In a race against time, fishers brave early starts and hazardous waters for this prized snail

9 hours ago 8

When the second session of Western Australia’s abalone season kicks off in the early hours of Saturday morning, Levi De Boni will be ready and waiting.

With only four sessions permitted in the Western Zone each season – and each session limited to just one hour between 7am and 8am – abalone fishers between Busselton Jetty and the Greenough River mouth are in a race against time to catch their quota.

Abalone fishing at North Beach off the coast of Perth.

However, keen fisherman De Boni says knowing there are only certain days and times to catch the protected mollusc every year is part of the appeal.

“There’s always a lot of hype that goes into an abalone day, and they’re great fun to target,” he said.

Levi De Boni has been a keen fisher for years.

“It is a good opportunity to get out early with your friends and family and get a fresh feed.

“So for me, we are so lucky in WA to have such a diverse range of seafood at our fingertips and abalone are another great option during the summer months.”

De Boni said there was a sense of excitement as the next scheduled fishing day approached and the all-clear was given by authorities.

“I look forward to these days. I just got my text message from fisheries about 10 minutes ago, and it said it’s going ahead,” he said.

“There’s always a bit of excitement leading up to it. Then you get that text to say it’s all happening and all systems are go.

“Growing up I have always done it every year. Me and dad are Italian so we have always crumbed them and done little abalone cutlets, and that’s really good.

“But recently, last time we went out we did it like an Asian stir-fry, and they were really good with an Asian sesame drizzle on top, so we will definitely be doing that this time around I think.”

There are strict regulations in place to protect abalone. In addition to the limited fishing days and one-hour sessions for the Western Zone, only those with a specific abalone licence can take part, while the bag limit is restricted to 15 and the minimum size limit is 60 millimetres, measured across the widest part of the shell.

After Saturday’s session, the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development revealed 38 infringements had been issued for people fishing without a licence, or exceeding their bag limit.

Another 21 warnings were issued for exceeding bag limits and catching undersize abalone, while four people had to be rescued while fishing.

De Boni, who also works for Recfishwest as its Fish and Survive safe fishing program coordinator, said being prepared for the one-hour sessions was vital.

“So you definitely need your abalone gauge, and you should measure them before you take them off the reef, because once they come off the reef it can be hard for them to reattach,” he said.

“An abalone knife is a good option. So a lot of people use screwdrivers and other things, but ... when you’re washing around on the reef, can be dangerous to you and others when there’s lots of people.

The second abalone session for the WA Western Zone will open at 7am on Saturday.

“So a blunt abalone knife to lever the abalone off the reef is great. And then, as for catch bags, the mesh ones are the best.

They’re a bit more hydrodynamic, for lack of a better word. Some of those real big, bulky bags can catch the current and pull you around, but if you have just those real slimline mesh ones, they’re the best to move through the water.”

There are also strict safety measures in place to protect fishers with changes to fishing days if poor weather conditions are forecast.

Levi De Boni says it is vital that people fish to their abilities.

The Department of Primary Industry and Regional Development will also take action on the advice of Surf Life Saving WA to close a fishing day for safety reasons.

SLSWA Lifesaving services manager Cam Robbins said the organisation would have hundreds of lifesavers and resources stationed at designated fishing locations.

“While conditions have been deemed suitable for fishing to go ahead, whether or not individuals proceed should be based on their abilities and the prevailing conditions at each location.” he said.

Surf Life Saving WA has reported an increase in incidents over the past few years, with their lifesaving services performing 118 rescues during the four hours of fishing last season, and 101 rescues the previous year.

De Boni said it was important for fishers to know their limits when it came to risking the swell sound the reefs where abalone are found.

“Look at the condition and if you are not a strong swimmer, make sure that you fish to your abilities and also fish with a friend,” he said.

“At the end of the day, no abalone is worth risking your life.”