ramps (I don't know if they are) then they should be.