A blue groper at Breaksea Island near Albany. Photo: Peter Southwood.
Pink snapper, nannygai and Western blue groper are among the fish species found to be at “high risk” in a new study.
WA’s peak fishing bodies have welcomed the release of the Government’s Statewide demersal scalefish assessment and planned Fishing Futures forum in October.
Recfishwest and WA Fishing Industry Council issued a joint statement.
“Western Australia’s fishing sectors care deeply about the future of WA’s demersal scalefish, and the new science shows that challenges extend across the State,” they said.
“This is bigger than one fishery or one sector.
“WAFIC and Recfishwest welcome the Minister’s Fishing Futures forum in October and are committed to working with Government and scientists towards ensuring healthy demersal stocks for generations to come.
“Healthy fish stocks are essential for our coastal communities, our fishing industries, and for every West Australian who values these iconic species.”
WAFIC
WAFIC chief executive Melissa Haslam said the stock assessment results were shocking but unfortunately had not come as a surprise.
“WAFIC have been calling for fisheries management reform for many years now,” she said.
“Neither the commercial or recreational sector are fishing outside of their regulations, yet demersal fish stocks are in a severe or critical condition. The rules are wrong.
“This is a shared public resource, and we support the need to work with all parties to develop a way forward that will ensure a sustainable future for the West Coast Demersal Fishery.
“NO shying away from tough management reform – it’s time to get it done.”
Recfishwest
Recfishwest chief executive Dr Andrew Rowland said healthy fish stocks and fair outcomes mattered to every WA family that went fishing.
“Fishing for demersals is central to WA’s lifestyle, culture and coastal communities, delivering benefits far beyond the fish themselves,” he said.
“Solutions will need to be guided by the best available science, while carefully balancing the social and economic benefits these fisheries deliver.”
Shadow minister
Shadow WA Fisheries minister Kirrilee Warr said the WA Government should engage in genuine, wide-ranging consultation with stakeholders amid WA’s escalating demersal fishing crisis, warning that any decisions must be underpinned by science and long-term planning.
“The State Government’s long-awaited fish stock reports revealed several iconic species are now ‘at risk’,” she said.
Ms Warr said the findings were deeply concerning, but not surprising given earlier warnings.
“The Government has been sitting on this information for months, and only now are they acting,” she said.
Western Australia is fortunate to have some of the best wild-caught fish in the world, and we want to protect that for future generations, but consultation must be genuine, ongoing, and extend well beyond a single forum.
Ms Warr said Labor’s poor track record on consultation had already damaged trust in the sector and warned against a repeat of the 2022 “debacle”, when sudden restrictions blindsided fishers and put jobs at risk.
Fisheries minister
WA Fisheries minister Jackie Jarvis said the latest scientific stock assessments for WA’s demersal resources showed the future of the State’s demersal species was at risk, with depleted stock levels along much of the Western Australian coast.
“Several species are under serious threat from continued fishing pressure, including pink snapper, red emperor and the iconic dhufish, which is only found in WA,” she said.
“These species are at severe risk, while Kimberley red emperor, Pilbara goldband snapper and South Coast pink snapper, bight redfish and Western blue groper have been assessed as at high risk.
“The stock assessments have been independently reviewed by international expert and CSIRO scientist Professor André E Punt.”
Ms Jarvis said she would convene the Fishing Futures forum, a critical demersal science and management forum, on 20 October to discuss the status of the demersal fisheries, the science, and seek long-term management solutions.
