Opinion with Jessica Moroney: The pros and cons of an abalone fishing open hour through rookie eyes

There’s no better way to start your weekend than hanging off the top of a reef, screwdriver in hand, surrounded by about 40 middle-aged men, all dodging waves in an attempt to take home prized abalone.

I remember tasting abalone for the first time in the South West, after Dad stopped me midway through a game of spotlight with the other kids staying at the caravan park.

I was surprised how buttery the meat was, immediately impressed by the taste despite the gritty texture from the leftover sand granules.

With that said, I decided to join more than 150 people standing along the Greenough coast on the morning of December 14, all eager to catch Roe’s abalone legally for the first time in a long time.

It had been 13 years since the fishery north of Moore River closed because of a marine heatwave in 2011.

I armed myself with reef shoes and a mesh bag and walked out on the reef.

Conditions were calm to begin with, but it didn’t take long before the wind and swell picked up. Large waves downed grown men, ferociously dragging them across the reef.

While everyone bagged out on abalone injury-free, it had my mind racing as I thought back to a devastating incident in 2005, when 22-year-old Christopher D’Mello died after he was knocked into the ocean while fishing for abalone at the very same reef.

Hell, even in favourable conditions I managed to slip and fall into a large hole in the reef. The padding of my wetsuit thankfully protected me from lacerations.

Without any Surf Life Saving WA patrols in the Mid West, the stakes felt high during that golden hour. There’s a sense of haste, with some brave enough to trek into treacherous waters and risk their own safety in search of the molluscs.

Most blokes returned to shore with their bag limit well and truly before the hour was up, but a novice like me was left scrambling against time, measuring and dislodging about six abalone before calling it quits.

My bag was inspected and given the all-clear by a fisheries officer before I made my way home, my mouth watering at the thought of lunch.

There’s just something so satisfying about the catch-and-cook experience.

After cleaning and tenderising the meat, slicing it into thin strips and frying it in some butter for a minute each side, I was able to taste abalone again as an adult.

Each bite was a reminder of my efforts earlier that morning. It tasted like achievement.

I thought back to how every person on that reef stood alongside each other with a shared appreciation for the delicate balance of indulgence and sustainability.

A shared respect for the protection and management of the fishery to allow future generations a chance to catch their own seafood as we can today.

When I have children of my own, I look forward to watching their expressions as they try freshly caught WA abalone for the first time camping at a remote beach.

And I hope they get the chance to share the same experience with theirs.

There are three one-hour Saturday abalone fishing windows remaining this summer — on January 11, February 1, and February 15.