WA Special Fishing Licences 2026: Boat, Net, Freshwater, Rock Lobster, Abalone and Marron

Activity licences in WA

Western Australia does not use one general recreational fishing licence. DPIRD publishes activity-based licences for fishing from a boat, net fishing, south-west freshwater angling, rock lobster, abalone and marron.

Start with the activity, not the word "licence".

WA activity	Licence trigger to check	Current annual fee before concessions
Recreational fishing from a powered boat	RFBL, including relevant powered-boat catch or gear transport scenarios.	AUD 40
Net fishing	Haul, set or throw net activity.	AUD 50
South-west freshwater angling	Angling in the south-west freshwater licence area, with the under-16 exception.	AUD 50
Rock lobster	Taking recreational rock lobster.	AUD 50
Abalone	Recreational abalone fishing.	AUD 50
Marron	Recreational marron fishing.	AUD 50

Choose the right page

If your trip includes...	Use this route
Powered boat fishing	Start with WA boat fishing licence, then check whether any listed species or gear category also applies.
South-west freshwater angling	Start with WA south-west freshwater angling.
Nets	Open the DPIRD net fishing guide before buying or setting gear.
Rock lobster	Open the DPIRD rock lobster guide for season, pot, possession and licence checks.
Abalone	Open the DPIRD abalone guide for open days, zones, safety and possession checks.
Marron	Open the DPIRD marron guide for season, waterway and gear checks.

RFBL edge cases

RFBL deserves its own check because powered boats create scenarios that look like ordinary line fishing until the transport detail is noticed.

Scenario	WA check
Fishing from a powered boat	Start with RFBL, then check species, gear and limits.
Catch-and-release from a powered boat	Still check RFBL; releasing fish does not remove the boat trigger.
Using a powered boat to reach an island, sandbar or shore spot	Check RFBL if the powered boat transports fishing gear or catch to or from that land-based spot.
Freshwater angling from a powered vessel only	Check the south-west freshwater guide; DPIRD gives a narrow freshwater-only RFBL exception.
Boat trip where the only fishing activity is already covered by a current WA activity licence, such as rock lobster or abalone	Check DPIRD's current RFBL exception wording before buying RFBL as well.
Shore or jetty line fishing with no powered boat	RFBL may not apply, but nets, listed species licences, closures and gear rules still can.

Apply or renew

Apply or renew through DoTDirect where directed, by post using the DPIRD form, or at a DPIRD Fisheries office. A licence fee applies per licensed fishing activity, and concessions may apply.

If buying more than one WA licence type in one transaction, check the current DPIRD multi-activity discount before checkout.

What the licence does not decide

The licence only handles the activity-permission layer. Before fishing, still check:

Rule check	Why it matters
Bag, size and possession limits	A valid activity licence does not let you keep unlimited catch.
Seasons and open days	Rock lobster, abalone and marron are especially timing-sensitive.
Gear and marking rules	Nets, pots and specialist methods can have strict conditions.
Areas and closures	Marine parks, closed waters and local notices can override a general plan.
Safety notices	Abalone and rock-fishing trips can have extra public-safety warnings.

Common mistakes

Mistake	Better action
Treating ordinary shore fishing as proof that every WA trip is licence-free.	Check whether the trip includes a powered boat, nets, freshwater angling, rock lobster, abalone or marron.
Assuming RFBL covers every activity from the boat.	Add separate checks for nets, rock lobster, abalone and marron.
Buying a licence and skipping the rule guide.	Open the current species or activity guide for season, gear, area, possession and safety rules.
Following a third-party checkout first.	Use the official DPIRD or WA Government pathway before paying.

Official references

Official source	Use it for
DPIRD recreational fishing licences	Activity categories, fees, concessions and multi-activity discount.
WA Government apply or renew	Official application and renewal pathways.
DPIRD RFBL page	Boat-fishing licence trigger.
DPIRD south-west freshwater angling guide	Freshwater licence area and under-16 exception.
DPIRD rock lobster guide, abalone guide, marron guide and net fishing guide	Activity-specific seasons, gear, area and possession checks.

Keep in mind

For WA, do not flatten the answer into "licence required" or "licence-free." Match the trip to the exact activity, buy only through official pathways, then check the current DPIRD rule guide before keeping fish.