Recent monitoring shows WA salmon stocks at sustainable levels

The Western Australia Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development’s (DPIRD) latest “health check” on Western Australian salmon stocks shows the large pelagic finfish continues to be at sustainable levels, thanks to the management measures in place.

This new scientific stock assessment shows there is a high level of adult fish that annually undertake their westward migration to spawn in WA.

The stock level ensures future generations of the species are produced annually before the Leeuwin Current disperses their eggs and larvae into protected coastal nurseries.

WA salmon are relatively long-living, have been known to grow to one metre in length, and weigh more than nine kilograms, but the average salmon caught would generally be five kilograms or less.

Fishing for salmon from WA beaches provides a safer alternative to the slippery rocks along the South and South West coastlines.

Salmon is also an important resource for commercial fishing operations on the South Coast and each salmon run is keenly anticipated by recreational fishers. Surveys indicate that boat fishers release a large portion of their catch.

WA salmon are a favoured sport species partly due to their aerobatic and fast swimming behaviour.

For most of the year, along the WA coast, the species is found in cooler southern waters. During the spawning run, they can be common in waters of the Perth metropolitan area.

DPIRD Senior Fisheries Scientist Rodney Duffy said the latest stock assessment, which is available online, had indicated a low risk to the sustainability of WA salmon.

“The salmon run along the West Coast can vary from year to year,” Duffy said. “How far north they get in autumn always depends on the strengths of the Leeuwin Current and the Capes Current and subsequent water temperatures.

“From our stock assessment, the current risk level for the species has been rated as low on the overall weight of evidence, which indicates the current management settings are maintaining risk at an acceptable level.

“The health of the stock means that, even if there is a moderate increase in catch, the species would still maintain a risk level of medium or less.”

The next WA salmon assessment will be carried out in four years, using catch returns from commercial fishers, recreational fishing data, plus size and age structure of the stock over two consecutive years, to help scientists assess the impact of fishing on the species.