The Hon. Shane Love, Leader of The Nationals WA, Media Release, 16 January 2026

Leader of The Nationals WA Shane Love says if growing unrest to Labor’s demersal fishing bans is any indication, the Cook Labor Government has bitten off more than it can chew and badly underestimated the strength and unity of Western Australia’s fishing community.

Speaking ahead of a sold-out fishing forum in Lancelin next Tuesday, Mr Love said frustration among fishers had reached boiling point and was rapidly coalescing into a statewide movement that the Government could no longer dismiss.

“The fishing community is ropeable, and rightly so,” Mr Love said.

“In recent weeks we’ve seen protests from fishers, hundreds of personal stories shared online, and now a grassroots community action this Sunday where fishers will tow their boats from Fremantle to Perth City in protest of Labor’s bans.”

Mr Love said the unrest was a direct result of the Government’s decision to shut down an industry and a deeply valued recreational activity with no meaningful consultation, no transparency, and no clear pathway forward.

“You can’t close down an industry and a popular pastime overnight and expect people to simply accept it and move on,” he said.

Mr Love confirmed The Nationals WA would host a series of community fishing forums over coming months, beginning in Lancelin on January 20 and Albany on January 29, to ensure affected fishers and businesses have a genuine opportunity to be heard.

“These forums will bring together commercial, recreational and charter fishers to engage constructively and work towards a sensible solution to what is shaping up as one of this Government’s most monumental stuff-ups,” he said.

Mr Love said if the Cook Labor Government had any empathy or integrity, it would immediately pause the ban and heed the Nationals calls to establish an inquiry to WA fishing.

“We need to get to the bottom of this.” he said.

The Nationals WA have also called for full transparency, urging the Minister to table all advice and modelling provided by the Department, and deliver emergency financial relief to businesses whose livelihoods were destroyed overnight with virtually no warning.

“The Government also needs to abandon its arrogant ‘we make no apologies’ rhetoric, which has become standard drivel and only serves to further inflame hardworking Western Australians.” 

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