Abalone hour on Saturday cancelled over unsafe weather, sea conditions in WA

Abalone lovers will have to wait a few more weeks for their final fishing frenzy after authorities cancelled Saturday’s session due to unsafe weather conditions.

The predicted sea conditions will create an unsafe environment on reef platforms and pose a significant risk to the safety of recreational fishers and volunteer surf life savers.

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development made the decision after consultation with Surf Life Saving WA and Recfishwest.

A replacement session has been scheduled for March 14.

DPIRD management officer Aidan Walsh said compliance officers will still be on patrol this weekend to ensure no abalone fishing is taking place.

“The main priority is ensuring fishers’ safety when accessing abalone. Based on the modelling it was determined it would not be safe to proceed with fishing this Saturday,” Mr Walsh said.

“Fishers are urged to stay safe this weekend as they will still have one more opportunity to fish for abalone in March before the close of the season.”

The coveted abalone fishing season is tightly managed by DPIRD Fisheries officers over four, one-hour sessions between 7am and 8am along a stretch of the WA coast from Busselton Jetty to the Greenough River mouth.

Hundreds have flooded the coastline so far this year during the first two sessions in their quest to secure the prized mollusc.

Strict rules around licensing, size and bag limits apply to protect the stocks of the renowned delicacy.

A recreational abalone fishing licence costs $50, and each fisher must not exceed 15 abalone per bag.

The minimum size for Roe’s abalone is 60mm across the widest part of the shell, and punters are also prohibited from shucking within 200m of the beach.

The cancellation comes as the Rottnest Channel Swim Association carefully monitors the weather conditions as the annual swim — also scheduled for Saturday — approaches.

“At this stage, it is too early to predict if the event will be delayed or cancelled,” an RCSA statement read.

“The RCSA will meet with a senior forecaster at the Bureau of Meteorology on Thursday and Friday for further updates, as well as with the University of Western Australia’s Coastal Oceanography Group for information on predicted currents.”