Information for Recreational Salmon Fishers

During autumn, schools of Australian salmon (Arripis truttaceus) migrate in a westerly direction along Western Australia's southern coastline from the Great Australian Bight towards Cape Leeuwin. Many schools often round Cape Naturaliste and find their way as far north as Rottnest Island

This spawning 'run', which provides the basis for a commercial and recreational fishery, normally occurs between late February and late April, with the majority of spawning believed to take place between Black Point (between Windy Harbour and Augusta) and Cape Naturaliste.

During this run, salmon often school inshore, moving along the beach. This schooling makes them prime candidates for commercial and recreational fishing.

The commercial beach seine fishery on the south coast was established in the early 1940s, operating from beaches that lie east of Bremer Bay and west to Windy Harbour. In the early 1950s, a salmon fishery was opened on the south-west coast, on beaches between Hamelin Bay and Busselton. Both are managed fisheries, with a limited number of licensees operating within them.

'Designated Fishing Zones' - with times of operation coinciding with the main salmon run - have been put in place on a number of beaches where the commercial salmon fishery operates. In these areas, the DFZs provide licensed commercial fishers with some protection from potential impacts of other beach users. In addition to those beaches categorised as DFZs, there are other south-western and southern beaches, such as Deepdene and Goodes Beach, where commercial salmon fishing is traditionally carried out - see the map below.

Commercial & recreational salmon fishers

Commercial salmon fishers move onto beaches on the south coast in mid-to-late February, and on the south-west coast in mid-March. On the south coast, commercial fishers operate from specific beaches, whereas on the south-west coast, they are able to move from beach-to-beach within the fishery.

The commercial fishers on the south-west coast must abide by special laws that apply to this type of operation.

On the south coast, recreational fishers after salmon usually fish from the beaches and adjacent rocky headlands between Point Charles and Augusta. On the south-west coast, recreational fishing occurs mainly on beaches between Hamelin Bay and Dunsborough

A number of recreational fishers on the south-west coast use boats to troll for salmon offshore of the beaches traditionally used by commercial fishers.

Designated Fishing Zones

A considerable number of the beaches that are popular for recreational salmon fishing on the south and south-west coast of WA are also popular for commercial fishing and are classed as 'Designated Fishing Zones' (DFZ).

What is a Designated Fishing Zone? Under the Fish Resources Management Act 1994, a DFZ is defined as "an area of water or an area of the seashore up to high water mark and any waters adjacent to that area that may be prescribed to be a designated fishing zone for the purpose of the Act if in the opinion of the Governor:

(a) the area contains a fishery of particular social or economic importance, and

(b) the fishery is particularly susceptible to disturbance by human activity."

Anyone can enter into a DFZ for any purpose, but those who do so should take care to avoid any commercial fishing or related activity (i.e. commercial fishers searching for fish) that may be occurring within it.

If you are in a DFZ where there are commercial fishers at work, please ensure that your fishing or aquatic activitities do not interfere with any schooling salmon they are targeting. If you are trolling from a boat, please stay away from salmon schools moving along the beach, as noise from your vessel may disturb the school, causing them to move on.

Note that a Fisheries Officer may direct a person to

(a) immediately leave a Designated Fishing Zone;

(b) cease any activity in a Designated Fishing Zone; or

(c) remove anything from a Designated Fishing Zone.

if in the Fisheries Officers opinion

(d) the person, activity or thing is hindering, obstructing or interfering with fishing or any other activity, or is disturbing fish in the zone; or

(e) the activity or thing is likely to hinder, obstruct or interfere with fishing in the zone.

The above conditions apply to both commercial and recreational fishers and other users within the areas.

Please allow commercial fishers operating from DFZs/ traditional commercial salmon beaches free and safe access to fish until their work is finished. Commercial fishers are normally happy to talk about the salmon fishery when they have completed fishing.

Designated Fishing Zones are designed to allow traditional commercial fishing operations to occur in an efficient and effective way. They are not intended to give one user group an unfair advantage over others.

Understanding and accepting these practices is important. With cooperation, fishing by both commercial and recreational fishers for this prized fish can continue, as it has done for many years, in a harmonious manner.

Recreational fishing tips

Salmon are a great sport fish to catch - on the right fishing tackle. Please don't use gear that is too light - if your line breaks, the fish concerned can be left with several hooks hanging from its mouth.

These hooks can affect the health of the fish and are potentially dangerous to other recreational or commercial fishers.

Schools of salmon move swiftly along the coast, which sometimes can make them hard to find. If you are not sure what is happening, talk to the local fishers who are usually happy to advise you on the current 'hot spots' for fishing.

DFZ/commercial salmon fishing locations

Listed below are the DFZs/those beaches on the State's south and south-west coasts that have been traditionally used for major commercial salmon fishing. The numbers beside them relate to their location on the map on the back page of this brochure.

Traditional commercial salmon fishing beaches that are not currently classified as DFZs are shown with an asterisk (*) below.

South Coast (15 February to 30 April)

(1) Triglow Beach.
(2) Doubtful Island Beach
(3) Dillon Bay
(4) Pallinup Beach
(5) Boat Harbour East
(6) Cape Riche
(7) Cheynes Beach
(8) Betty's Beach
(9) Nanarup
(10) Bonito Beach
(11) *Goodes Beach
(12 Mutton Bird Island Beach
(13) Torbay Beach (Cosy Corner)
(14) Shelley Beach
(15) Parry Beach (William Bay)
(16) Foul (Peaceful) Bay
(17) *Nornalup/Walpole (Nornalup Beach)
(18) Gardner River Beach (Windy Harbour)

South-West Coast (1 March to 31 May)

(19) All that area from Castle Rock (west of Dunsborough) to the northern tip of Cape Naturaliste.
(20) Smiths Beach.
(21) *Hamelin Bay
(22) *Deepdene

Catch Care for recreational fishers

Please help us ensure there are salmon and other fish species for future generations by sticking to the bag limits and releasing fish as quickly as possible.

• Treat fish gently to reduce stress and damage.
• If possible, avoid lifting fish from the water to unhook them.
• Where necessary, wet your hands before handling a fish and remove the hook carefully.
• Cut the line rather than pulling a hook from a fish's gut or gills.

More information on Catch Care is available here.

Stick to bag and size limits and only take enough for you and your family to eat. Remember, fish for the future.

For further information

Please contact the Department of Fisheries Southern Regional Office.