Opening of recreational prawning season

The recreational prawning season has opened until July 31, Fisheries Minister Gordon Hill said today.

"Prawn fishers may use a hand scoop or hand trawl (drag net) to catch prawns," he said.

"Hand trawl nets must be no wider than four metres and must have a minimum mesh size of 16 millimetres.

"A bag limit of one standard plastic bucket (nine litres) per fisher per day applies.

"Fishers catch river and king prawns in prolific numbers in our major estuaries each summer.

"Prawns are an annual crop and closed seasons allow prawns to grow to a reasonable size before the season opens.

"It is most important that all fishers stick to the bag limits so that everyone has a share of the available stock."

Mr Hill said setting (staking) prawn nets or towing them behind a boat was illegal.

He urged fishers not to leave litter around the shores, especially by-catch such as blowfish, jellyfish and seaweed.

"This is not only unsightly and unpleasant, but can be dangerous," he said.

"Blowfish are poisonous and should not be left lying around where pets and children can reach them."

The season opened on November 1 for most estuaries, except the Murray, Dandalup, Serpentine and Harvey rivers at Mandurah which would open on December 1 and run until June 30.