For the roughly 753,000 recreational fishers in Western Australia, there’s nothing quite like the feeling of a line tightening in the vast blue of the Indian Ocean or the quiet estuaries of the South West. It’s a core part of our lifestyle, a connection to our incredible natural heritage. But beneath this simple pastime lies a complex set of rules designed to protect our aquatic resources, and ignorance is no excuse. Think a forgotten licence is a minor slip-up? For serious offences, the consequences can be life-altering, including fines up to $400,000, four years in prison, and the confiscation of your boat, vehicle, and gear.
The Blowfish
It’s a common reflex on jetties and beaches: a captured blowfish, often considered a pest, is promptly left on the shore. However, the official rule is that any captured blowfish must be returned immediately to the water. The reason? Blowfish play an important, if unglamorous, role in the marine ecosystem as scavengers.
This rule is particularly surprising because it seems to contradict public safety advice, as the guide explicitly notes that blowfish left on the shore pose a life-threatening risk to dogs and other animals that might eat them. More than just a regulation, this rule forces anglers to see the ecosystem as a whole, challenging the convenient labels of “good” fish and “pest” species and reminding us that every creature has its place.
Barotrauma
When you pull a fish up quickly from deep water, the rapid change in pressure can cause devastating internal injuries known as barotrauma. While some symptoms are visible—a swollen midsection, bulging eyes, or a stomach protruding from the mouth—many are not. Internal damage can include a ruptured swim bladder, internal bleeding, and damaged organs.
The consequences are often fatal, even if the fish swims away seemingly unharmed. As the official guide states:
Fish may appear to release well, only to die minutes, hours or even days after release.
To combat this, it is now mandatory for any boat fishing for demersal species in WA to have a release weight on board. This device is a weighted, barbless hook attached to the fish’s upper lip, specifically designed to be easily detached by a simple tug on the line once the fish is safely back at the bottom. This isn’t just a rule; it’s a fundamental shift in the ethics of catch-and-release, demanding that anglers take responsibility not just for the release, but for the fish’s genuine survival.
Upgrading Your Catch is Illegal
Successfully releasing a fish is one part of ethical angling; knowing when to stop is another. Imagine you’ve caught a few legal-sized fish and are approaching your bag limit, but you decide to keep fishing in the hopes of catching a bigger one to swap out. This practice, known as ‘high grading,’ is illegal in Western Australia.
According to the rules, a fish is considered “taken” and officially counts towards your daily bag limit if you choose not to return it to the water immediately. High grading is prohibited because it results in more fish being removed from the fishery and places unnecessary pressure on stocks, as the “discarded” fish often do not survive the stress of being caught twice. This rule targets a subtle but destructive behaviour, reinforcing an ethical approach that respects the spirit, not just the letter, of our bag limits.
But ethical fishing starts before you even cast a line—it starts with your licence. And that’s where many boaties get caught out.
A Licence for Transporting, Not Just Fishing
Most boat owners know they need a Recreational Fishing from Boat Licence (RFBL) to fish from a powered vessel. What many overlook, however, is the full scope of this rule. An RFBL is also required “when a powered boat is used to transport your catch or fishing gear to or from a land-based fishing location, including an island or sandbar.”
This means that even if you aren’t actively fishing from the boat—for example, if you’re just using your dinghy to get to a remote island for some shore-based casting—you still need the licence. There are exceptions: you don’t need an RFBL if you’re fishing from a non-powered vessel like a kayak, or if you are fishing with someone who holds an RFBL, as long as the total catch of everyone on board stays within the combined bag limit of the licence holders. It’s a prime example of why reading the fine print is essential.
A New Rule for Popular Fishing Spots
Just as licences can be more complex than they appear, the rules for specific locations are constantly evolving to meet new challenges. A recent change directly impacts anglers targeting large predators in many popular metropolitan and regional locations: fishing with wire trace is now prohibited within 800 meters of the shore in several key areas.
The ban covers the following locations:
- All Perth metropolitan beaches from Tim’s Thicket Beach to 5 km north of Two Rocks and all waters of the Swan-Canning Estuary.
- The Busselton Jetty and all nearshore waters (within 800 m from shore) along the Busselton foreshore (between the Vasse Diversion Drain and the Georgette Street boat ramp).
- The Esperance Jetty and all nearshore waters (within 800 m from shore) 200 m either side of the jetty.
This rule highlights the ongoing challenge of managing shared public spaces, balancing the thrill of targeting large predators with the safety of swimmers and families at popular beaches. It’s a critical reminder that staying up-to-date with the latest regulations is a continuous responsibility.
Where Your Licence Fees Actually Go
Ever wondered where your licence money actually ends up? Recreational fishing licence fees contribute about $9 million annually to the management of Western Australia’s fisheries. This revenue isn’t just an administrative cost; it’s directly reinvested into a range of projects that tangibly benefit recreational fishers.
Your fees help fund concrete initiatives that improve the fishing experience and support long-term sustainability. Tangible outcomes from this funding include:
- The installation of artificial reefs and deployment of Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs).
- A dhufish stocking feasibility study.
- A dedicated project targeting shark depredation (bite-offs).
- The statewide Safe Fishing Program.
- Research into popular species like blue swimmer crabs, black bream, and squid.
- The statewide recreational boat fishing survey to gather crucial data.
This transparency shows that paying your licence fee is a direct investment back into the health and future of the sport you love.
Fishing for the Future
Being a responsible fisher is about more than just knowing your size and bag limits. It’s about understanding the subtle but critical rules that protect our diverse aquatic ecosystems and ensure a fair and safe experience for everyone. By embracing the ethos of “Fish for the future,” we become ambassadors for the sport, guaranteeing that the incredible opportunities we enjoy today will be there for generations to come.