❓ Opposition questions the Premier about the commercial demersal fishing ban's impact and compensation details. Premier defends the ban as necessary for stock recovery, citing scientific evidence and stakeholder consultation.
AnsweredQoN 706Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Demersal fishing—Commercial ban—West coast
zone
706. Mrs Kirrilee Warr to
the Premier:
I refer to the government's announcement of a sweeping
commercial demersal fishing ban from Augusta to Kalbarri to take effect
from 1 January 2026. Given the very serious impact this ban will have on
fishing families, small businesses and coastal communities across WA, I ask the
following.
(1) Exactly when were commercial fishers first
informed that their livelihoods would be permanently taken away under this ban?
(2) With less than a month until the ban takes
effect, when will details of a promised compensation scheme be released and
when will applications for compensation be open to impacted fishers and
businesses?
zone
706. Mrs Kirrilee Warr to
the Premier:
I refer to the government's announcement of a sweeping
commercial demersal fishing ban from Augusta to Kalbarri to take effect
from 1 January 2026. Given the very serious impact this ban will have on
fishing families, small businesses and coastal communities across WA, I ask the
following.
(1) Exactly when were commercial fishers first
informed that their livelihoods would be permanently taken away under this ban?
(2) With less than a month until the ban takes
effect, when will details of a promised compensation scheme be released and
when will applications for compensation be open to impacted fishers and
businesses?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I thank the member for the
question. We are at around about year 15 of a 20-year plan to rebalance and
sustain our demersal fish stocks in Western Australia, particularly pink
snapper and dhufish. The fact of the matter is that the scientific results suggest
that our demersal fish stocks are at critically low levels and that the species
is at severe risk. That was not shared all around the state. In areas such as
the Gascoyne, where we have had a very deliberate program, we have seen some
modest improvements, but the fact of the matter is—
Mr Shane Love interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the Nationals WA, the Premier
is responding to a question from your party about this matter.
Mr Roger Cook: Today, Minister Jarvis and I announced
important statewide reforms to protect severely depleted pink snapper, red emperor
and—
Mr Lachlan Hunter interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Central Wheatbelt, please do
not interject on the Premier when he is responding to a question from your
party.
Mr Roger Cook: We are saving the depleted pink
snapper, red emperor and WA dhufish stock along WA's coast from extinction.
Importantly, these reforms will help fish stocks recover for future
generations. After reviewing the science and undertaking extensive stakeholder
consultation, including holding a Fishing Futures Forum last month,
we announced that the west coast fishing region from Kalbarri to Augusta will
not reopen on 16 December and will become an exclusive recreational fishing
zone for snapper and dhufish following a 21-month recovery closure for
boat-based recreational fishing. The west coast fishing region will be closed
permanently to commercial fishing for demersal fish from 1 January 2026, with a
compulsory buyback of commercial fishing licences. Recreational and commercial
fishing will remain open in all other regions under these new management plans.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members of the Opposition!
Mr Roger Cook: We will invest $29.2 million to support
recovery efforts, including $3.3 million for tackle shop rebates to encourage
fishing for species that are not under threat.
We accept that these
are tough decisions, but we have to make tough decisions if we are going to
preserve fishing stocks for future generations.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Mr Roger Cook: We understand that they are
inconvenient.
Mr Shane Love interjected.
The Speaker: Member!
Mr Roger Cook: We understand that they will be met
with disappointment.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Central Wheatbelt and Leader
of the Opposition, you are making it very difficult for me to hear the Premier's
response.
Mr Roger Cook: But, Mr Speaker, we have no choice
other than to act on the science.
Mrs Kirrilee Warr interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Geraldton, if you continue to
interject, you will not get the supplementary question.
Mr Roger Cook: We have to act now to create the reset
to make this happen. That is one of the reasons why we had fishing boat charter
operators represented at this morning's press conference. We had recreational
fishers at this morning's press conference. We had
people from the Australian Marine Conservation Society represented at this
morning's press conference.
Mr Lachlan Hunter interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Central Wheatbelt, I am going
to call you for the second time—unnecessary interjections.
Mr Roger Cook: We had a representative from the Western
Rock Lobster Council, one Matt Taylor, who is not a member of the Labor Party!
They all understand, Mr Speaker. They all—
Mr Shane Love: He doesn't represent demersal
fisheries.
The Speaker: Leader of the National Party, I am going
to call you for the first time as well. Please stop interjecting.
Mr Roger Cook: It was time for a reset, and all
sectors of the fishing industry were represented and engaged deeply about how
we move forward.
Mr Lachlan Hunter: They love it, don't they?
The Speaker: Member for Central Wheatbelt! I will
remind you that you are on two calls. You keep interjecting. Premier.
Mr Roger Cook: We had to make a call. Everyone has to
participate in this important conservation exercise because if we do not, there
simply will not be fish for our children and our children's children. This is
part of the Western Australian way of life. This is what we want to make sure
that we preserve.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Glad you agree.
Mr Roger Cook: This requires a government that is
prepared to make the tough decision for future generations of fishers. We know
that everyone has to play their part. We know that recreational fishers in the
west coast zone will have a 21-month ban, but they will win because ultimately,
at the end of this, there will be no more commercial fishing or demersal fish
licences in that area. There will be other licences, of course—rock
lobster and other fishing licences—so this is an important pivot for
that industry. We know that those in the Pilbara and those in the Kimberley
will also have to make the sacrifice. The only winners out of this are dhufish,
pink snapper and red emperor. We know that through these measures, as a state, we
can come together to preserve these fish stocks for the future and preserve
fishing for future generations.
question. We are at around about year 15 of a 20-year plan to rebalance and
sustain our demersal fish stocks in Western Australia, particularly pink
snapper and dhufish. The fact of the matter is that the scientific results suggest
that our demersal fish stocks are at critically low levels and that the species
is at severe risk. That was not shared all around the state. In areas such as
the Gascoyne, where we have had a very deliberate program, we have seen some
modest improvements, but the fact of the matter is—
Mr Shane Love interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the Nationals WA, the Premier
is responding to a question from your party about this matter.
Mr Roger Cook: Today, Minister Jarvis and I announced
important statewide reforms to protect severely depleted pink snapper, red emperor
and—
Mr Lachlan Hunter interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Central Wheatbelt, please do
not interject on the Premier when he is responding to a question from your
party.
Mr Roger Cook: We are saving the depleted pink
snapper, red emperor and WA dhufish stock along WA's coast from extinction.
Importantly, these reforms will help fish stocks recover for future
generations. After reviewing the science and undertaking extensive stakeholder
consultation, including holding a Fishing Futures Forum last month,
we announced that the west coast fishing region from Kalbarri to Augusta will
not reopen on 16 December and will become an exclusive recreational fishing
zone for snapper and dhufish following a 21-month recovery closure for
boat-based recreational fishing. The west coast fishing region will be closed
permanently to commercial fishing for demersal fish from 1 January 2026, with a
compulsory buyback of commercial fishing licences. Recreational and commercial
fishing will remain open in all other regions under these new management plans.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members of the Opposition!
Mr Roger Cook: We will invest $29.2 million to support
recovery efforts, including $3.3 million for tackle shop rebates to encourage
fishing for species that are not under threat.
We accept that these
are tough decisions, but we have to make tough decisions if we are going to
preserve fishing stocks for future generations.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Mr Roger Cook: We understand that they are
inconvenient.
Mr Shane Love interjected.
The Speaker: Member!
Mr Roger Cook: We understand that they will be met
with disappointment.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Central Wheatbelt and Leader
of the Opposition, you are making it very difficult for me to hear the Premier's
response.
Mr Roger Cook: But, Mr Speaker, we have no choice
other than to act on the science.
Mrs Kirrilee Warr interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Geraldton, if you continue to
interject, you will not get the supplementary question.
Mr Roger Cook: We have to act now to create the reset
to make this happen. That is one of the reasons why we had fishing boat charter
operators represented at this morning's press conference. We had recreational
fishers at this morning's press conference. We had
people from the Australian Marine Conservation Society represented at this
morning's press conference.
Mr Lachlan Hunter interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Central Wheatbelt, I am going
to call you for the second time—unnecessary interjections.
Mr Roger Cook: We had a representative from the Western
Rock Lobster Council, one Matt Taylor, who is not a member of the Labor Party!
They all understand, Mr Speaker. They all—
Mr Shane Love: He doesn't represent demersal
fisheries.
The Speaker: Leader of the National Party, I am going
to call you for the first time as well. Please stop interjecting.
Mr Roger Cook: It was time for a reset, and all
sectors of the fishing industry were represented and engaged deeply about how
we move forward.
Mr Lachlan Hunter: They love it, don't they?
The Speaker: Member for Central Wheatbelt! I will
remind you that you are on two calls. You keep interjecting. Premier.
Mr Roger Cook: We had to make a call. Everyone has to
participate in this important conservation exercise because if we do not, there
simply will not be fish for our children and our children's children. This is
part of the Western Australian way of life. This is what we want to make sure
that we preserve.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Glad you agree.
Mr Roger Cook: This requires a government that is
prepared to make the tough decision for future generations of fishers. We know
that everyone has to play their part. We know that recreational fishers in the
west coast zone will have a 21-month ban, but they will win because ultimately,
at the end of this, there will be no more commercial fishing or demersal fish
licences in that area. There will be other licences, of course—rock
lobster and other fishing licences—so this is an important pivot for
that industry. We know that those in the Pilbara and those in the Kimberley
will also have to make the sacrifice. The only winners out of this are dhufish,
pink snapper and red emperor. We know that through these measures, as a state, we
can come together to preserve these fish stocks for the future and preserve
fishing for future generations.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.