What is the survey about?
The department conducts a statewide survey of boat-based recreational fishing every 2 to 3 years to gather information about recreational fishing across Western Australia (WA). The department works closely with the recreational fishing community and Recfishwest to ensure fishing in WA remains enjoyable and sustainable. Research is partly funded by recreational boat fishing licence fees.
Recreational fishing is one of the most popular pastimes in WA, with one in four Western Australians fishing at least once per year. There are many benefits to participating in recreational fishing including wellbeing, relaxation and mental health. Recreational fishing also contributes more than $1.1 billion to the state’s economy. With so many social and economic benefits from recreational fishing, it is important to monitor this popular activity.
How is the information collected?
The statewide recreational fishing survey uses 3 methods to gather information:
Offsite phone surveys conducted by researchers from the Edith Cowan University (ECU) Survey Research Centre provides the necessary data used to determine estimates of fishing effort and catch of key species. The phone surveys include:
- a screening survey from June to August 2026. Recreational fishers who possess a current fishing licence will be randomly selected and asked about their recent fishing, and whether they intend to fish during 2026-27
- a phone-diary survey from September 2026 to August 2027. Recreational fishers invited to participate in the phone-diary survey are contacted throughout the 12-months and asked about their recent fishing.
Onsite surveys at boat ramp access points provides the average weight of key species.
Remote camera monitoring provides an understanding of where and when boats are launched and retrieved.
How can recreational fishers help?
The success of this survey relies on the cooperation of the recreational fishing community. Survey participation is voluntary, and any information provided through the surveys are de-identified and confidential.
Information from this survey will be compared with previous surveys to improve our understanding of recreational fishing in Western Australia. All fishers are encouraged to participate in the survey if contacted, whether you fish a lot or only occasionally.
What’s next?
These results are used in stock assessments and harvest strategies. This provides benefits to recreational fishing and ensures WA fisheries are managed sustainably so there are fish for the future.
Results from previous surveys
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WA Recreational Boat Fishing Survey 2023-24 – August 2025pdf (2.02 MB)
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Boat-based recreational fishing in Western Australia 2023/24
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Boat-based recreational fishing in Western Australia 2020/21
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Statewide survey of boat-based recreational fishing in Western Australia 2017/18
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Statewide survey of boat-based recreational fishing in Western Australia 2015/16
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State-wide survey of boat-based recreational fishing in Western Australia 2013/14
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An integrated system to survey boat-based recreational fishing in Western Australia 2011/12
Survey types and methods
Learn more about survey types and methods by downloading the factsheet.
DownloadMore information
This project is funded in part by the 130,000 recreational boat fishing licences issued annually. The survey is a collaboration with Edith Cowan University and Recfishwest. We thank all the recreational fishers who participate and volunteer their time – this important survey wouldn’t be possible without you!
Contact us
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WA Fisheries and Marine Research Laboratories39 Northside Drive, Hillarys WA 6025, Australia