Funds raised through recreational fishing licences help us to manage the State’s fish resources effectively. Recreational fishing licences are also used to inform of who is fishing for what and from where.
All the money generated from recreational fishing licences is reinvested in initiatives that directly benefit recreational fishing in Western Australia.
You need a recreational fishing licence for these types of fishing within Western Australia:
Buying or renewing a licence
You can:
Payment can be made:
Licence applications and renewals can also be made by post. Send your completed form and cheque (made payable to the Department of Fisheries) to:
Department of Fisheries
PO Box 7337
Cloisters Square
Perth, WA, 6850
Existing licence holders will automatically receive a renewal form by post.
Please note you are not entitled to fish until you receive a receipt for your licence from the Department of Fisheries. The granting of a recreational fishing licence is at the discretion of the Department of Fisheries Director General.
Your licence (a plastic card) will be forwarded to you within 14 days of receipt of your fee payment.
Make sure you apply for a licence well in advance of when you will actually need it.
Amending your licence
If you need to change any details of your licence (such as your address) this can only be done in writing and by contacting one of our offices:
Licence fee discounts
If you apply for more than one type of licence in a single transaction, you are entitled to a 10 per cent discount.
Concessions
You are entitled to a 50 per cent discount off your licence fee if you are:
(i) an age, disability support or widows' pension or allowance under the Social Security Act 1991 of the Commonwealth;
(ii) a pension under the Coal Industry Superannuation Act 1989;
(iii) a pension as a widow of a member of the forces, a service pension or the special rate of pension as a person who is totally and permanently incapacitated under the Veterans Entitlements Act 1986 of the Commonwealth;
a person who is the spouse, widow or widower of a person referred to in the paragraph above; or
a person who is the holder of a Senior's Card.
Recreational fishing by Aboriginal people
If you are an Aboriginal person you are not required to hold a recreational fishing licence in Western Australia. This applies if you are taking fish from any waters in accordance with continuing Aboriginal tradition and the fish are taken for your personal use or that of your family and not for a commercial purpose.
If you need to identify gear (rock lobster pots, nets) you should use the letter ‘A’ followed by your date of birth (eg. if a person was born on 29 March 1959, then the gear identification number is A29/3/59).
You can also choose to take out a recreational fishing licence and receive a plastic licence card, in which case normal fees will apply.
Recreational fishing by commercial fishing licence holders
Commercial fishing licence holders may take out any recreational fishing licences, however recreational fishing is not permitted from a licensed commercial fishing boat.
Rock lobster and net fishing licences – gear identification numbers
The gear identification numbers help our officers to detect people illegally lifting your pots and net.
You are required to display your gear identification number on all floats. Floats must be at least 15 cm in diameter and stamped or branded with your gear identification number in letters 6 cm high and 1cm wide.
Gear identification numbers are based on the first initial of both your given and surname and the month and year of your date of birth. We can only process your application if you provide us with details of your date of birth on your licence application.
For example, if Jenny Saltwater was born on 4.11.59, her gear identification number would be JS1159.
Fishing guides
We will send you a recreational fishing guide covering all the relevant rules and regulations with your fishing licence.
All our recreational fishing guides are available to download from this website.