Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1920-01-01 - (Creation)
- 1891-04-21 - 1995-12-14 (Accumulation)
Level of description
Medium
Format
Status
Context area
Name of creator
Administrative history
As well as the State's fisheries, this department had control of Aboriginal affairs for the area below latitude 25 degrees South. (The Department of the North West had control of Aboriginal affairs for the area above latitude 25 degrees South).
The Fisheries Department was a sub-department of the Colonial Secretary's Office (1920-1924), the Chief Secretary's Department (1924-1932, 1949-1953) the Premier's Department (1933-1938), and the Department of the North West (1939-1948) until 1953 when it achieved the status of a separate department.
In 1964 the growing importance of the Department's fauna conservation activities was acknowledged by a change of name to the Department of Fisheries and Fauna.
As well as the Fisheries Act, the Department administered the Game Act, the Fauna Protection Act and the Wildlife Conservation Act.
Name of creator
Administrative history
Name of creator
Administrative history
Name of creator
Administrative history
The change of name from the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife to the Fisheries Department was announced with the Fisheries Amendment Regulations (No. 3) 1986 on 1 August 1986. The new Fisheries Department was tasked with managing fish resources in Western Australia. The Department administered two Commonwealth and five State Acts: Commonwealth Fisheries Act 1952, Continental Shelf (Living Natural Resources) Act 1968, Oyster Fisheries Act 1881, Fisheries Act 1905, Fisheries Adjustment Schemes Act 1987, Pearling Act 1990, Whaling Act 1937.
The Fisheries Department underwent a subsequent name change in November 1997 to become Fisheries Western Australia.
The Department's mission is to manage the fish resources of Western Australia for the benefit of the community.
The Department is concerned with both the commercial fishing industry and recreational fishing interest groups. In addition to major managed commerical fisheries such as rock lobster, pearling, and prawn trawling the Department is also responsible for managing Western Australia's fledgling aquaculture industry.
Repository
Archival history
Content and structure area
Scope and content
This series constitutes the main file series of the Fisheries Department in its various incarnations throughout the 20th Century.
The Department has responsibility for managing the fish resources of the State. In previous years, the Department also held responsibility for managing the conservation of the state's flora and fauna as well.
The files cover aspects of licensing, patrolling and development of the fishing industry as well as wildlife matters. (Files inherited by the Department of Conservation and Land Management were top-numbered into that Department's system and the original file numbers are shown on the CALM item lists after the file title).
(Files in this Record Series include records which were previously listed at the State Records Office at references: AN 108; Accession 477, AN 108/12, Accession 1510; AN 108/14, Accession 1552; AN 108/15, Accession 1553; AN 108/16, Accession 1565; AN 108/17, Accession 1598; AN 108/20, Accession 1759).