Thousands of Western Australian anglers are being warned that a 184-day pink snapper fishing closure will begin on Saturday, August 1, 2026, covering Cockburn and Warnbro Sounds during the species’ breeding season.
The closure will continue through January 31, 2027, and applies to fishing from both land and boats. Fisheries officers will patrol the affected waters, with penalties applying to anyone caught illegally taking or possessing pink snapper.
Eligible WA residents may also claim up to $50 through the Tackle Shop Rebate Program. The offer is a reimbursement rather than an automatic voucher and is limited to qualifying Recreational Fishing from Boat Licence holders.
Pink snapper closure dates and locations
- Start date: August 1, 2026
- End date: January 31, 2027
- Duration: 184 days
- Locations: Cockburn Sound and Warnbro Sound
- Affected fishers: Boat-based and shore-based anglers
Pink snapper gather in large groups in the two sounds to reproduce during spring and summer. Spawning activity is influenced by water temperatures and lunar cycles.
Cockburn Sound supports the largest known pink snapper spawning aggregation in WA’s West Coast Bioregion. These concentrations make breeding adults easier to catch when they are most important to the future population.
Pink snapper are slow-growing and long-lived, meaning depleted stocks can take years to recover. Scientific assessments indicate that several WA demersal species face serious pressure, making the spawning closure an important part of rebuilding stocks.
What anglers cannot do during the closure
Anglers cannot deliberately fish for or take pink snapper from the closed waters. It is also illegal to possess pink snapper while line fishing from a boat in Cockburn or Warnbro Sound.
Fishing for permitted alternative species from a boat can continue, but there must be no pink snapper aboard. A snapper legally caught outside the closure may be transported through the restricted area, provided no line fishing takes place during the journey.
Additional restrictions may apply around marine parks, protected areas and wreck sites. Recent changes to WA marine park fishing rules and penalties show why anglers should check the exact zone before casting a line.
The WA Government’s official closure notice provides current information and directs fishers to location-based rules.
How the 900km West Coast closure is different
The spawning closure overlaps with a wider recovery measure covering approximately 900 kilometres of coastline from Kalbarri to Augusta.
Boat-based recreational fishing for demersal scalefish across the West Coast Bioregion will remain closed until spring 2027. Any demersal fish caught accidentally from a recreational boat must be returned to the water as soon as possible.
Land-based anglers can generally continue targeting demersal species elsewhere, subject to local and species-specific restrictions. However, the Cockburn and Warnbro Sound pink snapper ban also applies from the shore.
The region is expected to reopen for boat-based demersal fishing in spring 2027 as an exclusively recreational zone. Commercial demersal fishing there has been permanently closed since January 1, 2026.
Further background on the affected species and recovery measures is available in this guide to the WA demersal fishing closure from Kalbarri to Augusta.
Who can claim the $50 rebate?
Applicants must be Western Australian residents and hold a valid Recreational Fishing from Boat Licence when submitting their claim.
Each eligible licence holder can make one claim for qualifying fishing equipment bought from a participating independent WA tackle shop. The payment matches the eligible amount spent, from a minimum of $1 to a maximum of $50.
The program opened on May 18, 2026, and closes on November 17, 2026, or earlier if the limit of 66,000 rebates is reached.
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Which purchases are eligible?
Qualifying products include gear used solely for recreational fishing, such as rods, reels, hooks, lures, bait and terminal tackle.
Food, drinks, ice, clothing, camping products and general boating equipment are excluded. Applicants need one itemised tax invoice dated on or after May 15, showing the retailer’s name, ABN, purchase details and total cost.
Purchases cannot be split across multiple invoices, and the same receipt cannot support claims from two licence holders.
How to claim the rebate
The fastest option is the ServiceWA app. Applicants need their fishing licence number, an itemised invoice and an Australian bank account.
An alternative online form is available for people unable to use the app and for parents or guardians claiming for licence holders under 16. Successful app claims are generally paid within about seven business days, while manually verified claims may take up to 30 business days.
What can anglers catch instead?
Authorities suggest targeting sustainable alternatives such as tuna, samsonfish, whiting and squid. Anglers must still check the relevant bag limits, minimum sizes, licences and local restrictions.
Fisheries and Marine Officers will patrol popular locations throughout the closure. Suspected illegal fishing can be reported to FishWatch on 1800 815 507.
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