Town of Cambridge council pushes to ban fishing at City Beach, Floreat while waiting for shark law
A western suburbs council wants to temporarily ban all fishing on a more than 1km stretch of its beaches in a bid to curb shark fishing in a move that has been slammed as “utterly ridiculous” by the State’s peak recreational fishing body.
The Town of Cambridge wants to bring in a no fishing zone extending from 50m to the south of the City Beach groyne to near the Floreat Surf Life Saving Club until it can change its local law to specifically ban shark fishing.
The council unanimously agreed at a meeting on Tuesday to put the proposal out for public comment for 21 days before the rules would be implemented.
It has asked its CEO to investigate changing the town’s local law to ban shark fishing at all its beaches after an increase in shark sightings and to ask WA Fisheries Minister Don Punch to ban shark fishing in the town.
They also want staff to work with other local governments to ban shark fishing along Perth’s coastline.
The move has drawn harsh criticism from Recfishwest, which has dubbed the proposal “ludicrous” and “outrageous”.
“This proposal is utterly ridiculous and once again local governments do not have the required skills to manage fishing,” Recfishwest said in a statement.
“Recfishwest believe State-based Fisheries legislation is and should remain the overriding legislation governing fisheries in WA and LGAs should stick to managing roads, rubbish and rates and leave recreational fisheries management to the State.”
It comes after Town of Cambridge staff earlier last week recommended banning fishing from the Floreat Beach carpark after reports of people using drones to lure and catch sharks.
“Film footage reveals that fishers set up their rods and chairs in this location as it is an elevated position, albeit some distance from the water’s edge,” a council report said.
“It is evident that fishers are targeting larger species of fish from this location, in all likelihood, sharks.”
The report said the council had received only one official complaint about shark fishing at its beaches in the year up to January 30.
It comes after a petition was launched by Town of Cambridge residents earlier this year calling on the council to completely ban shark fishing on its beaches.
A western suburbs council wants to temporarily ban all fishing on a more than 1km stretch of its beaches in a bid to curb shark fishing in a move that has been slammed as “utterly ridiculous” by the State’s peak recreational fishing body.
The Town of Cambridge wants to bring in a no fishing zone extending from 50m to the south of the City Beach groyne to near the Floreat Surf Life Saving Club until it can change its local law to specifically ban shark fishing.
The council unanimously agreed at a meeting on Tuesday to put the proposal out for public comment for 21 days before the rules would be implemented.
It has asked its CEO to investigate changing the town’s local law to ban shark fishing at all its beaches after an increase in shark sightings and to ask WA Fisheries Minister Don Punch to ban shark fishing in the town.
They also want staff to work with other local governments to ban shark fishing along Perth’s coastline.
The move has drawn harsh criticism from Recfishwest, which has dubbed the proposal “ludicrous” and “outrageous”.
“This proposal is utterly ridiculous and once again local governments do not have the required skills to manage fishing,” Recfishwest said in a statement.
“Recfishwest believe State-based Fisheries legislation is and should remain the overriding legislation governing fisheries in WA and LGAs should stick to managing roads, rubbish and rates and leave recreational fisheries management to the State.”
It comes after Town of Cambridge staff earlier last week recommended banning fishing from the Floreat Beach carpark after reports of people using drones to lure and catch sharks.
“Film footage reveals that fishers set up their rods and chairs in this location as it is an elevated position, albeit some distance from the water’s edge,” a council report said.
“It is evident that fishers are targeting larger species of fish from this location, in all likelihood, sharks.”
The report said the council had received only one official complaint about shark fishing at its beaches in the year up to January 30.
It comes after a petition was launched by Town of Cambridge residents earlier this year calling on the council to completely ban shark fishing on its beaches.
