Minister for Fisheries, the Hon Normal Moore MLC, announced modified arrangements for recreational fishing management in Western Australia in September 2009. Information about the new provisions and regulations and how they might affect you can be found on this website.
Below are some key elements of the new package but for further details please read the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) fact sheet attached as a PDF on this page:
No West Coast Demersal Scalefish Licence will be introduced;
Possession of a “release weight” will be required when fishing from a boat in the West Coast Bioregion;
A two-month seasonal closure on the take of “high risk” demersal scalefish by recreational fishers in the West Coast Bioregion will apply from 15 October to 15 December inclusive;
A boat limit of two dhufish will apply in the West Coast Bioregion (six for charter boats);
A state-wide Recreational Fishing from Boat Licence (RFBL) will be introduced with an annual fee of $30. Fishing from kayaks or other boats that are not required to be registered under the WA Marine Act 1982, will not need a licence;
Any fisher not holding a RFBL will be allowed to fish from a boat in the company of a licensed boat fisher within the bag limit;
Charter boat passengers not holding a RFBL will be required to purchase a per-trip $15 Charter Boat Fishing Licence;
The recreational ‘umbrella' licence will be replaced with individual licences to allow more comprehensive monitoring of recreational fishing activities and fisheries in WA;
Fees for existing recreational fishing licences will be made uniform at $40 with a 10 per cent discount when more than one licence is purchased at the same time;
All funds raised from the sale of recreational fishing licences will be placed in the Recreational Fishing Trust Account and spent on the management of recreational fishing.
OH YEAH ....... Complete closure of catching the HIGH RISK 4 CATEGORY SPECIES from October 15th until December 15th. Looks like the boats will be sitting in the shed for a little bit longer this year.