The suggestion has thrown an already disgruntled local fishing industry into turmoil with recreational and commercial fishers alike decrying the need for further restrictions.

Under the new ban crabbing would be prohibited until December 15.

The current season closure runs from September 1until October 31 and further closures would have “dire effects” on the local industry according to Mandurah Licensed Fishermen’s Association (MLFA) president Damien Bell.

“Our fishery is proving to be sustainable and we don’t need these types of measures,” Mr Bell said.

“It’s very frustrating.”

Fisheries principal management officer Nathan Harrison said the longer ban was necessary to protect the sustainability of the crab fishery.

“We need to manage this fishery,” Mr Harrison said.

“We’re not asking for much.”

Mr Harrison said a key issue in the proposal was the “very high” number of juvenile, undersized crabs caught last year.

The ban extension would seek to protect the young crabs as well as reduce the catch of pre-spawning and berried females.

But Mr Bell said launching the proposal on the basis of research from last year alone was short-sighted and misrepresentative of the crab stock situation.

“Our main concern is they’re basing this heavily on last year’s results,” he said.

“They are ignoring previous years’ data where crabs were bigger in November/December.

“Every season is different in this estuary but we self-manage the situation and have done for years.”

He said concerns expressed by Fisheriea about the over-handling of juvenile crabs by commercial fishers had been addressed by the voluntary introduction of crab traps with escape gaps for undersized crabs.

“It’s there to filter through undersized crabs which can escape through the gap,” Mr Bell said.

“The less crabs we handle the better.”

The escape gap crab traps were “something to look at in the future” according to Mr Harrison but he would not comment on their success at this stage.

He said he was wary of a situation where commercial crabbers would be exempt from the extended ban while recreational fishers had to wait.

“We need to effectively manage the impact of both the recreational and commercial sectors,” he said.

“It’s all about giving the crabs a fair go.”

While Fisheries and local anglers agree the future of fishing and crab stocks need to be protected their ideas on how to achieve this differ vastly.

Mr Bell said three alternative initiatives he had put forward involved banning the catch of all female blue swimmer crabs in the region until March 1 and the introduction of a night scooping ban.

He also suggested an increase in the voluntary escape gaps in commercial traps used by local crabbers.

“The MLFA has been requesting a meeting with the department to discuss such alternatives for some time without success,” Mr Bell said.

“We feel that the measures would have a significant, positive impact on the brood stock population for the Peel region.”

Public comment on the Department of Fisheries proposed management changes will be accepted until next September 25.

Letters can be sent to Andy Warmbrunn, Department of Fisheries, 3rd floor, The Atrium, 168 St Georges Terrace, Perth, 6000.

Alternatively, comment can be emailed to Andy.Warmbrunn@fish.wa.gov.au