COTTESLOE council may hold off on a proposed ban of wire fishing lines and seek alternatives to stopping illicit shark fishing at its beaches.
This week, a committee recommended deferring a proposed ban on lines containing wire.
The council’s alternatives may include more talks with fishing lobby Recfishwest and discussion with fishers about the other ways of controlling the sport, because wire traces are used to catch other species such as tailor and Spanish mackerel.
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READ NOWShark fishing is prohibited in Cottesloe, and the illicit shark fishers’ use of burley prompted fears of attracting the predators close to early morning swimmers.
Reported conflict between shark fishers and residents several years ago made the council seek a specific new local law banning metal traces or chains used in heavy tackle in mid 2018.
Those breaching the new rule could have been fined up to $500 by rangers.
However, a report said sharks are often by-catch when fishers are seeking other species, and policing any ban could be a problem because rangers did not operate at night when most shark fishing took place.
Public comment on the wire trace ban prompted 50 submissions, of which 42 opposed the proposal.
The report said some of the opposition included comments which supported the ban’s intent, that any new law should be worded differently, while others said regulating fishing was a State Government duty.
Councillors will discuss deferring a decision on the ban and its possible alternatives at their meeting this Tuesday.