Catch!

Recreational fishing news

Fish for a feed to support demersal recovery

Pink snapper caught by a recreational fisher.

Recreational fishing for demersal scalefish in the West Coast bioregion
re-opened on 29 March and will be open until 31 July! To support recovery, recreational fishers are encouraged to fish for a feed by keeping the first 2 demersal scalefish they catch, and then switching to pelagic or nearshore species to continue having a great experience on the water.

After you've had a feed, donate your WA dhufish, snapper, baldchin groper and garfish frames to science through our 'send us your skeletons' citizen science program! Donating is easy - simply drop off your fresh or frozen frames at a participating tackle store or DPIRD office. There are some great prizes on offer too!

Record your demersal catch using FishCatchWA™ and support WA’s recovery of West Coast demersal scalefish stocks. FishCatchWA™ collects real-time information on demersals including pink snapper, WA dhufish, baldchin groper and breaksea cod caught in the West Coast bioregion. FishCatchWA™ also allows recreational fishers to keep track of their individual catch records and analyse their catch trends on the dashboard. Learn more and download the tool on our website. 

'Switch your fish' to give demersals a break

Fish aggregating devices ready for deployment.

We've got plenty on offer to improve your fishing experience and help you switch your fish this demersal season.

We’re deploying fish aggregating devices (FADs) in WA’s northern regions and they’ll stay in the water until around October/November when the next cyclone season begins. Broome and Exmouth have already been deployed and Dampier and Pt Samson are next up. A reminder that we’ll be removing the southern FADs over the next 6-8 weeks as we move into winter weather. Real-time FAD coordinates are available on our website.

The salmon run is another great opportunity to switch your fish. Targeting this iconic sportfish provides a fantastic alternative fishing experience and reduces the pressure on our demersal stocks. Coastal safety is key this autumn, so if you’re unfamiliar with a location, stick to the beaches and keep the sand between your toes – it’s a far safer option than fishing off the rocks. Schools of fish close to shore can attract larger marine predators, including a range of shark species. Shark sightings should be reported to Water Police on 9442 8600.

Tips for reducing barotrauma

Two fish experiencing barotrauma.

When you’re out fishing for demersals during the open season, keep an eye out for signs of barotrauma when you reel in your catch. To reduce mortality, we have removed some of the rules forcing recreational fishers to release fish that are likely to suffer from barotrauma such as minimum size limits for baldchin groper, WA dhufish and breaksea cod, so they can be retained for a feed.

Barotrauma is the injuries bottom-dwelling fish get when they have a rapid decrease in water pressure. Their swim bladder expands faster than their body can compensate, overinflates, and puts pressure on their internal organs. Sometimes it’s obvious, and sometimes there are no external signs. If released, they may die hours or days later.

If fish are showing signs of barotrauma, use a release weight to give them the best chance of survival, or better still, keep the first 2 demersals you catch and switch your fish. Remember, a boat limit of 4 demersals also applies in the West Coast bioregion.

Visit us at the Geraldton Shore Leave Festival

Community Education staff at the Shore Leave Festival in 2023.

Heading to Geraldton from 24 to 28 April? Visit the Shore Leave Festival and have a chat to our DPIRD Fisheries team while you enjoy the festivities!

• Come and pick up a recreational fishing guide brochure, recreational fishing seasons flier or fish ruler sticker from our friendly Community Education team.
• Learn about Western rock lobster and demersal scalefish science by chatting with our Research staff.
• Ask our Fisheries and Marine Officers about compliance and fishing rules.
• Get your kids involved in the fun - we'll be running an interactive fishing activity where they can identify and measure their "catch".

Note that some events are weather-dependent. See you there!

Snippets

• A reminder that there are three easy methods to apply for a recreational fishing licence, online via DoTDirect, in person at select DPIRD offices, or via mail. We recommend all new applicants or existing recreational fishing licence holders register for DoTDirect. This will create a free personalised online account where you can manage all your information and pay your licence and registration fees in a secure and user-friendly environment. 
• We’ve heard reports of increasing tackle and fishing gear discarded along our coastline!  This has deadly consequences for our marine life, so please take it with you when you go or use the bins provided.
• Fishing for southern garfish off Perth coast has resumed as of 1 March! This is a great opportunity to switch your fish. Reduced fishing pressure over the seven-year closure has helped stocks recover.

• Saying ahoy to the Abrolhos Islands? Don’t forget to notify us before visiting! The Abrolhos Islands are in a Fish Habitat Protection Area, and to help ensure the protection of fish and the aquatic ecosystem we need to understand who’s visiting the area.

Seasonal notes

• Weighted rock lobster pot ropes must be used from 1 April to 31 October to reduce entanglements and loss of fishing gear. When rope is more than 20m long, add a 16oz weight so the rope remains vertical in the water.
• Recreational fishing for demersal scalefish in the West Coast bioregion re-opened on 29 March and will be open until 31 July.
• Print a copy of our recreational fishing season calendar so you're always up-to-date on the rules.

Caught out!

A 33-year-old Two Rocks man has been fined more than $11,000 and has been prohibited from having a recreational marron fishing licence or possessing marron or marron fishing gear for three years, after being charged for illegal fishing offences last year. All the marron and cobbler were returned to the Moore River and released.

We've been undertaking a compliance crackdown to uncover black market sales. 40 Fisheries and Marine Officers operating in multiple teams across the metropolitan area executed 10 search warrants and inspected two metropolitan seafood restaurants earlier this month, with the two main offenders alleged to be selling rock lobster to the restaurants.

During the Labour Day long weekend, our compliance teams were out on the water and boots on the ground in Perth and Peel areas to boost fisheries compliance and education. Since December, officers have issued more than 120 infringement fines and more than 140 warning notices for offences in the Peel Harvey and Swan and Canning Rivers, with 2 fishers facing prosecution.

Be SharkSmart

Join more than 165,000 people who have already downloaded the SharkSmart WA app. Report shark sightings to Water Police on 9442 8600 or download the SharkSmart WA app for near real-time updates of the latest shark activity.

FishWatch and aquatic biosecurity 

If you see something that looks a bit fishy, please report it so we can investigate.

• Information about illegal fishing activities should be reported to FishWatch on 1800 815 507 or online at: https://www.crimestopperswa.com.au/organisation-report/fishwatch/.
• If you see a fish kill (small or large numbers of dead fish in the aquatic environment), please report it immediately​ to FishWatch.
• If you see or catch any ornamental or pest species, please do not release them into the water - instead, report them to: Aquatic.Biosecurity@dpird.wa.gov.au. 

Important disclaimer 
The Chief Executive Officer of the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development and the State of Western Australia accept no liability whatsoever by reason of negligence or otherwise arising from the use or release of this information or any part of it.

Copyright © State of Western Australia (Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development), 2024.