❓ A WA parliamentary question addresses the Fisheries Minister's announcement regarding demersal fishing closures, seeking details on consultation, data justification, compensation, and impact on the retail sector. The answer provides information on consultation methods, data sources, future reassessment plans, compensation determination, seafood supply, closure timelines, and stock monitoring.
AnsweredQoN 1586Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the Fisheries Minister’s announcement on Wednesday December 3 regarding demersal fishing closures in parts of the State, and I ask: (a) What consultation took place to determine that a 21-month closure for recreational fishing and a longer closure for commercial fishers; (b) What data did the State Government use to justify this; (c) Has 21 months been deemed sufficient for numbers to increase; (d) When and how will reassessment of these closures occur; (e) What metrics were used to determine the level of compensation for fishers; (f) How was the $20m for licence buy backs determined; (g) What considerations were made for impacts to WA’s retail sector in providing fresh seafood; (h) What is the timeline at this stage for commercial fishers to be able to return to the West Coast bioregion to catch demersal fishing; and (i) How will fish stocks be measured to determine if demersal numbers have increased?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
17 February 2026
Responded by
Minister representing the Minister for Fisheries
Response time
1 days
(a) Consultation was undertaken from August to December 2025 including via the ‘have your say’ form on the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development website, the Fishing Futures Forum, submissions and individual meetings with key stakeholders.
(b) The decision announced on December 3 was informed by data outlined in the following reports published in September:
· Boat-based recreational fishing in Western Australia 2023/24
· Kimberley demersal scalefish resource assessment report 2025
· Pilbara demersal scalefish resource assessment report 2024
· Gascoyne demersal scalefish resource assessment report 2024
· West Coast demersal scalefish resource assessment report 2025
· South Coast demersal scalefish resource assessment report 2024
The 2025 West Coast Demersal Scalefish Resource stock assessment shows WA dhufish and pink snapper are at severe sustainability risk in the West Coast Bioregion.
(c-d) A Ministerial advisory committee will be established in 2026 to provide recommendations on management arrangements to be implemented for recreational and charter fishers in the West Coast Bioregion from Spring 2027, including spatial closures to allow long term breeding grounds.
(e-f) Licence transfer sales data and fishery gross value of production was used to determine an appropriate level of compensation required for commercial licence holders in the West Coast region, as is standard practice with previous buy backs.
(g) Fresh seafood will continue to be supplied to the West Australian community from commercial fisheries across Western Australia.
(h) Commercial line and gillnet fishing for demersal scalefish is to be permanently closed in the West Coast region.
(i) The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development will continue to monitor catches and collect biological samples across the state from recreational, charter and commercial fishers to monitor the sustainability of demersal scalefish resources across the state. Additional fishery independent monitoring of demersal scalefish resources will also be implemented, in addition to real time reporting for recreational fishers.
(b) The decision announced on December 3 was informed by data outlined in the following reports published in September:
· Boat-based recreational fishing in Western Australia 2023/24
· Kimberley demersal scalefish resource assessment report 2025
· Pilbara demersal scalefish resource assessment report 2024
· Gascoyne demersal scalefish resource assessment report 2024
· West Coast demersal scalefish resource assessment report 2025
· South Coast demersal scalefish resource assessment report 2024
The 2025 West Coast Demersal Scalefish Resource stock assessment shows WA dhufish and pink snapper are at severe sustainability risk in the West Coast Bioregion.
(c-d) A Ministerial advisory committee will be established in 2026 to provide recommendations on management arrangements to be implemented for recreational and charter fishers in the West Coast Bioregion from Spring 2027, including spatial closures to allow long term breeding grounds.
(e-f) Licence transfer sales data and fishery gross value of production was used to determine an appropriate level of compensation required for commercial licence holders in the West Coast region, as is standard practice with previous buy backs.
(g) Fresh seafood will continue to be supplied to the West Australian community from commercial fisheries across Western Australia.
(h) Commercial line and gillnet fishing for demersal scalefish is to be permanently closed in the West Coast region.
(i) The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development will continue to monitor catches and collect biological samples across the state from recreational, charter and commercial fishers to monitor the sustainability of demersal scalefish resources across the state. Additional fishery independent monitoring of demersal scalefish resources will also be implemented, in addition to real time reporting for recreational fishers.
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