The take or landing of demersal finfish is prohibited within the West Coast Bioregion during this period. If you catch a demersal finfish from a boat or from shore in this area during the closed season you must return it the water as soon as possible. A comprehensive list of demersal species affected by the closure is available here.

Unlike the Cockburn Sound pink snapper closure and the Abrolhos Island baldchin groper closure, which are designed to protect aggregations of spawning fish, the demersal finfish closure is one of several management measures to reduce the recreational catch in this area by at least 50 per cent. This reduction was required following independently reviewed research that showed demersal species, like dhufish, pink snapper and baldchin groper, were being overfished.

The closure is aimed at protecting all demersal species caught in the West Coast Bioregion – whether they are caught frequently or only occasionally. It is an important measure in assisting with their recovery.

Fishers, therefore, must not fish for demersal finfish in the West Coast Bioregion during the closure to ensure its effectiveness. If you catch a demersal finfish from a boat or from shore in this area during the closed season you must return it to the water immediately.

There are many other sustainable fishing options to try out at this time of year such as fishing for squid and whiting – see Recfishwest’s website for more details.