Fishers pan Pool campaign

Denmark Boating and Angling Club is concerned about the repercussions that a campaign that hopes to ban fishing at Greens Pool may have on the area in the long term.

The initiative is aiming to have Greens Pool turned into a Fish Habitat Protection Area, but the DBAC is worried about the specifications and what it could mean for fishing in surrounding areas.

DBAC president Don Smith said beaches close to Greens Pool were used by children learning to fish.

“The actual safe place for people to come and teach kids how to fish is the Greens Pool area, which entails Madfish Bay and Waterfall Beach,” he said.

“If they ban it here, where are the boundaries?

“It’s not leaving it open to the wider community.”

Mr Smith believes there is not a concern with fishing at Greens Pool at the moment.

“Everything they are stating is not happening here anyway, so what is their actual goal?” he asked. “Are they trying to get their own private swimming beach or are they just objected to the famous WA pastime of angling?

“It’s the boundaries that cause the real problem, there are other ways to get what they want.”

Recfishwest has stated its support for the DBAC in a post on its website.

“Recfishwest stands by the Denmark Boating and Angling Club in their support for the continuation of fishing at Greens Pool and will continue to defend the rights of all West Australians who enjoy fishing at this special location,” the post said.

A Department of Fisheries spokesman said the issue had been considered in 2009, but lacked community support.

“The Department of Fisheries is aware there are diverse community views about management of fishing activity at Greens Pool,” he said.

“There would need to be broad community and stakeholder support, with an agreed approach, for any change to the present arrangements to be considered.”