Changes to commercial fishing
Commercial fishing for demersal species will be closed from 1 January 2026.
This will include a closure of:
- the West Coast Demersal Scalefish Interim Managed Fishery
- the West Coast Demersal Gillnet and Demersal Longline Fishery
- Zone 1 and Zone 3 of the Southern Demersal Gillnet and Demersal Longline Fishery.
The following spawning closures still apply to commercial fishers:
- The Cockburn and Warnbro Sounds pink snapper spawning closure from 1 August to 31 January (inclusive).
- The Abrolhos Islands baldchin groper spawning closure from 1 October to 31 December (inclusive).
Compulsory Fisheries Adjustment Scheme
The WA Government has committed $20 million towards a Compulsory Fisheries Adjustment Scheme (CFAS) ‘buy out’ for the commercial gillnet and line (south of Kalbarri) fisheries in the west coast bioregion.
To provide immediate financial support to impacted commercial licence holders in the west coast bioregion, an act of grace advance payment has been offered while the CFAS is being established. This payment is being made based on a fixed price per unit and will be deducted from any compensation payment made under the CFAS. As the CFAS has not yet been formally established, the final payout amount for each commercial licence holder has not been determined.
Commercial licence holders have the opportunity to provide comment in writing on the proposed scheme. Submissions will need to be made by 5pm on 9 March 2026 to cfas@dpird.wa.gov.au.
After comments have been considered a CFAS can be established and affected licence holders will be notified.