Fishing & Crabbing Mandurah Style
Dive into Mandurah’s fresh seafood scene and world-class fishing adventures. Hook your next catch and taste the difference!
Mandurah: A Seafood Lover’s Paradise
Mandurah’s waters offer a rich bounty of fresh seafood and world-class fishing experiences. In fact, our fishery became the first joint recreational and commercial fishery in Australia to receive the Marine Stewardship Council certification for sustainable fishing in 2016. We’re proud of our sustainable practices and encourage you to follow the guidelines for a responsible catch.
Crabbing in Mandurah
Mandurah is famous for its blue swimmer crabs. The crabbing season opens on December 1st and runs until August 31st. By January, the Peel-Harvey Estuary is teeming with full-size crabs ready to be caught. Early morning or evening is the best time to go crabbing, especially when crabs come into the shallows.
Ways to Crab:
- From a boat
- Using drop nets off a jetty
- Wading with a long-handled scoop net during low tide when crabs are easier to spot in shallow water.
Crabbing Spots Where Locals Go
Explore the top crabbing locations across Mandurah’s waterways. Grab your gear and get ready to catch some delicious blue swimmer crabs in these prime local spots!
Frequently Asked Questions
Crabbing rules matter! Find answers to common questions.
No licence is needed if you’re crabbing from the shore. However, if you’re crabbing from a powered boat, you’ll need a Recreational Fishing from Boat Licence (RFBL).
The crabbing season runs from December 1st to August 31st. This is when the crabs are most abundant and legal to catch.
You can catch up to 10 crabs per person, or 20 per boat (if there are two licensed fishers on board).
Crabs must have a minimum width of 127mm across the shell. Measure carefully before keeping them!
No! It’s important to return undersized or egg-carrying crabs to the water. Fines of up to $5,000 may apply.
What You Will Need
Ready to catch some crabs? Grab these essentials!
Scoop
Gauge
Bucket
Protective Clothes
Reef shoes
Sun protection
Where to Buy Fresh Crabs
Don’t want to catch your own or not feeling confident? No worries! These local spots offer fresh, top-quality crab straight from Mandurah’s waters.
- Wattsies Place – Local fishing family, fresh cooked and raw crabs
- Fisho Mandurah – Cooked crabs only, available at Gilbert’s
- Sustainably caught
Fishing in Mandurah
Mandurah is home to a wide range of fish species, including herring, sand whiting, bream, cobbler, tailor, and garfish. During season, you can also fish for salmon and tailor on the beach. For King George whiting, head to Dawesville Cut. You can also fish year-round for trout and redfin in Lake Navarino (Waroona Dam) and Drakesbrook Weir.
A licence is required for freshwater and boat fishing. Get your fishing licence.
Fishing gear is available for hire in Mandurah.
Most Popular Fishing Spots
Discover the best fishing spots in Mandurah, offering a range of freshwater and saltwater experiences. Cast your line at these prime locations to reel in some great catches!
Award-Winning Seafood Cruise
Embark on a luxury lunch cruise where you catch fresh rock lobster, enjoy it cooked onboard by a chef, and indulge in an 8-course deluxe lunch paired with the best wines.