Mid West abalone fishers show compliance during inspections after waiting more than a decade to legally catch

Abalone fishers in Geraldton were completely compliant during the first abalone open hour in the region in 13 years, according to a local fisheries officer. There were more than 120 fishers at the coast south of Greenough River mouth on Saturday morning, lining the shore eager to bag the delicacy. Abalone fishing had been banned north of Moore River for more than a decade. It was the first hour for the 2024-25 season, with fishers allowed just four hours spread across four mornings to try their luck at catching abalone in the westcoast zone, which extends from Busselton Jetty to Greenough River mouth. Ideal weather conditions in the Mid West meant local licence holders were fortunate enough to walk out on the reef, measure and pluck up to 15 Roe’s abalone safely, with only a few tumbling over when a wave broke across the reef. Three Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development fisheries officers and one researcher were stationed at the Greenough hotspots, checking fishers’ bags to ensure compliance. Local supervising fisheries and marine officer Jack Dawson confirmed everyone complied with rules during inspections and no warnings or fines were issued. “We experienced a good turnout for the first day of abalone season in the area immediately south of the Greenough River mouth, with about 120 fishers collecting abalone between 7am and 8am in this area,” he said. “The vast majority of the fishers in the Greenough area had reached their bag limit of 15 Roe’s abalone and all fishers and catches inspected by fisheries officers in the Greenough area were compliant.” And while there were no Surf Life Saving WA volunteers patrolling the regional coastline, no one was in danger or required help. In other parts of the zone, DPIRD issued fines to 23 fishers for exceeding their bag limit handed out 21 bag limit warnings. There was one fine and three warnings issued for undersized abalone, one fine and one warning regarding licences, and another two warnings for illegal fishing in the Marmion Marine Park. Three fishers were also warned for fishing outside the designated hour. More than 17,000 licences were obtained in the 2023-24 season. The next abalone hours are on January 11, February 1 and February 15, from 7am to 8am.