Fishing for blue swimmer crabs in the Peel-Harvey Estuary is part of our outdoor lifestyle and a popular activity, particularly on Australia Day.
But the extra pressure it places on this iconic fishery makes it even more important for fishers to stick to the fishing rules.
The daily bag limit in the Peel-Harvey is 10 blue swimmer crabs per person and the daily boat limit is 20. A Recreational Fishing from Boat Licence is required when fishing for crabs or getting to your fishing spot with the use of a powered boat.
The minimum size for blue swimmers is 127 mm across the carapace (the widest part of the shell), and any undersize crabs must be returned to the water immediately, before attempting to catch another. This will give them the chance to grow big enough to breed at least once, helping to keep the fishery sustainable.
Measure each crab using a crab gauge, available from tackle shops. Our officers are also in the area handing out free gauges supplied by Recfishwest, as well as leaflets explaining the rules in English and Chinese.
While fines may be issued to those breaking the rules, if most crabbers do the right thing there will be plenty of crabs for the future for everyone to enjoy.
See our multilingual 
Crabbing for blue swimmer crabs in the west coast region guide for all the rules.