- Closure of Pilbara Fish Trawl Fishery secures lasting protection for populations of WA’s dolphins and sawfish
- Decision a clear signal to high-risk fisheries to deliver accurate reporting and reduce protected species bycatch
- Available data indicates a dolphin was drowning in the fishery every fortnight
The Western Australian Government’s leadership in permanently closing the Pilbara Fish Trawl Interim Managed Fishery will help safeguard populations of iconic protected species like dolphins and sawfish, marking a significant step forward for the protection of WA’s precious ocean wildlife, says the Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS).
The fishery caught around 2,000 tonnes of tropical snapper and emperor species across the Pilbara each year using high-impact trawl nets. Despite serious issues with dolphin bycatch identified almost two decades ago, the fishery failed to reliably report the true scale of its bycatch or take adequate action to reduce dolphin deaths to as close to zero as possible. The fishery is also a major cause of death for critically endangered green sawfish in an area that serves as the part of the last global refuge for the species.
AMCS Sustainable Seafood Program Manager Adrian Meder said:
“This decision shows welcome leadership from the WA government by protecting the State’s iconic dolphin and sawfish populations. The impacts of this trawl fishery were well-known, and industry and managers have had plenty of time to proactively mitigate those impacts. Today’s closure is an important step towards ending the harm caused by killing dolphins and sawfish as bycatch.
“The available evidence shows a dolphin being drowned around every two weeks in this fishery’s trawl nets. That level of bycatch is completely unacceptable in 2025, particularly for a species as valued by the community as bottlenose dolphins. The government’s decision recognises that this fishery simply does not meet modern Australian expectations or environmental standards.
“We welcome the opportunity for operators to transition into the trap and line fishery; an approach already used in the region that catches broadly the same target species while having little impact on dolphins and sawfish. While overfishing of snapper and emperor species will still need to be addressed, this is a far more responsible way to harvest fish and supply the WA market.
“This decision should serve as a wake-up call for other Australian fisheries having an unacceptable impact on our threatened and endangered wildlife. Reliable, independent monitoring and strong bycatch management are essential. If fisheries fail to meet these expectations, they risk similar consequences.”
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