Member for the Mid West and Leader of The Nationals WA Shane Love MLA will host a fishing forum in Lancelin on Tuesday, 20 January 2026, providing fishers and local stakeholders the opportunity to have their say on the Cook Labor Government’s recent demersal fishing bans.
The forum will be held at the Lancelin Angling and Aquatic Club, with registrations essential due to limited venue capacity.
Mr Love said the forum comes at a critical time for WA’s fishing community, following a series of sudden and sweeping decisions by the Cook Labor Government that have left both commercial and recreational fishers reeling.
“Fishers across Western Australia have been blindsided by decisions made without genuine consultation, and many feel their voices have been ignored,” Mr Love said.
“This forum is about listening directly to the people who are being affected — the commercial operators, recreational fishers, small businesses and families who rely on fishing for their livelihoods and their communities.”
Mr Love said coastal communities like Lancelin are already feeling the economic and social impacts of the Government’s approach to fisheries management.
“Fishing is not just an industry in towns like Lancelin — it is part of the culture, the identity and the social fabric of the community,” he said.
Shadow Minister for Fisheries Kirrilee Warr, who will join Mr Love at the forum, said the Nationals have consistently called for a more transparent, science-based and consultative approach to fisheries management, including proper engagement with industry and local communities.
“The State Government should be working with fishers to develop a long-term, sustainable plan for our fisheries — not imposing last-minute, heavy-handed bans that devastate families and regional economies,” he said.
“The message from the fishing community is clear: they want to be heard, and they deserve a seat at the table.”
Mr Love encouraged anyone with an interest in the future of fishing in Western Australia to attend the forum and share their views.
Register to attend the forum here: https://www.trybooking.com/DIJKC
