A 37-year-old man from Armadale has been fined $3,364 for taking undersize blue swimmer crabs and exceeding the daily bag limit following an investigation by WA’s Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD).
In February this year, DPIRD Fisheries and Marine Officers (FMOs) were conducting inspections along the Coodanup foreshore in Mandurah and located the man with 43 blue swimmer crabs in his possession.
The daily bag limit for blue swimmer crabs in the West Coast region is 10. Of the catch, 42 crabs were also found to be under the permitted size of 127mm. The crabs were seized by officers and returned to the water.
In a separate matter in the Mandurah Magistrates Court, a 37-year-old man from Greenfields was fined $839 for using a net to fish in closed waters.
As this was not the man’s first net fishing offence, the magistrate imposed an additional penalty of suspending his recreational net fishing licence for a period of six months and he was also prohibited from possessing a fishing net for six months.
In October last year, FMOs observed the man on board a boat in the canal waters of Dudley Park in Mandurah using a throw net to take fish.
“FMOs subsequently spoke to the man and he confirmed he had caught two mullet using the net,” DPIRD said in a statement.
“Fishing with a net is prohibited in closed waters including rivers, estuaries, inlets and lakes.”
DPIRD Senior Operations Manager, Mark Kleeman said it was important for recreational fishers to stick to the rules and follow bag and size limits to protect the sustainability of the State’s fisheries.
“Our Fisheries and Marine Officers are regularly on patrol and those caught breaking the rules do face fines and penalties,” he said.
More information on the fishing rules, including size and bag limits, is available in the 2026 recreational fishing guide. Anyone who suspects illegal fishing activity should call FishWatch on 1800 815 507 or report the matter via the online form on Crimestoppers.
