Wouldn't have thought there would be a need for pros to have a rec license. I would imagine you are not allowed to use any equipment used in your professional fishing for the purpose of catching crays recreationally. I don't think too many pros will get a rec license- do you?

I guess it's a bit like having your cake and eating it too....

Why would they want to eat the crays they catch professionally and do them selves out of money when they can take the kids out in the dingy and get a feed of crays , have some fun and keep the kids happy.

And yes, I don't think that they can use the pro boat to catch rec fish.

Has been an argument with fisheries for years on why they couldn't hold a rec licence. Even if you worked on a shark boat, salmon fishing etc, nothing to do with crayfishing, you couldn't have your own two pots to get a feed for yourself or family without the missus and kids having one and relying on the hubby to take them out to pull the pots.

With  tail tagging coming in has allowed for identifying amateur crays as against pro ones with no markings so that the pro couldn't add his amateur catch to his pro catch and send them off for sale. 

It raises an interesting point with diving. Are people with Pro licenses able to dive recreationally alongside their pro-pots.

Commercial fishers given access to recreational licences Date: Thursday, 3 November 2011

Regulations that prevented commercial fishers from holding a recreational rock lobster, abalone or netting licence in Western Australia have been eased.

Previously, commercial fishers were only permitted to hold recreational fishing licences for marron fishing and South West freshwater angling.

Department of Fisheries Manager of Strategic Fisheries Policy Nathan Harrison said the restrictions were reviewed following the implementation of new management arrangements for the commercial rock lobster fishery and commercial line fishing on the West Coast.

“The Minister for Fisheries authorised the amendments which will allow Commercial Fishing Licence (CFL) holders to enjoy a range of recreational fishing experiences which they had been prohibited from holding in the past,” Mr Harrison said.

“These new rules, which have the support of both peak industry groups the WA Fishing Industry Council and Recfishwest, were gazetted yesterday (2 November 2011).”

“Under the new approach, a CFL holder will be able to apply for and hold a Recreational Fishing Licence (RFL), in any licensed recreational fishery in the State.”

Mr Harrison said CFL holders would, however, not be allowed to undertake recreational fishing activities from a commercially licensed fishing boat.

“When fishing from a recreational boat, CFL holders will also be required to hold a Recreational Fishing from Boat Licence,” he said.

“When granted an RFL, they will only be allowed to fish from a recreational vessel or from the shore and they would be subject to the normal bag, boat and possession limits as well as other fishing rules that apply to all recreational fishers.

“All recreational licence fees are placed in a dedicated recreational fishing account and go back directly into the management of recreational fishing.”

 I kno i will definetlly be getting my rec licence.

i think it was unfair that we ( commercial fisherman) couldnt go and get a feed of crays while holding a CFL. We arnt aloud to take cray's home that we have caught commercially, so the only way for us to keep a feed of crays was to pay for them. Also we couldnt hold an abalone or netting licence as carnarvonite said (wich was absolute crap) so im glad they have lifted that rule aswell. 

and to comment on Nauti boy's question, its the same as a normal recreational fishermen. Are they aloud to dive next to a pro pot? The answer is yes but we all kno the right thing to do is to find our own ground. As far as i can see its like following a charter boat out and fishing right next to them, we are aloud to do it but at the end of the day you just look like a @#$%head. As soon as we step off that cray boat we are a recreational fisherman and that is the way it should be. 

as laid out in the report ( bod} and from how i heard it the pro can go fishing and diving but not from their own commercial boat , so yes they can come in and then head back out in their own private rig , if they end up diving near their own pots well their only taking money from their own income resource and they are governed just the same as the ametures