Crabbing season set to kick off in Mandurah

Keen fishers are gearing up to snare themselves a feed when the crabbing season officially kicks off on Tuesday, December 1.

It will mark the end of the annual three-month seasonal shutdown on crabbing in Mandurah, a period that was increased from just two months back in 2019 with the aim of giving female crabs more time to reproduce.

Now two years into the extended prohibition period, those changes are starting to bear fruit.

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Mr Moses said the number of blue swimmer crabs calling the Peel-Harvey home was showing "extremely encouraging signs" thanks to the elongated closure.

"The results are certainly starting to show," he said.

"We're seeing crabs occupy the shallows much earlier than they had in the past. Not all are legally sized just yet but in time you will see them become bigger, healthier crabs.

"It's really encouraging because we're hearing some great feedback from fishers in the Mandurah area.

"The Peel-Harvey estuary is the spiritual home of the blue swimmer crab. We don't just want to see them at a sustainable number, we want them living there in abundance."

Mr Moses said while the season officially kicked off in December, Mandurah's crab numbers often peaked around January.

"That's really the best time for crabbing in the Peel region," he said.

"The lead-up to Australia Day is often a time we see people hitting the water in full force looking for some crabs."

The bag limit for crabs in Mandurah remains at 10, while boats can take home double that amount.

The summer months will also see the region's keen anglers casting a line to haul in a feed of fish.

The ever-popular whiting will soon be on the bite, while Mr Moses said an abundance of chopper tailor would be entering the estuary.

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"Mandurah is such an accessible location for anyone who wants to fish, and there's so many species you can catch," he said.

"The tailor should be coming on soon, and there's a good number of juvenile salmon that give those going for whiting a really fun fight.

"On top of that you've got squid, herring and all sorts of species."

Many anglers will also continue to take to the artificial reef nine kilometres off shore in Dawesville.