These industries make a valuable contribution to the WA economy through employment and supporting regional businesses and the supply of local, sustainable and high-quality seafood to the community.
The Abrolhos Fish Habitat Protection Area (FHPA) is a destination of choice for the fishing tour operator industry due to the unique and diverse experience it provides.
Charter boats
The Abrolhos fish habitat protection area (FHPA) is located within the West Coast Zone of the WA Charter Fishery, a regulated area between Augusta in the south to Kalbarri in the north.
To operate a charter boat at the Abrolhos, you must hold a West Coast fishing tour operator’s licence or a restricted West Coast fishing tour operator's licence for the West Coast region.
Commercial tours
There are several nature-based eco-tourism (non-fishing) commercial operators at the Abrolhos which provide the platform for many visitors to experience a wide range of extraordinary world-class tourism activities, such as:
- diving
- nature appreciation
- visiting cultural heritage sites
- wildlife watching of birds, sealions, dolphins, whales and turtles.
Commercial fishing
The major commercial fishery operating at the Abrolhos is the West Coast Rock Lobster Managed Fishery. This is one of Australia’s most valuable fisheries and targets wild western rock lobsters (Panulirus cygnus) using pots.
Other commercial fisheries operating in the Abrolhos FHPA include:
- Abrolhos Islands and Mid West Trawl Managed Fishery
- West Coast Demersal Scalefish Interim Managed Fishery
- Marine Aquarium Fish Managed Fishery
- Specimen Shell Managed Fishery
- Mackerel Managed Fishery
- Octopus Interim Managed Fishery
- squid fishery
- Northern Development Zone of the West Coast purse seine Managed Fishery
- taking aquatic resources for aquaculture broodstock and growout.
Aquaculture
The Mid-West Development Zone is within the Abrolhos FHPA and provides pristine waters for sustainable commercial aquaculture. The zone is comprised of 2 areas, which are 2,200 and 800 hectares respectively, and have been established for the development of finfish growout aquaculture.
Most aquaculture sites within the FHPA are used for the growout of species including:
- coral
- pearl oysters (non Pinctada maxima)
- rock oysters
- live rock
- seaweed.