Recreational abalone fishing in the West Coast Zone takes place over one-hour sessions on five Saturday mornings between December and February.
This summer, licensed fishers can fish for abalone between 7am and 8am on the remaining two days:
- Saturday 6 February 2021
- Saturday 20 February 2021
Abalone fishing is a popular recreational activity and the safety of fishers and Surf Life Saving WA (SLSWA) volunteer lifeguards must always be put first.
Given this, SLSWA advises the department on the predicted sea conditions for each recreational fishing day. If unsafe conditions are forecast, an abalone fishing day may be cancelled. This is completed in consultation with Recfishwest.
If a fishing day is cancelled, a replacement day may be added to the end of the season if catches will not exceed the total allowable recreational catch. This day is scheduled for 13 March 2021.
Local sea conditions can vary between fishing locations and fishers must take responsibility for their own safety – at no time should fishers enter the water unless they are confident in their ability to handle the sea conditions.
You can find safety tips for abalone fishing on the SLSWA website.
The number of fishing days in the West Coast Zone may also be reduced or extended following in-season monitoring to ensure the recreational catch is consistent with the allowable catch and managed in a sustainable way.
The total allowable recreational catch is currently between 28 and 32 tonnes in the West Coast Zone, following stock recovery after the 2010–11 marine heatwave.
The department would like to thank all recreational abalone fishers for contributing to this recovery.
The West Coast Zone extends from Busselton Jetty to the Greenough River mouth and incorporates all islands within the zone including Rottnest, Carnac, Garden and Penguin islands. The closure between Greenough River and Moore River remains in place.
You can find the rules for abalone fishing, including size and bag limits, on the recreational fishing rules website and in the Abalone Recreational Fishing Guide.
