$1.5 million to expand popular FADs program

• McGowan Government invests $1.5 million for new Fish Aggregating Devices
• 40 new FADs will provide more sport fishing opportunities for recreational fishers

The McGowan Government is investing an additional $1.5 million to expand the popular Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs) program, providing exciting sport fishing opportunities for recreational fishers over the next three years.

Committed as part of the West Coast Demersal Scalefish Support Package, 18 new FADs will be deployed along the Western Australian coast over the next six months.

This is in addition to a further 22 FADs funded through the Recreational Fishing Initiatives Fund (RFIF), putting recreational fishing licence fees to work.

Four FADs went into the water off Cape Naturaliste last week, with more going in next month off Rockingham (2) and at several Perth metropolitan coast locations (6) between Rottnest and Two Rocks in water depths of between 130 and 350 metres.

An additional 10 FADs will be dropped before the end of summer off Albany (4) and, for the first time, off Jurien Bay (4) and Mandurah (2).

The latest deployments follow a highly popular and successful State-wide FAD trial by Recfishwest over the past three years, funded through the RFIF.

FADs consist of buoys or floats that are moored to the ocean floor using an anchor system.  The primary function of a FAD is to attract baitfish which use the FAD as shelter and in turn attract pelagic fish such as mahi-mahi, tuna and marlin.

In the southern parts of WA, FADs are deployed annually during summer and retrieved before the onset of winter storms. FADs in northern waters are deployed during winter and retrieved prior to the start of the cyclone season.