Recfishwest is delighted by the Minister for Fisheries’ decision to reopen Cockburn Sound for crabbing this summer from 1 December for the first time in 10 years!
The announcement follows DPIRD’s updated scientific assessment that confirms crab stocks in Cockburn Sound have recovered enough to allow families and friends to catch a delicious feed of crabs in the sheltered waters of the Sound.
The assessment also showed that changing environmental conditions have reduced crab productivity in Cockburn Sound to a level unlikely to support commercial crab fishing into the future.
Recfishwest CEO Dr Andrew Rowland said, “Over the last ten years, Recfishwest has repeatedly called for changes to the way crabs are managed in Cockburn Sound to deliver optimum community benefit.
“We are now pleased to see that the updated science assessment has confirmed what we suspected that the Sound can reopen for recreational crabbing.
“This is a great outcome for metro fishers further highlighting the huge value of Cockburn Sound.
“Crabs are one of the most popular species and reopening the Sound to crabbing will complement the iconic Swan-Canning and Peel-Harvey crab fisheries, so it’s looking like a great summer of crabbing ahead!”
Click here to read the Minister’s media release
The rules for crabbing in Cockburn Sound will be the same as those that apply in the Swan and Canning Rivers – the fishery will open from 1 December until 31 August with a bag limit of five crabs per person per day and a boat limit of 20.
The Cockburn Sound crab fishery was closed from 2006-2009 due to sustainability concerns and again in 2014 and hasn’t reopened since.
Reopening the fishery this summer is just another example of Recfishwest making fishing in WA even better – click here to join our cast of thousands as a Recfishwest member today and encourage your friends and family to do the same!
