Western Australia (WA) has imposed permanent commercial bans and long recreational closures across a vast stretch of its coastline to protect the iconic demersal fish species.
The move follows new stock assessments showing key species, such as dhufish and pink snapper, are under threat and require government intervention.
“These are difficult decisions to make, but they are the right thing to do. We want our kids and grandkids to be able to enjoy fishing in our beautiful State into the future,” said Premier Roger Cook in a statement issued on Dec. 3.
West Coast Shutdown
Under the reforms, the entire West Coast Region—stretching from Kalbarri to Augusta, including Perth—will remain closed to boat-based recreational demersal fishing beyond its scheduled Dec. 16 reopening. The closure will instead extend for 21 months, with the fishery to resume in September 2027 for the spring season.
The state government has also confirmed the region will be permanently shut to commercial demersal fishing from Jan. 1, 2026.
A compulsory buyback of line and gillnet licences will accompany the ban, marking a structural shift in the state’s fishing industry.
While recreational boat-based fishing will be halted, beach fishing for demersal species can continue during the recovery period.
The state will also finalise a new policy on additional spatial and seasonal closures to protect spawning stocks before the 2027 reopening.
Statewide Rule Changes
Although demersal fishing will remain open in other parts of WA, new rules will apply across all regions.
These include real-time catch reporting, tightened bag and catch limits, and a 50 percent reduction in commercial demersal quotas in the Pilbara, Kimberley, and South Coast.
In the Kalbarri area, commercial fishers will face a two-year closure before the region transitions to a new quota-managed system within the recovering Gascoyne fishery.
The government has also confirmed a permanent end to demersal trawling in the Pilbara—the only WA region where such trawling occurs.
Charter fishing will undergo changes as well, permanently closing in the Perth metropolitan area from Dec. 16, 2025. However, other parts of the West Coast Region will retain charter access under a tag-based system, capped at 25 tonnes annually.
An advisory council reporting to the fisheries minister will also be established, bringing together scientific experts, industry representatives, and recreational fishing voices to guide the rollout of the new framework.
$29 Million Support Package
To offset the economic impact to commercial and recreational sectors, the government will invest $29.2 million in a support package.
The centrepiece is a $20 million compulsory buyout of commercial licences in the West Coast Region, enabling operators to exit the industry or transition to alternative fisheries.
Recreational fishers will also receive assistance.
The government has allocated $1.9 million to promote alternative fishing experiences and encourage a shift toward species not under threat. A further $3.3 million will fund tackle shop rebates for recreational boat owners, delivered through ServiceWA.
The state government claims the package is designed to ease the immediate impact while enabling long-term recovery of demersal stocks.
Industry and Community Divide
The changes have split the fishing community. Conservation groups and some recreational leaders say the measures are painful but necessary to allow fish species to thrive again.
Adrian Meder, sustainable seafood program manager at the Australian Marine Conservation Society, said the scientific case was overwhelming.
“The latest science has shown dhufish in the waters off Perth are heavily overfished and on a trajectory towards localised extinction,” Meder told AAP. “Our kids will now have the chance to enjoy healthy demersal fish populations in the future.”
Recfishwest Chief Executive Andrew Rowland said the decision would reshape WA’s fishing culture, but the long-term benefits outweighed the shock.
“It’s bloody tough and a shock to all of us,” he told AAP. “The winners in the long run will be the fish and the fishing community.”
However, commercial operators warned the bans could decimate coastal towns built around the fishing economy. WA Fishing Industry Council Chief Executive Melissa Haslam described the changes as “a massive and irreversible shell shock.”
“Without immediate intervention, generational fishing businesses will collapse. Thousands of jobs will vanish. Regional communities will suffer,” she said.
“The scale of these closures demands a fair, timely compensation plan and a dignified exit for those forced out.”
AAP contributed to this article.
