the swan fish

[DHdreads]

g'day all
i was reading up about the swanfish and i would emagin that alot of fish would be unnecearaly slaughtered fish is this the case or do alot of people have live wells and stuff???
thanks

[Bear]

Why they do try and support catch and release, I think you'll find that a majority of fish are still killed.

[DHdreads]

still a shame its weird how they promote a good day on the water and fishing but it would take its tole in fish deaths and i would also imagine a lot of polution

[Rosie]

I have always found that swanfish was a day for bogans to go and try their luck for some money and slaughter some fish in the process. Trying to inforce C&R in that type of situation would limit the amount of participants and make the whole event smaller.

What are other thoughts on this topic?

[BIG PETE]

THE SWAN KILL

i wont have any thing to do with this comp the hammering the river gets with comp is just bloody stupid and should be stopped
the fish in the swan suffer so much with all the spills and run off problems



BIG PETE

[buncej1]

Well after reading the posts on this forum, i'm ashamed to say this but i enter it every year. HOWEVER! I barely keep anything, this is what i do.

I'll catch 2-3 whiting (try to) put them in the bucket (livies.) Then we'll throw out 2 lines for the mulloway, no luck yet however.

And i'll fish for bream and flathead but if the bream are under 35, i don't even bother keeping it, due to the fact that it won't win anything and i don't eat fish. Same with flatties but with 40cm.

Yea. I do agree with you guys though.

[Bear]

It isn't all about getting stuck into the organisers. It's been a popular comp for a number of years, I just believe that times change and so should events like this.

It's no different than the way WABT run comps. We need to move with the times and information available to make our comps more successful and better on our catch.

It's interesting to see just how much attidudes have changed over the past 5 years. All for the good I believe.

[BIG PETE]

the reason i dont like it is that its not a catch and release there is so many people that only fish the swan river when this comp on so they can win some thing they have no intention of eating their catch or releasing them
all WABT comps are catch and release which is fantastic


BIG PETE

[Stu_000]

To the organisers credit they do have a catch and release category and the unwanted fish are used for either research or to feed animals at the zoo. In saying that they should rethink the whole concept and try to make the comp sustainable (ie C & R) by the use of digital photography etc.

I think the pressure on our river will eventually take it's toll on comps like this one and they will have their hands forced.

You have to remember the run-of-the-mill fisho out their probably doesn't share our conservation views and is less passionate about the issue of sustainability (shortsighted perhaps). And the once-a-year swanfish entrant probably don't give it much thought either.

All we can do is keep plugging away and hopefully convert more and more people's attitudes to a more sustainable approach.

Running it (Swanfish) and the organisers down and getting upset gets you nowhere. The comp is running again as it has for 18 years (I think). We are not going to stop or change it's format or approach by negativity.

The attitude on this particular forum is certainly refreshing and is certainly a good start to changing attitudes out there.

[spaniel]

well speaking of the swan fish our store down in osborne park ranger camping and fishing is a sponsor of the swanfish and yes the majority of the bream,mulloway,flathead are killed which really doesnt help the structure of a catch and release program and i refuse to fish it. i am against killing species from the river due to the fact people might keep bream but most of the bream are never eaten or just frozen and end up getting dumped anyway which i find piontless

[Stu_000]

Originally posted by spaniel
i am against killing species from the river

Tell the Water Corporation that too

[BLACK SWAN]

The challange would be to turn it into a C&R
By leading by example
Theres a lot of great fishermen out there that don't
know any better.
It's easier to follow a fisherman that you respect than to
be told what to do. JMO.

Thanks Gary

[DHdreads]

i think big pete hit it on the head with his second post
and stu000 has some good ideas with c&r useing a didital camera but people might have those cameras that dont give a date on it and might use old pics of bigger fish a lost of thought needs to be put into making it better like perhaps having quick weigh in stations and or officials on the water goin to people

[Bear]

I'm curious to know why you think this Phil. In my opinion there were a few good suggestions by some of those you cared to mention.

After all, it's just their opinion they are expressing and this is an open forum.

Thanks,

[TerryF]

Here are some extracts from the 2006 SwanFish Brochure in answer to opinions, some of which don't seem to fit the facts as listed in the brochure. As can easily be seen, responsible fishing, catch and release and properly looking after the fish which are caught are all part of the deal. Then some of the money raised is used for the direct benefit of fishing and the Swan and Canning Rivers.
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Catch - Release will be at end of Taylor Road - Saturday 10.00am til Midnight, Sunday 8.00am til 9.00am

Swanfish Animal Welfare Conditions of Entry:- All participants in Swanfish will adopt an acceptable standard of fishing ethics in line with careful handling and humane dispatching offish.

1. That all participants of "Swanfish" angling promotion will acknowledge and abide by the code of ethics set down by the organisers of "Swanfish" or official governing bodies i.e. Fisheries WA.etc.

2. That only fish deemed to be edible will be eligible to win an award, as such all fish taken will be taken as a food source.

3. Fish taken by participants for food will be dispatched humanely and quickly (preferably before the removal of hooks), and there after shall be kept in a condition maintaining the fish in a consumption quality.

4. Fish will not be stored in plastic bags and will be free of all foreign matter (a container with ice preferably) for weigh in.

5. All fish under size or unwanted for food will be returned to the water unharmed including blowfish and other such species.

6. Fish that have swallowed a hook and are to be released, the angler will cut the line at the mouth of the fish and release the fish unharmed to the water.

7. Any Swanfish participant deciding to donate part of their catch to assist in the rehabilitation of sick & injured sea birds may do so by leaving fish with the organisers.

8. All participants 'will by law' keep an accurate record of their catch on the "Swanfish" catch count card and return the card to the organisers at the weigh in.

9. All rubbish, bait bags, tangled line, papers etc. to be gathered and returned to the Cleanaway bins for collection so as to Keep the Scene Clean.

10. Swanfish participants will abide by Swan River Trust Regulations - Respect and Protect Fish Habitat Oceans, Rivers and Streams

11. Cobbler are not eligible for any award - Please return them to the water unharmed.

You may gill & gut if you wish.

The achievements of the Melville Amateur Angling Clubs inc.

Swanfish organisers working for ALL the community on behalf of Recreational Angling...

• Swan River Trust - Melville have planted thousands of trees at John O'Kay Davis Park in Gosnells. The start of an ongoing commitment.

• Fisheries Research Division - Melville are involved in a Creel Survey of the Swan & Canning Rivers, supplying information for future management, supporting Dr Kim Smith.

• Hills Trading / Mako Tackle - Tackle representative to carry Melville / Swanfish promotional gifts, give-aways, and promotional brochures to every tackle outlet in the state, expanding our area of influence by opening lines of communication to bush anglers and the country community in general, State wide.

Melville's Swanfish promotional brochure released mid year 2003, revealed to all anglers, the results of 5 years of Swanfish Catch Count Cards, From 1999 to 2003, 2706 fish were taken by Swanfish participants. At Swanfish 2004, Melville, in association with the newly formed "WA Recreational Angling Foundation", restocked the Swan and Canning Rivers with 5000 fish at a cost of $2000, for the benefit of ALL the community on behalf of recreational anglers and Swanfish Supporters

Melville email address is maac.adm@maac.asn.au for those who wish to email us with their thoughts.
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TerryF
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Beavering away in the background......