Shark Bay Seafood’s Pty Ltd
Shark Bay Seafood’s Pty Ltd
Address: PO Box 780, South Fremantle WA 6162
Telephone: 08 9433 7799
Facsimile: 08 9433 7788
Email: office@westmoreseafoods.com
Website: http://www.westmoreseafoods.com
Shark Bay Seafoods and its associated company Westmore Seafood’s Pty Ltd operate vessels in the Western Deep Water Trawl Fishery and the North West Slope Trawl Fishery, targeting a mixture of crustaceans and fish in zones that are likely to be impacted by potential Marine Protected Areas in the North West Bioregion.
The company’s vessels operate out of ports from Broome in the north to Bunbury in the south. The vessels operate utilising both trawl fisheries to maximise the economic benefit. There are common target species in both fisheries that underpin the economic viability of the interrelated fishing pattern that has been developed by the companies.
Most fishing activities are in the depth range from 200m to 500m and range from west of Darwin to the Southern end of the Western Deep-water trawl zone. With the re defining of the 200m isobath taking place, there is a potential for large tracts of previously unfished areas being opened to target fresh market fish such as flathead and other species that are in demand. Many of the draft marine parks impact on the ability to access and harvest these stocks. As the WDTF is only worked by a few operators the stocks are fished sustainable and most have further development potentials.
At present the depths from 200m – 500m are the main depths fished and depending on target species the areas vary. For example, previously undeveloped areas in the Carnarvon and Pilbara region may provide sustainable stocks of fresh market fish that our rising population base in Western Australia will require .The fish are taken by demersal trawl generally off areas of sandy bottom. There is potential to target deepwater bugs and scampi in various areas in the NW bioregional area. Areas to the north have stocks of deepwater snappers that can be fished sustainably and will provide fresh market fish to the projected population boom in the Pilbara.
Many varieties of bottom are fished depending on species targeted. Areas that have outcrops or heavy bottom are generally avoided due to the method of fishing. Mud and sandy bottom is the preferred zone.
Shark Bay Seafood’s operate in three primary fisheries in the north west of Western Australia.
• Shark Bay Prawn Trawl fishery
• Western Deep water Trawl Fishery
• North West Slope Trawl Fishery.
