‘A sad day’: WA locals devastated after 90-year-old fishing shop announced its closure

Western Australians are mourning the loss of a beloved tackle and bait store that’s set to shut its doors for good next month after 90 years of operation.

Former deputy premier for WA, Liz Harvey is selling her late husband's tackle shop after new fishing regulations emerged in WA. Picture: Bluewater Tackle World / Facebook

A beloved bait and tackle shop in Western Australia that’s existed for just under a century, is set to shut its doors in light of amendments made to fishing rules in the state.

The owners of Bluewater Tackle World – located about 15 km southwest of Perth – are blaming new recreational fishing regulations for the closure of their family business that’s been open for 90 years, across three generations.

Under the new rules implemented on February 1 this year, hobby fishers are banned from catching some of the most popular fish species in some parts of WA waters for a six-month period.

This extends out to the demersal scalefish, which consists of dhufish, baldchin groper, breaksea cod and pink snapper, with prohibitions in place in the West Coast Bioregion from Kalbarri to Augusta.

Bluewater Tackle World is closing down next month after running for 90 years. Picture: Bluewater Tackle World / Facebook

The rules slightly differ for those fishing off boats, with fishermen only allowed to reel in the above species in certain seasons at a limit of four per vessel.

Bluewater Tackle World owner Liz Harvey believes these changes will be bad for business, forcing her to shut up shop as a result.

“Looking down the barrel at another year lease with the uncertainty of the fishing closure I couldn‘t make any other decision,” she told 9 News.

“Fisheries have made a decision to cut the quotas for what people can pull out …(so) it was easy to make a decision not to renew the lease and move on.”

Ms Harvey – who was a former deputy Premier for WA – justified the closure based on how many months the new regulations would be in effect.

According to the state’s Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD), fishermen would be banned from reeling in the banned fish species for just under half the year.

“We will effectively be closed from August all the way through to December with the exception of school holidays – and then there‘s a closure in February and March,” Ms Harvey explained.

“We had a 35 per cent downturn in our turnover when the government announced the consultation, it was very significant.

“I think we‘ll be the first of many to go.”

Liz Harvey is a former deputy premier for WA, and blames new fishing rules for the closure of her family’s tackle and bait shop. Picture: Supplied

Hal Harvey's grandfather started the company in 1932. Hal later died of cancer. Picture: Bluewater Tackle World / Facebook

An end of an era

Bluewater Tackle World started as a convenience store that sold fishing gear on the side, with the three-generation company kicking off in 1932 with Ms Harvey’s father-in-law.

Some time after opening the store, Ted Harvey expanded the brand by setting up shop in a second store, which were both taken over by his sons Jack and Ross when he died.

Ms Harvey’s husband Hal later bought the company from his father Jack, and expanded the brand across stores in Exmouth, Perth CBD, Joondalup, Morley, Myaree and Mindarie.

The fate of the stores were left in the hands of Ms Harvey when her husband died from cancer in 2014.

She was forced to make the sad decision to gradually close all stores except the one based in Myaree, which is now facing the same fate at the end of its lease next month.

“It’s very bittersweet,” Ms Harvey said.

Consequently, she’ll have to say goodbye to her remaining staff, including 60-year-old Chris Still who is the longest-serving employee.

“We’ve got a lot of very sad customers. I will miss them,” she said.

The store is now having a end-of-lease sale as they prepare to close. Picture: Bluewater Tackle World / Facebook

Customers devastated

Despite Ms Harvey’s end of lease sale allowing customers to save on their fishing gear, many are shattered about the store’s closure.

Ms Harvey made the heartbreaking announcement via Facebook on June 9, with the post receiving 220 comments from customers thanking her and the Harvey family for their service.

“Definitely a sad day indeed, the Bluewater group led by Hal shaped the tackle industry to what it is today … I wish all the Bluewater staff the very best,” one emotional customer wrote.

“My fishing life started in the Myaree store as a young kid. The Bluewater team helped shape a lifetime of fishing adventures and I’m forever grateful. Thanks team,” a second long-time customer said.

A third person commented: “Sorry to hear. Have had some great advice and quality tackle from there over the years, rods that have caught a hundred great fish and still going strong 10 years later.”

“Always good service from the crew there, I wish them well with whatever the future holds.”

Meanwhile an employee added: “One of my most favourite workplaces was Bluewater Myaree, it follows close behind my favourite, Bluewater Exmouth.”

“I‘m proud to be part of the Bluewater family and it will be a very sad day when those doors close forever.”

The store will have to say goodbye to its staff, some who have worked there for years. Picture: Bluewater Tackle World / Facebook

Businesses in South Australia ‘worse off’

While the DPIRD acknowledges the new fishing regulations impact all sectors, a spokesperson for the department said such changes were “necessary” to ensure there are plenty of demersal fish “for the future”.

“In February 2022, the State Government accepted the recommendation of an industry-led Harvest Strategy Reference Group to reduce the total catch for the West Coast Demersal Scalefish Resource (WCDSR) by 50 per cent to meet 2030 recovery targets after the latest scientific stock assessment showed the resource remained under high risk,” a DPIRD spokesperson told news.com.au.

“We acknowledge that the management changes will have an impact on all sectors but these changes are necessary to meet the 2030 recovery time frame and ensure there are plenty of demersal fish for the future.”

The spokesperson also added the fishing regulation changes couldn‘t be solely blamed for businesses feeling the pinch, with external factors like cost of living pressures, competition and online shopping also proving a challenge for brick and mortar stores.

Additionally, the department said fishing can continue however it’s encouraged those that enjoy the sport hunt for non-demersal species like mackerels, tuna, herring whiting, squid and rock lobster to assist with the recovery of the west coast demersal scalefish supply.

“Feedback from tackle stores in South Australia, where a total pink snapper ban is currently in place, indicates a far worse outcome for local businesses than Western Australia’s balanced approach to restoring sustainability to fish stocks, which have been under severe threat for more than a decade,” the spokesperson said.

“The tackle industry plays a key role in supporting this message and is well placed to provide customers with advice on alternative fishing opportunities and tackle requirements to target non-demersal species.”