Marron catch tops 50,000

The 2019 marron season came to a close last week, with more than 10,000 recreational licences issued for the 29 day fishing period.

Experts from the department of primary industries and regional development said they expected that about 50,000 marron were caught this season.

They said only a few recreational fishers were caught exceeding size and bag limits despite the marron fishery being one of the most carefully managed in the country.

“Compliance and education officers from the department were out and about at fishing locations, to ensure fishers know and stick to the rules,” DPIRD director of aquatic resource management Nathan Harrison said.

“The majority of recreational fishers do the right thing and treat the marron stocks with a sense of personal responsibility and stewardship.

“That stewardship is vital in keeping the fishery sustainable.”

A breeding program funded by the Federal Government was trialled at the Pemberton Freshwater Research Centre last year, to help ensure abundant marron numbers through stocking.

The trial entailed marron being bred at the centre, transported to fishing hotspots like Harvey and Wellington Dams and then released to improve stocks.

More than 5500 juvenile marron were released into Harvey Dam on January 4 as a result, something Recfishwest fishing development officer Matt Gillett described as fantastic.

“Marron are facing a few pressures, mostly climatic, i.e. drying streams and reduced rainfall in the South West, so initiatives like stocking are things we can use as management tools going forward,” he said.

“If a project like this was to be scaled up, it would have a fantastically positive impact on the recreational fishing experience.”