Debris mars salmon experience

Residents’ and visitors’ enjoyment of the salmon fishing season has been marred by substantial amounts of rubbish and salmon heads discarded at popular recreational fishing spots.

Local environmental campaigner Tony Harrison was disgusted to collect two full Sulo bin-sized bags of rubbish and salmon heads at Salmon Holes last Tuesday.

“I was nearly crying, it’s a health hazard,” he said.

“There were salmon heads littering the beach … they are just ruining Salmon Holes.”

Mr Harrison said he collected such a large amount of waste that it could not be squeezed into bins provided by the Department of Environment and Conservation at the site.

In response to a post about the issue on the Albany Advertiser Facebook page, several fishers and beach-goers confirmed the amount of rubbish encountered so far this season had been particularly bad.

A regular fisher, who gave his name as Arron Luke Chandler Fone, said this salmon fishing season, which began at the start of the month, was the worst ever in terms of the amount of rubbish and fish heads individuals failed to dispose of responsibly.

Jeffrey van Dongen was “disgusted” by the state of Salmon Holes on the same day.

Emily Elsasser was “ashamed” to take visitors to Salmon Holes last Tuesday, as the car park was a “disgrace”.

Adam Mayes suggested DEC rangers be more vigilant during salmon season in handing out fines, while the majority of comments supported additional bins to provided at popular fishing spots.

In July last year the DEC had imposed tougher penalties for littering, with prosecuted offenders facing a maximum fine of $5000, up from $1000.

A DEC spokeswoman said rangers frequently patrolled the beaches and request that all anglers clean up their litter.

“Many fishers wrongly believe that by throwing fish heads back into the water it will spook other fish, rangers also try to educate fishers that this is not the case, ” she said.

“Litter and fish heads detract from the beach experience for visitors.”