We know the recent demersal decisions have landed hard for many recreational fishers.
Losing access to demersal fishing in the West Coast Bioregion for 20 months is tough, and for some fishers, it has been genuinely upsetting. That reaction is real and we completely understand it.
Recfishwest is disappointed the Government chose a closure of this nature. At the same time, our responsibility as the peak body is to look beyond the immediate pain and be honest about what delivers the best long-term future for fishing.
It’s important to step back from the noise and be clear about what this moment actually represents, and what it does not.
Why doing nothing wasn’t an option
There has been growing agreement among long-term, experienced fishers that demersal stocks, particularly dhufish, were not rebuilding as expected. Many people who have fished along the West Coast for decades have seen the same thing: fewer large breeding dhufish and a fishery that is not what it once was.
Over the past 20 years, this fishery has been through repeated rounds of rule changes, reviews and incremental adjustments, often every few years as new stock assessments emerged. Despite those efforts, the underlying problem has remained, and stocks have not rebuilt to a point where the fishery is stable and secure.
Doing nothing was never going to protect recreational fishing in the long run. Equally, small, incremental changes have not delivered the meaningful change needed to get this fishery back on track.
For recreational fishers, this is short-term pain for long-term gain. The aim is to protect fish now so that demersal fishing doesn’t just reopen in the future but reopens in a stronger position.
A note on the science
There have been claims that there is “no science” behind recent demersal decisions. Some have also claimed the Government has tried to hide the science.
That is incorrect on both counts.
Dhufish on the west coast are assessed using a Level 5, age-based stock assessment, the highest level of assessment used in Australian fisheries. It is independently peer-reviewed and draws on multiple sources of information, including fish age data, catch trends and long-term monitoring.
This information is publicly available on DPIRD’s website, including the full stock assessment reports and bioregion summaries. You can read the stock assessments here.
Of course, no stock assessment is perfect, and there are different credible ways to assess fish stocks. That is why Recfishwest has consistently pushed for stronger science, improved transparency, and the use of additional assessment approaches over time, particularly those that better reflect fishers’ experiences and regional differences.
Importantly, the assessment outcomes align closely with what many experienced fishers have been observing on the water for years: there are still plenty of smaller dhufish around, but not enough large, older breeding fish. Those fish matter most for spawning and rebuilding stocks.
This is why Recfishwest put forward a practical, balanced four-point plan to government: protect spawning fish, reduce catch and protect habitat, strengthen science and transparency, and manage demersal fishing regionally for community benefit.
A statewide balance for demersal fishing
This decision represents a major policy shift by the Government, recognising the significant social, economic and tourism benefits of recreational fishing, particularly in the West Coast Bioregion, where the vast majority of West Australians live.
As a result of that shift, the West Coast bioregion will become an exclusive recreational fishing zone for demersal species once the fishery reopens. This is a significant change that fundamentally alters the long-term outlook for west coast fishers.
This reform is designed to leave more demersal fish in the water, improve spawning success for key species like dhufish, and strengthen the long-term health of the fishery so it can reopen in a stronger position.
Importantly, this applies only to demersal species and only within the West Coast Bioregion. It is not a statewide change, and it does not remove commercial demersal fishing across Western Australia.
Across the state as a whole, the commercial fishing sector will continue to take the vast majority of demersal scalefish. This supports local seafood supply, fish and chips, regional jobs and economic certainty, particularly in northern WA, while delivering long-term recreational fishing certainty in the south.
This north–south balance reflects the approach set out in Recfishwest’s four-point plan: supporting commercial seafood supply where it matters most, while securing the future of recreational fishing where the WA population is greatest.
A great outcome for recreational fishing in the long run
You don’t have to agree with every decision that’s been made to recognise this reality. The science and the experience of long-term fishers are pointing in the same direction on dhufish sustainability, and this outcome establishes a path that prioritises recovery and long-term certainty.
An outcome that recognises the recreation, social and tourism value of demersal fish within the West Coast Bioregion, a region that’s home 95 per cent of the State’s population, is an outcome Recfishwest supports.
Recfishwest will continue to speak honestly and calmly, stand up for fishers, and keep the focus firmly on a strong, sustainable future for recreational fishing in Western Australia.
