What is it?
Cockburn Sound is Western Australia’s most important recreational fishing waterway and one of our State’s most valuable marine environments. It has played a central role in Western Australia’s fishing culture for generations.
Protected by Garden Island, the Sound provides accessible, safe and reliable fishing opportunities for families, small boats, kayaks, divers and shore-based fishers. It is home to iconic fishing locations including the D9, Parmelia Bank and The Pinnacles, and supports Western Australia’s busiest boat ramp.
In addition, Cockburn Sound is one of WA’s most significant marine ecosystems. It supports the largest pink snapper spawning aggregation in the West Coast Bioregion, provides important nursery habitat for many fish species and continues to recover following the historic loss of much of its seagrass habitat.
Why it matters
As Western Australia continues to grow, Cockburn Sound will also support a range of major defence, transport, port and industrial developments, making careful planning and environmental stewardship more important than ever.
There is an important opportunity to ensure that the environmental, social, and recreational fishing values that make the Sound so special are protected and enhanced as these projects progress.
For Recfishwest, success means future generations continue to enjoy healthy fish stocks, quality fishing experiences, ongoing access, and that efforts to support restoration and environmental improvements in Cockburn Sound are not undermined by development.
Read Recfishwest’s Cockburn Sound Position Statement
What Recfishwest is doing
Recfishwest doesn’t simply respond to change in Cockburn Sound – we work to shape better outcomes.
For decades, we’ve worked alongside governments, regulators, researchers, industry and the community to protect and improve Cockburn Sound for recreational fishers and future generations.
As Cockburn Sound continues to undergo change, our role is to ensure recreational fishing interests are properly represented throughout planning and decision-making. While decisions regarding development ultimately rest with governments and statutory decision-makers, we engage constructively and independently to secure the best possible outcomes for the Sound.
Our commitment isn’t just reflected in what we say – it’s demonstrated through the projects, partnerships and advocacy we continue to deliver across Cockburn Sound.
