Western Australian boat anglers locked out of their demersal fishery have been offered a modest consolation: a state government rebate of up to $50 towards fishing gear bought from local tackle shops.
The scheme, which opened for claims on Monday 18 May 2026, is available to all current boat fishing licence holders in the state. Eligible anglers can claim back up to $50 on gear purchased through more than 40 participating independent tackle retailers, keeping their receipts and lodging claims via the ServiceWA app or an online form. The claim window runs through to 17 November 2026.
The rebate is the government's response to ongoing restrictions on the west coast demersal fishery, which have left many licence holders paying for access to fish they cannot currently target. Demersal species — the prized bottom-dwelling reef fish such as dhufish and snapper — have been subject to tight controls as managers try to rebuild stocks, and recreational fishers have borne much of the pain.
Peak body Recfishwest welcomed the measure as a reasonable, if limited, gesture. The organisation described it as "a fair and practical step from the Government in recognising that many boat fishing licence holders have paid for access to a demersal fishery they can't currently use."
Fisheries Minister Jackie Jarvis has championed the rebate as a way to put money back in anglers' pockets while also throwing a lifeline to small tackle businesses, many of which rely on demersal-focused fishers and have felt the squeeze of the closures. By tying the rebate to independent retailers, the government is steering the spending towards local shops rather than large chains.
Not everyone is convinced it goes far enough. The rebate has drawn a degree of backlash from anglers who argue that $50 barely scratches the surface against the cost of a boat licence and the value of the fishing they have lost, with critics suggesting the gesture "won't go far" for fishers shut out of an entire fishery for an extended period.
Still, for the tackle shops at the centre of the scheme, the rebate offers a welcome nudge for foot traffic during a lean stretch. Encouraging anglers to spend on gear — whether for the species they can still chase, like pelagics, whiting and other inshore options, or simply to restock for the eventual reopening — keeps customers walking through the door.
The demersal closures have been one of the most contentious fisheries issues on the west coast, pitting the long-term health of slow-growing reef fish against the frustrations of a passionate recreational sector. The $50 rebate will not resolve that tension, but it signals an attempt to acknowledge the cost being carried by licence holders. Whether anglers see it as fair recognition or a token amount, the offer is on the table until November — and the receipts are already being kept.
