Crab Season Is Open in Cockburn Sound
- Ends 31 March 2010
24/10/2009
CRAB fishermen will be able to return to their nets this summer, with Fisheries Minister Norman Moore today announcing the reopening of Cockburn Sound for commercial and recreational crab fishing.
The fishery will open on December 15
after a three-year ban introduced to allow crab stocks to recover after years of excessive fishing.
Mr Moore said the increase in crab populations indicated the Sound was ready to be reopened for business, but warned that excessive fishing should still be avoided.
“That precautionary action has proved successful and we can now reopen the fishery. It will be open to crab fishers from December
15 this year to March 31, 2010,” he said.
“The length of the season will help the ongoing recovery of the blue swimmer crab population in Cockburn Sound.
“Fishers need to understand that it was excessive fishing as well as several years of poor recruitment in the fishery that led to the closure.”
Mr Moore also announced that the two-month closure of Peel Harvey Estuary would not be extended, despite an indication of lower juvenile crab numbers this year.
“Catches will be closely monitored over summer to determine if management action will be required to address any sustainability concerns,” he said.
Recfishwest and the WA Fishing industry Council will work together to produce a report to the Minister before the start of next season.
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