The Department of Fisheries’ primary responsibility is to conserve, develop and manage the fish and aquatic resources of Western Australia to ensure there are ‘fish for the future’.
We do this through managing and licensing commercial and recreational fishing activities and protecting the aquatic environment and ecosystems on which fish depend.
A variety of complex issues impact on the sustainable management of the State’s fish and aquatic resources. To meet these challenges we employ an integrated approach to the planning, priority setting and project management of our four key service areas:
Fisheries management; covering for management responsibility, policy development, licensing and legislation related to the State’s commercial and recreational fisheries, pearling, aquaculture, the charter boat industry, customary fishing and protection of aquatic ecosystems.
Compliance and education; covering for Statewide fisheries compliance and community education, in accordance with the provisions of the Fish Resources Management Act 1994 and the Pearling Act 1990.
Research and monitoring; providing timely, quality scientific knowledge and advice to support the conservation and sustainable use of the State’s fish resources and aquatic ecosystems.
Marine safety services; coordinating the delivery of at-sea marine safety compliance services by the Department’s Fisheries and Marine Officers under a service level agreement with the Department of Transport.
These services are delivered by our four divisions, under the management of the Corporate Executive:
Aquatic management;
Fisheries research;
Regional services; and
Corporate services.
The Department of Fisheries organisational structure as at May 2012
The Minister responsible for the Department of Fisheries is the Hon. Troy Buswell BEc MLA.
Reporting on our services
Our initiatives and achievements are reported in the Annual Report to the Parliament of WA. The report also provides an overview of the Department, its operational structure, performance management framework, outcomes in relation to key performance indicators and details of the corporate executive team.
Our corporate and operational structures may change in line with strategic priorities, as detailed in our five-year 
Strategic Plan.
A second and equally important annual report is prepared on the stock status and catch ranges for Western Australia’s major commercial fisheries.
The annual Status Reports of the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources of Western Australia (formerly known as the State of the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Report and State of the Fisheries Report) provides information on the State’s current management status and future directions of commercial fisheries, recreational fisheries and aquaculture industries.
Our plans and operations are also governed by our Disability Access and Inclusion Plan.