The water both on the west coast and in the gulf has been stirred up after the recent rough weather, but things have improved markedly in recent days. Tantabiddi is fishing very well with plenty of small marlin, dolphin fish and wahoo around. The water temperature is right up and it certainly looks like GAMEX is once again going to coincide with a good run of billfish numbers.

Researchers from the Department of Fisheries will be heading to Exmouth to attend GAMEX 2008. They will be present on the first three nights of the tournament (9th, 10th, 11th March) to distribute Catch Cards to participants, so that useful information on catches and catch rates can be gathered to help monitor the health of local fish populations. By handing in completed Catch Cards anglers can also go into the draw to win a $100 gift voucher from Bluewater Tackle World Exmouth.

Researchers will also be asking anglers to hand any whole spangled emperor or spanish mackerel to them at the evening weigh-ins, so that biological specimens (otoliths and gonads) can be dissected, which will enable the scientists to estimate the age and reproductive status of each fish. This information will be used to build up a picture about the biology of these fish populations. Anglers who present whole spangled emperor or Spanish mackerel to researchers can get their fish gilled and gutted or filleted by researchers and will receive a stubby holder reward.

This research is part of a larger Departmental study that has been running since March 2007, into the current status of fish populations in the Gascoyne Coast Bioregion (the region from Shark Bay to Exmouth Gulf, inclusive). Spangled emperor, spanish mackerel, pink snapper and gold band snapper are the primary indicator species for this bioregion and the focus of current Departmental research, which is due to be completed by early 2009. This is important research that is giving us valuable data, so we are hoping the recreational fishers between Shark Bay and Exmouth will continue to support it.

We also thank all those who have helped with this research by assisting with the collection of filleted fish frames thus far.

Fishing on the West coast beaches has been excellent with plenty of spangled emperor being caught both on baits and also on lures. The spanglies have really moved in closer to shore over recent weeks, and most people seem to be catching them just at the access roads south of Lighthouse Bay.

Ben Knight from Bluewater Exmouth with a fine spangled emperor, about to be released once he gets that lure back...

Bundegi has heaps of baitfish along the shoreline, which is a great sign for upcoming weeks. At the moment it seems to be mostly small queenfish and giant herring amongst the baitfish, however that could change over the next few weeks as more pelagic fish are expected start to find their way into shore and hopefully turn on what will be an excellent shore based fishing opportunity.