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Wes
Guest
11/10/2002
18:58:32
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 Subject: Trawlers
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Well, the trawlers have finally dragged their nets and garbage through the pristine waters off Safety Beach.
Weny out today Friday 11 Oct 2002 and the weed near Mt Martha headland facing Dromana Bay was reduced by about 80%. I tried every lure possible on a slow drift and got zilch. The first time for everything I suppose. Further out near the mussel farm, I got the same result. The weed out there had been disturbed as well. I use a GPS to mark my spots and I can assure you the weeds have been reduced significantly.
The water was murky, not the usual clear state we are used to. Looks like I'll have to find a new spot until the weed comes back.
If you trawler guys read this, I hope you choke on your catch.
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glen
Administrator
12/10/2002
01:07:18
| RE: Trawlers
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hi wes,
how confident are you that trawling boats were responsible for the reduced weed? have you seen boats operating in this area lately? if we have some reasonable evidence to suggest that trawlers are causing damage then we should inform the Fisheries Division and let them know what is going on. It may also be worth contacting VRFISH which is the peak recreational lobby group that puts ideas forward to the Vic Fisheries Division under the current fisheries co-management framework that operates in victoria.
what type of weed was disturbed? was this kelp, seagrass etc? my understanding was that dragging nets over seagrass does not do much damage. however, i do not know what happens when nets are dragged over weeds such as kelp.
regards,
glen
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wes
Guest
12/10/2002
20:05:18
| RE: Trawlers
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I haven't seen any trawlers over the weed area. My opinion is based on the fact that the normally extremely clear water in the Mt Martha / Safety Beach cove was very turbid. According to locals, the trawlers that come through there are netting whiting, but when this happens they usually traverse the area between the cliffs and the mussel farm. The area where the calamari frequent has been covered in weed since last year. We have had many storms without damage to the weed beds. The week before, I had seen the weed as it normally would have been. When I drifted over my GPS marks, I saw dark grey patches in the sand where I normally would have expected weed. And I got snagged twice for the first time.
The weed which comes up on the bag of jigs looks like grass and not kelp. Maybe, just maybe, some moron ran a dredge through the area.
In any case, the area is relativley weedless compared to 2 weeks ago. The weed right against the cliffs has not been touched.
I believe the weed removal was caused by unnatural means. I don't really know what caused it. I just figured it was a trawler. Other people may be able to throw some light on the issue.
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glen
Administrator
14/10/2002
16:42:46
| RE: Trawlers
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Message:
hi wez,
if they were fishing for whiting they would probably use a haul seine net (and would not be trawling). from what i hear these haul seine nets do not do a lot of damage to weed beds. also i do not think there would be an dredging in this area. this is usually only permitted in shipping channels. i think dredging is regulated by Parks Victoria.
not sure where we go from here. it might be possible to speak to the fisheries officers based at NRE mornington office to see if they know what is going on. they can be contacted via the NRE switch board ph: 136186
regards,
glen
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Glen
Administrator
21/10/2002
15:39:44
| RE: Trawlers
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Message:
I just read the following in the VRFish newsletter for Oct 2002:
"A Flemington person was convicted and fined an aggregate of $2000, equipment forfeited for using monofilament/trawl nets in bays/inlets/inland waters, possessing commericial fishing [equipment]without a licence and contravening a Crown Land Reserve Regulation. The Offence occurred at Mt Martha."
Maybe this is the culprit?
Later, Glen
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