Open fishing plea to get sharks

One of WA's most experienced professional fishermen has called on the State Government to reopen commercial fishing off Perth, saying it would be the most effective way of protecting people from "plagues" of sharks.

Peter Hammond, a 40-year veteran of commercial fishing and owner of Perth boat broker Salter Boats, said yesterday the former Labor government's decision to close the fishery in 2007 was folly.

The fishery runs from near Bunbury in the south to Lancelin in the north but was shut by then fisheries minister Jon Ford in 2007 amid concerns about the number of fish and sharks that were being caught.

Mr Hammond said the decision had been motivated more by a desire to appease recreational fishers and flew in the face of shark numbers that were now in "plague proportions" in the area.

He said commercial fishers should be allowed back in - suggesting the fishery could be operated on a part-time or seasonal basis - and argued this would have "by far" the biggest effect on improving swimmer safety.

"If you just allowed commercial shark fishermen to operate normally as they do each year or second year… it would be far safer water," Mr Hammond, a rock lobster fisherman, said.

"You wouldn't need drum lines."

Recfishwest chief executive Andrew Rowland rejected the idea.

"The removal of demersal gillnets from the metro area in 2007 was a management action to address sustainability concerns for demersal scale fish at the time," Dr Rowland said.

"This still remains one of the most important and visionary fisheries management decisions undertaken in WA.

"As a result of this action, Perth has one of the most accessible, sustainable and enjoyable pink snapper fisheries in Australia."

Fisheries Minister Ken Baston said fish stocks appeared to be recovering because of the closure but it was still needed and there was no intention of allowing commercial fishing.