WA's Biggest Fishing Shake-Up: What it means for us in the North West
by Karratha Adventure Sports 3 Dec 08:17 UTC
It's here! The announcement we've all been waiting for/ dreading. And it's the biggest fisheries reset in our state's history: a full demersal closure from Kalbarri to Augusta until September 2027, plus a complete buy-back of commercial licences in that zone.
It's huge. It's messy. And it's going to change fishing in WA for years to come. Hopefully for the better.
But before any rumours start flying, let's make one thing very clear: there is no recreational demersal ban in the Pilbara or the North West. We are not part of the Kalbarri-Augusta closure. Our region remains open.
Map: DPIRD - Western Australia Demersal Reform (December 2025)
What we will experience, though, are the flow-on effects.
The first and most obvious change will be tourism pressure. Every rec fisher who normally chases demersals between Kalbarri and Augusta now needs a new place to fish. Realistically, that means heading north. Exmouth, Onslow, Dampier, Karratha, Broome. Our reefs and boat ramps are about to get a whole lot busier. More boats in the water, more demand for gear, more visitors needing education on how to fish responsibly up here. And while we're on the topic, can we please get a bloody fish-cleaning station at the boat ramp?
The second big shift will come from the commercial sector. With the full buy-back of commercial licences in the Kalbarri-Augusta zone, there's a lot of uncertainty about how much commercial capacity will remain in WA overall. If any operators outside the buy-back continue fishing, some of that activity could naturally shift to open regions, and for many, that means further north. It's too early to know exactly what this will look like, but any redistribution of commercial effort has the potential to put added pressure on northern stocks and northern waters. It's something the Pilbara and Kimberley will need to watch closely as the reforms roll out.
The third impact is retail. Tackle stores and small regional businesses along the West Coast are already copping it, and many won't make it through a two-year shutdown. Up here, we'll see a short-term bump in visitors and spending, but that also means more fishing pressure and more responsibility on local stores to help educate and guide people. Sounds like the wigs over at BCF picked a very convenient time to launch in North West WA...
Now, onto the science. A lot of rec fishers don't believe the stock assessments line up with what we're seeing on the water. Maybe the science is right, maybe it isn't. Either way, these are the rules we're navigating now. We can question the modelling, but at the end of the day, we still have to adapt to the decisions that have been made.
If the science is accurate, this reset could rebuild stocks across WA and lead to more fish and more opportunities in the long term. If it's not, then we've swung a sledgehammer at a huge part of WA's lifestyle and economy for very little gain.
Either way, the Pilbara and North West are now carrying a lot of the pressure from this decision. As a retailer I'm grateful we're still able to operate, and we're lucky compared to the regions hit hardest. All I hope is that the knock-on effects up here don't catch our local fish stocks off-guard in the long run.
But if there's anything WA fishers are known for, it's resilience. We care deeply about our oceans, our fish, and the communities built around them. If we stay informed, fish responsibly, and keep supporting our local small businesses, we'll get through the next couple of years stronger and hopefully with healthier fisheries for everyone.
My thoughts are with the tackle shop owners and staff doing it tough. The mum-and-dad stores don't have the luxury of riding out a two-year closure. Now's the time to back your local legends and let the big-box giants take the hit.
Read the full announcement here: Rec Fish West.
Read more at DPIRD.