Demersal scalefish recovery closure
Following recent management changes, boat-based recreational fishing for demersal scalefish will not re-open on 16 December 2025 and will remain closed until Spring 2027.
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Recreational fishing calendarpdf (628 KB)
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Recreational fishing guidepdf (8.43 MB)
The recreational fishing guide is also available from DPIRD offices.
Supporting measures
- A boat limit of 4 demersal scalefish per vessel.
- A mixed-species daily bag limit of 2 demersal scalefish, including WA dhufish (except coral trout, coronation trout and western blue groper which have a daily bag limit of one).
- Removal of size limits for West Australian dhufish, baldchin groper and breaksea cod.
- A maximum of one bait or lure per line can be used when fishing for demersal scalefish in the West Coast region.
- Implementation of Abrolhos Islands fishing rules:
- reduced bag limit of 1 demersal scalefish
- reduced finfish possession limit of 5 kg of fillets from any species, plus 5 kg of fillets from large pelagic finfish (must have skin attached for identification purposes), or one day’s bag limit of whole fish.
- Shifting the timing of the Abrolhos Islands baldchin groper spawning closure to be 1 October to 31 December (inclusive).
- Extending the timing of the Cockburn and Warnbro Sounds Pink Snapper spawning closure to be 1 August to 31 January (inclusive).