Where have all the salmon gone?

Anglers have reported their worst salmon season in memory with empty-handed visitors fleeing the Busselton shire for a catch.

The annual spawning run between February and April, and “backrun” which followed, were viewed as a disappointment for recreational anglers.

Marybrook angler Ray Walker, who fishes for salmon each year, said he had not heard of any salmon caught in the Busselton shire this year.

“They just didn’t turn up. I’ve been fishing since 1962 and it’s the first time I can remember them not getting here,” Mr Walker said.

Department of Fisheries senior fisheries and marine officer Kevin Johnson agreed the no-show from salmon this season was a rare occurrence and the department had received no reports of the fish being caught north of Hamelin Bay.

While he said there were years with lower catches, he was unaware of a salmon season where there was not a single catch.

Mr Johnson said the strong Leeuwin current, which warmed water temperatures this year, was most likely responsible for the salmon being absent near Busselton shire coastline.

“We’ll probably find that the salmon have just gone wider for the cool temperatures,” he said.

The Times reported in March the current was believed to have resulted in rare sightings of Spanish mackerel and marlin in Capes waters.

With the chance of hooking a salmon traditionally attracting visiting anglers to the shire, tourism was expected to have taken a hit.

Mr Walker said he believed salmon season attracted “thousands” to the Busselton shire and had seen fellow fishing enthusiasts cut their trip short in favour of other areas because of the lack of salmon in the region.

Mr Johnson said the sport nature of salmon fishing was usually a tourist drawcard.

“A lot of keen fishermen come to town to target salmon, maybe they’ll holiday elsewhere,” he said.

Mr Johnson said warm temperatures brought other species to the South West.

Geographe Camping and Outdoor’s Rob Hoffman was flooded with enquiries about where salmon were biting, but sales of related fishing paraphernalia were limited.