Catch!

Recreational fishing news

Send us your skeletons!

Western Australian fishers can a make a key contribution to science by donating fish skeletons to the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development's (DPIRD) long-term monitoring program for fish stocks.  

We’re currently collecting frames of WA dhufish, pink snapper, baldchin groper and southern garfish from the West Coast bioregion. The frames provide key biological information, such as length, age and sex, that we can use to track changes in fish populations over time.  

More information about the program and the information collected is available in our new YouTube video.

Popular fishing locations get a big boost in the recent WA Government budget

In addition to existing funding for the replacement of the 80 year old Woodman Point Ammo Jetty (WPAJ) project, the 2024-25 budget has allocated further funding of $9.1 million to the WPAJ project through the $165 million Outdoor and Adventure Tourism package. 

A new jetty concept has been selected for the existing Woodman Point site to enable continued safe use for fishing, diving, swimming, walking and non-motorised vessels. Construction is scheduled to commence in 2025-26. $4 million from the Outdoor and Adventure Tourism package will also help deliver a new fishing platform in Bunbury. 

Fishers will also be pleased that a new community facility will be included in the $14.9 million infrastructure upgrades for the Port of Esperance. Recfishwest is currently surveying fishers about their experience of jetties. More information is available on the Recfishwest website.

Spotted a whale carcass? Don't keep it to yourself!

Shark cruising along the shoreline while the whale carcass is removed. Photo credit: @wanderlust_flyer.

It’s that time of year when WA’s majestic humpback whales are on their annual migration along the WA coast.  

This is great news for people wanting to see nature in action. A downside is that you may come across a whale carcass.  As whale carcasses attract sharks, it’s important to report it to authorities as soon as possible.  

After receiving a report of a whale carcass, DPIRD’s Shark Response Unit works with the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) and local government authorities to manage the response and provide public safety information via the SharkSmart WA app and website. 

If you see a whale carcass, don't keep it to yourself - please report it at once to Water Police on 9442 8600!

West Coast demersal fishery opening dates

A recreational fisher holding a WA dhufish.

The West Coast demersal fishery is open to 31 July 2024 and then closes on 1 August 2024 to 15 September 2024 (inclusive). 

Here are some important things to keep in mind: 

1. In the West Coast bioregion, you can keep up to 2 demersal species per person as part of your daily bag limit, with a boat limit of 4 when there are 2 or more licensed fishers on board. 

2. You are encouraged to keep the first legal-sized demersal fish you catch until you have reached the bag limit or have enough for a feed. After that, switch your fish to pelagic or nearshore species to keep the fun going. 

3. If you need to release a demersal fish, do it quickly and carefully, and use a release weight to help them get back to the ocean floor. 

Get some reel benefits with our FishCatchWA™ tool!

Thanks to the more than 7,000 people who have downloaded the FishCatchWA™ tool! FishCatchWA™ allows rec fishers to record real-time info about their demersal catches, like pink snapper, WA dhufish, baldchin groper and breaksea cod in the West Coast bioregion.

A popular feature of FishCatchWA™ is that it enables fishers to keep track of their catch records and see trends on the dashboard.

The numbers reported will be used with data collected from the phone-diary and boat ramp surveys. 

By using FishCatchWA™, you can help support the recovery of West Coast demersal scalefish stocks!

Check out our website to learn more and download FishCatchWA™. 

Pink snapper size limit reminder

Remember that size limits apply when targeting pink snapper from the shore or a boat.  

In the West Coast bioregion south of Lancelin and in the inner gulfs of Shark Bay, pink snapper have a minimum size limit of 500 mm. In all other areas, it is 410 mm. 

Unsure about WA recreational fishing rules? Visit the fishing rules website.

Snippets

• The Whale Interactions and Entanglements Report 2023 released last month identified only two whale entanglements as the result of rock lobster pots - a significant drop from the 17 annual entanglements reported a decade ago. This low number indicates that mitigation measures across commercial and recreational rock lobster pots, including adding weight to the rope so it remains vertical in the water, are having a significantly positive impact in WA. 
• A reminder that a fishing licence receipt issued by a third-party is not valid. Head to Recreational fishing licences for info on applying for or renewing your licence.
• Though Alexandrium levels have remained low and the yellow advice signs are being removed, if you're going crabbing in the Swan and Canning rivers, please continue to remember to remove the head, guts and gills from crabs before freezing or cooking to reduce your risk of consuming the toxins produced by this algae.
• The take of southern garfish in Perth metropolitan waters is now permitted following the ongoing recovery of the stock. A mixed species daily bag limit of 30 applies for garfish species. 

Seasonal notes

• Southern fish aggregating devices (FADs) are now out of the water for the stormy months and are due to return in October and November 2024. Twelve northern FADs are still in play, including new ones off Exmouth, Dampier, Point Samson and Broome. 
• Print or grab a copy of our recreational fishing season calendar so you're always up-to-date on the rules. 

Caught out!

A Wandina man has copped a $2,172 fine for using illegal fish traps and taking 4 marron out-of-season from the Chapman River. 

Illegal fish traps are indiscriminate and pose an ongoing threat to native wildlife if lost or abandoned, as they will continue to trap animals that have no chance of escape. 

Be SharkSmart

Join more than 171,000 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 reported sightings.

FishWatch - 24 hour reporting 

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

The 1800 815 507 FishWatch phone line provides the quickest and most efficient way to report sightings or evidence of:

• illegal fishing
• aquatic pests and diseases
• fish kills.

You can also submit illegal fish reports on the Crime Stoppers website. Please note that reports to Crime Stoppers are not monitored outside normal working hours or at weekends.

You can also report ornamental or pest species to Aquatic.Biosecurity@dpird.wa.gov.au. Please do not release any ornamental or pest species into the water. 

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.