I DON’T know about you, but the persistent west winds are driving me crackers.

Someone once said – “The fishing is best when the wind’s from the west”.

Whoever that was obviously did not come from Port Stephens.

All my snapper hot spots have been blown out as the sea flattens.

On Broughton Island, practically all of the eastern aspect has been zoned Marine Park – Sanctuary, meaning that there can be no fishing between East Head and the Looking Glass.

That means that nearly half of Broughton Islands’ snapper grounds are out of bounds.

In a westerly wind there are very few safe choices for recreational fishers to target snapper.

Much of the Sanctuary Zone on Broughton was put in place to protect the grey nurse shark from recreational fishers.

I am of the belief that recreational fishers are not a threat to the population of grey nurse.

I received a short note from leading Port Stephens fisher George Trinkler which goes straight to the centre of the issue.

“As a lifetime recreational fisher, I have come to the conclusion that the information passed on to us from NSW Fisheries relating to the grey nurse shark is misleading and baseless,” wrote George.

“Enough is enough.

“Show us some evidence that recreational fishers are a danger to the future of the sharks or move on.”

Go George.