WA abalone fishers advised to proceed with caution for next recreational session

Recreational fishing for abalone in the West Coast Zone (WCZ) resumes this Saturday, January 13, with fishing permitted only between 07:00 and 08:00, the Western Australia Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) said in a recently published advisory.

The safety advice for fishers is to proceed with caution if taking part in the second one-hour session of the 2023-2024 WCZ season between Moore River and Busselton Jetty.

Fishers should evaluate their own local ocean and weather conditions before entering the water to ensure they have sufficient water skills to manage the risks. At no time should fishers enter the water unless they are confident in their ability to handle sea conditions.

Surf Life Saving WA (SLSWA) uses a broad range of factors to assess risk and have advised there is a medium risk for Saturday across the fishing area.

Surf prediction modelling for the session indicates a temperature of around 25 degrees with a low tide between 0.2 and 0.4 metres and an average of 0.3 metres across the various zones.

A low to medium primary swell of 0.8 to 1.2 metres and a medium to high swell period of 13 seconds is predicted, with the northern zones of the fishery forecast to be exposed to slightly higher swell periods. An average low wave height of one metre is expected with medium winds of 10 knots, gusting to 21 knots and tending offshore.

The low tide is favourable, but higher swell periods may increase the impact of breaking waves with water pushing across wave platforms at or above waist height and increase the likelihood of surging across the platforms.

There is potential for fishers to be washed off platforms. Holes or drop offs may also be more hazardous for those with poor swimming capabilities.

DPIRD Fisheries Management Officer Druimé Nolan said that, in these conditions, it was important to always fish safely by wearing suitable clothing such as a wetsuit and protective reef shoes and using correct fishing gear including a loose weave net catch bag that allows water to pass through.

Fishers are advised to stop fishing once they have caught their bag limit, to avoid throwing away fished abalone for bigger ones, and to measure before removing abalone from the reef as discarded abalone are not likely to survive.

More on abalone fishing rules is available here.

SLSWA has abalone fishing safety tips here. Fisher are also advised to use the SharkSmart WA app.

Additional WCZ fishing sessions have been set aside for February 3 and 17, subject to ocean conditions on those days.