Recreational fishers in Western Australia are reminded to not catch blue swimmer crabs during the annual spawning closure from Tuesday, September 1, to November 30.
The closed season covers an area from the Swan River through to Rich Road Minninup Beach south of Bunbury, including the popular Cockburn Sound and Peel-Harvey areas, and all the waters, rivers and estuaries in this area.
The spawning closure plays an important role in protecting blue swimmer crabs during their peak spawning period, helping to build crab stocks for future generations of fishers, according to the WA Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD).
The closure also provides an opportunity for some of the juvenile crabs to grow and moult to legal size.
DPIRD Fisheries Management Officer Sara Monaghan said the spawning closure was a key management measure that helped maintain strong blue swimmer crab stocks.
"The annual spawning closure protects breeding crabs at a critical time in their lifecycle and allows a portion of the younger crabs the opportunity to grow to legal size," Ms Monaghan said.
A go-to guide available from the DPIRD website includes fishing rules and a map of the spring spawning closure area.
During the closure, DPIRD is urging all members of the community to report any illegal fishing activity to FishWatch on 1800 815 507 or online via Crimestoppers.
