Consultation has officially closed for DPIRD’s proposed changes to recreational blue swimmer crab rules on the West Coast.
Recfishwest has made our own submission following consultation with the crabbing community, this can be read on the link below and our reasoning behind this submission can be found within this article.
Click here to read Recfishwest’s full submission on DPIRD’s proposed crab season changes.
What’s being proposed?
Two main changes are on the table:
• A 10-crab bag limit per person across the West Coast; and
• Delaying the recreational season start north of Minninup Beach to 1 January.
Our take
We support the 10 crab bag limit.
It’s simple, consistent, sustainable and helps keep the fishery in good shape while making the rules easier to follow.
But we don’t support pushing the whole recreational season back to January.
That would unnecessarily take away December crabbing opportunities, especially when many fishers are already getting good catches of legal crabs in places like the Swan River, Cockburn Sound and Peel-Harvey when using drop nets. Plus, many families love to get a feed of crabs for Christmas.
A smarter solution
We agree with DPIRD’s goal, improving fishing quality and protecting undersize crabs.
But there’s a better way to do it:
Delay scoop netting in the Peel-Harvey until Boxing Day (26 December).
Why this works:
• Scoop netting tends to take place in the shallower water of the Peel-Harvey estuary where smaller crabs are likely to be found – especially early in the season.
• Drop netting tends to catch larger, legal crabs in deeper water.
• It reduces handling of juvenile crabs, helping them grow and survive.
• It keeps December crabbing open for fishers in other areas in line with commercial crab fisheries.
It’s a more targeted approach that protects the fishery without shutting everyone out.
Why it matters
Crabbing isn’t just about numbers, it’s about:
• Family traditions over Christmas
• Accessible fishing close to home
• Supporting local tourism, especially around Mandurah
A full December delay for recreational crabbers would take a big chunk out of that.
