Visitors to the Kununurra Agricultural Show this week are invited to stop by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) display to access the latest in recreational fishing and biosecurity information.
DPIRD community education officers will be at the Fisheries Information stand to answer questions and provide current information on recreational fishing rules in the region, including licences, bag and size limits, and possession limits.
A key focus of the display will be to raise awareness that fish traps are illegal to use in all WA public waters, with the exception of modified opera house traps in Lake Kununurra for targeting redclaw, an invasive species. Fish traps are indiscriminate and catch many different non-target species such as crocodiles, turtles and birds.
Tahryn Thompson, community education officer for the Kimberley Marine Parks, said an element of the display would cover the North Kimberley Marine Park.
“There is some great scientific research that occurs in the North Kimberley Marine Park, so we will be providing a little taste of this at the display,” Ms Thompson said.
“It’s also an opportunity for us to make sure that people are aware of the Australian Marine Park zones in the region, which came into effect July last year. We can guide people to where they can access the correct information about zoning and how it might impact their fishing.”
This year’s biosecurity display will focus on raising awareness of weeds which pose a risk to irrigated crops and pastoral land, along with information on important citrus movement restrictions for the area.
DPIRD biosecurity officer Tracey Vinnicombe said the damaging aquatic weed salvinia (Salvinia molesta) had recently been found in Kununurra.
“While we have removed and destroyed the salvinia, we are reminding people to be on the lookout for the weed,” Ms Vinnicombe said.
“Local residents also are encouraged to keep an eye out for the invasive weed rubber vine, and cinderella weed, which can infest lawns.
“Our display will have information on these weeds and others which pose a risk to agricultural production and the environment, including what to look out for and how to report suspect detections.”
Attendees to the DPIRD display can also find out more about citrus movement restrictions which still apply in Kununurra and Wyndham.
The Quarantine Area Notice, which was declared last year in response to the detection of citrus canker in the State’s north, was recently extended to 31 October 2020.
The Kununurra Agricultural Show runs on Friday 12 July and Saturday 13 July at the Kununurra Showground.
[1]Media contact:
Jodie Thomson/Megan Broad, media liaison +61 (0)8 9368 3937