easterlery swell, gets in everywhere doesn't it?
tried to dive on saturday, found some nice crays, but be buggered if i could get a good grab on them without being launched like a sea lion onto the rocks.
if only i could spear them like those inter-state cheats. and don't get me started on those plate sized ab's i saw...
heading up north coast on saturday for a week of fishing and spearing. wind looks good, swell forecast looks bad. might pack the surfboard and an extra carton or two.
Depending on where you are headed, the only problem may be the visability.
Been atrocious hereabouts (Coffs Area) for months.
Better further north though I believe, Byron-Ballina area looked good a couple weeks ago, but inshore we've had this horrid cold, dirty water coming down from the north, may have changed things.
Cheers.
thanks nigel i PM'd you
Can anyone tell me whether the abalone is still around in Fishermans Bay (Near Anna Bay) or is it still no take due to the gut bacteria?
I'm originally from Newcastle and know the area very well as well as Port Stephens. (Are there any cray spots around between say Lennox Head heading south in shallow water).
I'm weary of greysuits these days.
Peter
sounds like you boys are doin it tough down there.......plenty of fish, great vis and flat seas up here
fishermans is still a no take zone. but it is loaded with ab's. Port Stephens south to Port Jervis is all no take.
Lol, not too loud mate, we'll all move up there...................lucky bu$$as!Originally Posted by Chris_2184
sounds like you boys are doin it tough down there.......plenty of fish, great vis and flat seas up here
Thanks for letting me know.
I often wonder whether it is indeed a viral outbreak and they cant use the abalone gut for bait or is it a knee-jerk reaction to place a blanket cover to the entire ab stocks.
Also, can you tell me if the no take is solely due to the area being a marine park or due to dubious abalone gut virus? One would think the latter would have had samples taken by local fisheries biologists to confirm the health of the local abs.
Cheers, Peter
i'm sure you can remember in the past when the bag limit was 10 abs, and even greater prior to that. the bag is now 2 abs per person - hardly worth it really. in 2003 the minister announced that due to the AVG virus there will be 5 year closure between Port Stephens and Wreck Bay - Jervis Bay. from memory, this was due to expire in november 2008. however, in August 2008 the minister announced the ban will be continued until June 2011.
i think the abalone industry is in damage control from the outbreaks down south and the perceived threat from AVG. i don't think it will ever be opened back up!!
since abalone are such a sedentry species, you would expect their numbers to increase relatively quickly if disease free and poacher free.
if i am travelling back into Port Stephens with abalone on board, how do fisheries know if i have taken these north or south of the heads? i have asked this question and the fisheries officer shrugged his shoulders!!
G'day Chpper Taylor,
Yes, good point you raised with fisheries.
Bloody hell 2 Abs per person, WTF??? Those mongrel poachers are to blame for this limit. You are right, why bother taking any, to have a decent meal I would need 12. Sliced thinly, tenderised and mixed in with vegies a a stir fry.
One can only be vigilent.
Peter
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