Western Australia Fisheries minister Dave Kelly has warned that the Australian abalone fishing season is approaching, urging fishermen to put safety at the top of the list.
In February, the last day of the abalone fishing season, a man in his 60s drowned in the Ocean Reef sea northwest of Perth. It was also the only death in the abalone fishing season last year, the worst of which was the 2012-2013 fishing season, which claimed three lives.
With safety and many other considerations, abalone fishing has been restructured, and as you can see, it was changed from Sunday morning to Saturday morning. This change is not only based on weather conditions, but also more importantly, rescue team Surf Life Saving WA has more resources to patrol and deploy.
The new rule also includes a one-hour postponement if weather conditions are unsafe.
"this year, about 18000 casual abalone fishermen are expected to catch abalone within four days of the designated fishing day, providing 18 to 22 tons of fishing abalone to fishers," the fishing industry said. "this year it is expected that about 18000 leisure abalone fishermen will catch abalone within four days of the designated fishing day."
The season, which starts at 7 a.m. on Saturday, December 8, is expected to attract thousands of adventurous fishermen. But for Asian migrants, abalone fishing is not just a test of fishing, it is also an opportunity to enjoy precious delicacies.
Dr. Chen Li, a researcher at the ECU School of Humanities and Arts, said Western Australia is one of the few places in the world with healthy wild abalone resources.
Wild abalone is highly profitable and highly respected in China and other Asian cultures, Dr. Chen said. In high-end Chinese restaurants, people can pay as much as $1, 000 a 100g for wild abalone.
While studying how Asian migrants interact with the new environment, Dr Chen assesses Asian migrants' obsession with abalone fishing.
Dr. Chen has repeatedly taken part in abalone fishing in Mettam's Pool in North Beach and has seen more than 200 people gather to catch abalone, 60% of whom are Asian faces.
A Chinese man living in Mt Lawley, Sun Yuqi Youqi Sun. For the past three years, they have come to Mettam's Pool to catch abalone, risking cold and sometimes dangerous sea water, in order to get 15 abalone at a time.
"it's dangerous, but it's interesting," Mr. Sun said. "I came here from China 10 years ago, where only restaurants serve abalone and it's quite expensive."
"once again, the waves are very strong, my diving suit is broken, my hand is hurt, you have to be very careful, I'm only doing this for fun," Mr. Sun said. You can't do that anywhere else in the world. "
He said a group of 12 people and their families often come to watch and spend the morning on the beach.
Dr Chen found that the event was not only a way to catch these precious abalone, but also a way to meet with other immigrants.
In China, abalone is often associated with authority and wealth, while Perth's Chinese immigrants associate abalone fishing with health, pleasure in life, and some sensory dimensions of life. In short, catch the free abalone, will make them extremely happy.
Dr. Li Chen also said it was a symbol of privilege, and abalone was a symbol of a "healthy, positive lifestyle" for Chinese people.
Last year a Chinese aunt came by helicopter to catch abalone.
Choose the best position, directly to the sea, the aunt's pursuit of the estimate is not abalone, but life fun.
However, as the number of abalone catch increased, but also caused the local abalone resource depletion. Local government is no longer in place, and abalone fishing regulations are often amended, such as the annual fishing season of four days in 2017.
Recfishwest CEO Andrew Rowland said Western Australians were fortunate to have a world-class seafood and fishing experience, but warned fishermen to be careful.
"abalone fishing is a great way to live and enjoy different types of fishing experiences," Andrew Rowland said. "but we're urging abalone fishers to be well prepared, put on the right clothes, and learn about your ability to swim. If you don't have it, don't go into the water. "
"fishing abalone is a great way to spend the morning, but with all the fishing experience, it doesn't make sense if you don't live to tell the story." People catch abalone.
Take a look at the number of abalone rescues recorded by SLSWA in the past four quarters
2014 / 15 133 rescue, 158 first aid, 1255 prevention
2015 / 16 143 rescue, 404 first aid, 1105 prevention
2016 / 17 / 49 rescue, 10 / first aid / 991 prophylaxis
2017 / 18 5 rescue, 8 first aid, 206 prevention
Finally, a fishing strategy for this year's abalone season is attached:
License licence:
First of all, you need to spend $50 to apply for a fishing card, online can apply.
Web site: www.fish.wa.gov.au/Fishing-and-Aquaculture/Recreational-Fishing/Pages/Recreational-Fishing-Licences.aspx
The abalone season is probably one of the most tightly managed fisheries in the world, with many constraints and conditions.
Time and place:
There are several protected areas from Moore River to Busselton Jetty, where fishing is not allowed, as noted in the following figure.
Fishing is closed north of Moore River until a new notice is made.
This year's opening season is from December to mid-February and there are only four open days, four Saturday mornings, from 7: 00 a.m. to 8: 00 a.m., and one hour to catch abalone.
Simply remember:
The second Saturday in Decembe
The second Saturday in January
First and third Saturdays in February
Miss an hour in the morning of these four days until next year's fishing season, and the license needs to be re-applied.
Type, quantity and size:
As a result of the damage caused to mollusks in the waters of Western Australia by ocean heat waves a few years ago, Western Australia's fishing policy has reduced the previous limit for abalone fishing from 20 to 15. This year, 15 catches remain unchanged.
Although there are as many as 11 species of abalone species in Western Australia, only three species are eligible for fishing according to the fishing criteria, namely:
Brownlip Abalone
Greenlip Abalone
Roe’s Abalone
In terms of somatotype, the Roe's Abalone of brown-red meat is the smallest, and its shell length is only 12.5 cm. However, the shell length of black-edged abalone and green-edged abalone can be as long as 24cm and 22cm.
But Roe's Abalone is common and easily captured in shallow reef waters off the coast of Perth. When the tide recedes, abalone on the reef can be seen with the naked eye. This area alone can capture 80 tons of Roe's Abalone. a year.
Of course, when fishing abalone, you must bring a measuring ruler.
The minimum allowable size of Roe's abalone is 60 mm.
The minimum allowable size of Brownlip and Greenlip abalone is 140 mm.
If caught smaller than this size abalone will be severely punished.
Fishing areas:
Western Australia Fisheries Agency has a strict division of the area, open to the public. The fishing area is from the border of Greenough River to Busselton Jetty.
Notice that the area north of: Moore River is closed.
The southern waters of Western Australia, including the shore extending from Busselton Jetty to the border with South Australia. The area is open for a very long time, from Oct. 1 to May 15 th of the following year.
Fishing restriction
Up to 15 Roe's abalone per person per day (West Coast Zone 1)
Up to 20 Roe's abalone per person per day (South Coast Zone 3)
Up to 5 brown-edged abalone or green-edged abalone per person per day (5 in total)
It's also weird to catch an abalone and to be associated with your Australian identity:
If you are not a permanent resident of Australia, you can only capture 20 Roe's or 10 brown / green abalone.
If you are a permanent resident in Australia, you can only catch 80 Roe's and 20 brown / green abalone a year.
Fishing size:
The size of abalone is very strict
Roe's abalone must be no less than 6 cm, brown-edged abalone or green-edged abalone no less than 14 cm. Note, it's the size of the shell. Oh, not the meat inside!
By the way, when you catch abalone, you will find that there are many sea urchins in the sea, and there are rules for catching sea urchins. Each person can catch at most 20 urchins a day, but there is no limit on the size of the sea urchins. This is sea urchin, which is full of thorns.
And there's a whole bunch of rules that can be summarized as follows:
In fact, Australia has so many abalone as long as you find the right place, diving can be very easy to catch. The greatest danger of diving offshore is that the waves are too big and accidentally hit the rocks. So when diving, you must face out to the sea to prevent your head from hitting a stone. Sometimes when the water is clear, you can see abalone on the surface of the water, and when the water is cloudy, you have to dive to look for it.
Abalone is like a snail on land. It has no ability to resist the enemy who attacked it, and will not escape. It can only rely on the protective colour of the shell and the large sucker of its feet. When it comes to danger, it is sucked upon a stone, which makes the enemy helpless.
The abalone's shell is very similar to the surrounding stone color, distinguishing only the breather hole in the shell and the black meat, and then a knife into the meat to pull it away from the rock, otherwise it will have to give up as soon as it draws tight.
The equipment used to pry abalone must be blunt, catch abalone with a compliant abalone pry board, and not use daggers or other cutters to catch abalone.
Because abalone is a unique mollusc marine life, it does not have platelets, its blood is transparent. Even a small wound can cause bloodshed and death, that is, if you use a sharp knife to do a little harm to the abalone, even if you do not pry the abalone off the rock, the abalone will bleed and die.
Catch abalone also can not transfer hand to others immediately, must ensure is oneself catch "labor fruit".
You can't take abalone off the shell, nor can you carry the shelled abalone meat. Not even out of the water. Because residual abalone meat in abalone shells could upset beach balance by stingray and other marine foragers.
Fine:
If you fish in non-abalone season, if you catch small size abalone or overcatch abalone, you will receive a fine of up to $10,000 and 10 times the price of what you are fishing for.
If you sell abalone you catch, you'll get up to $ four hundred thousand in fines and 10 times the price of what you're fishing for, and could go to jail.
Western Australia Fisheries Agency has issued rules for the whole of Western Australia, but there are also local rules in several marine protected areas.
This area can catch abalone during prescribed opening hours, except for Murray Reef and protected areas. You can't catch sea urchins and other shellfish here. Open from 7: 00 a.m. to 8: 00 a.m., and other recreational fishing rules apply.
The sea area is strictly prohibited from fishing.
In this area, you can only catch abalone, not sea urchins and other shellfish. Open from 7: 00 a.m. to 8: 00 a.m., and other recreational fishing rules apply.
Since aquatic animals such as abalone have been rare in this area, no marine life has been allowed here since 2003.
Fishing restrictions and regional settings in the marine park are not yet in place, but the reserve is not allowed to catch abalone when it is promulgated.
Fishing is also prohibited here!
The notices issued by the Western Australia Fisheries Department are as follows:
When you go into the sea, take the designated passage and try not to destroy the surrounding vegetation as far as possible.
Fishing can't catch abalone for others, it's just personal leisure (it is also prohibited to use more than one certificate).
Abalone and sea urchins can only be caught within a specified period of day.
The use of equipment, including diving equipment and surface air supply equipment, is prohibited.
Abalone can't be used as bait for your fishing.
Abalone can not be shelled in the sea, shore workers have the right to measure the size of abalone.
Illegal fishing regulations are punishable by a fine of $10000 plus a fine of ten times the value of your fishing products.
If you sell your own abalone for profit, you will be fined $400000 plus ten times the value of your fishing product, and you may also face being prosecute.
Bring your own bag, wear light, suggest wearing protective gear on your feet, be careful to hurt on the reef.
Keep calm in danger and seek help from others in time.
If you stay on the beach, put the abalone bag in a cool, cool place.
The agency also reminded the public that there were so many sharks in Western Australia that when shark infestation was found, it immediately called 94428600. Shark trail query available at sharksmart.com.au
Besides sharks, people themselves are often at risk for some reason, and the history of abalone fishing in Western Australia has many stories of blood and tears. Before that, a 52-year-old man nearly died when he was stuck on the Trigg coastline, Mettam's.
A hole under the Pool reef. After emergency rescue, he escaped from death. And a lot of people are not as lucky as he is, directly killed the sea!
Food recommendation: the original method can best maintain the original taste, raw eating is a good choice.
Or use the simplest way to stir-fry. Cut abalone meat into thin slices and loosen the texture with a hammer, but don't break it. Put butter and a little salt in the pan, heat the oil and put a slice of meat into the pan. After "two seconds" frying, the other side should be frying after two seconds, pay attention to the mouth to count two seconds, otherwise abalone meat will be hard, eat like rubber.
Famous for cooking and barbecue with the shell, then sprinkle with some fresh lemon juice. Of course, fried abalone fillet is also one of the best in the world!
Finally, to share the editor's past two consecutive years of trophies, I hope this year is also full of harvest, full of load and return! At the end of the day, however, you should be reminded to be safe. Don't kill the sea by catching abalone!
I wish you all the full load and, more importantly, safety first.