Fishers buoyed as algal bloom-related whiting ban lifted early

• A temporary recreational fishing ban on King George whiting in parts of South Australia has been lifted earlier than planned due to signs fish stocks are recovering after the damaging algal bloom.
• The restrictions, originally set to run until the end of July, were brought forward because most of the spawning season had already occurred and the species was less impacted than expected.
• While recreational fishing can resume (with limits), authorities say recovery is ongoing, with continued monitoring and some commercial restrictions and other species protections still in place.

A temporary recreational fishing ban on King George whiting, which was imposed because of the impact of South Australia’s harmful algal bloom, has been lifted amid early signs of rejuvenating stocks.

Fishing restrictions have been in place throughout the bloom, with fresh ones announced in April to protect several species over the winter months to give devastated stocks a chance to rebound.

Among those measures was a closure of southern Gulf St Vincent, Investigator Strait, and parts of eastern and southern Spencer Gulf and Yorke Peninsula to recreational catches of King George whiting, from May 1 to July 31.

But the state’s Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA) said that end date had been brought forward, in time for the current school holidays, because the bulk of the spawning season had already occurred.

“King George whiting wasn’t as heavily impacted so … we can lift those restrictions,” South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI) executive director Mike Steer told 891 ABC Adelaide.

“The information that we have indicates that the majority of the spawning activity happens in May and June, so we’re pretty confident that we can open it up.

“The benefit has been achieved through those fish accumulating down that area and doing what …

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Original article and photo by "ABC News"