A proposed offshore wind zone intended to serve large energy users on the west coast has been slashed by almost half to win local support and save migratory whales.
Declared by the federal government on Monday, the final area near the Bunbury region south of Perth covers 4000 square kilometres and has been pushed further out from the shoreline.
The zone will be at least 30km from shore at its closest point, and exclude more than 60 per cent of the recreational fishing areas requested for exclusion - including Naturaliste Reef.
The Bunbury offshore wind industry has the potential to support 11.4 gigwatts of electricity, or enough to power all homes and manufacturing industries in the state's southwest, according to Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen.
Mr Bowen said developing the zone would create almost 7000 jobs during construction and about 3500 ongoing jobs.
"With an estimated 50GW of new generation required by 2042, Western Australia needs new sources of electricity to power homes and industry," he said.
Recreational fishers will be able to travel and fish within the zone, similar to in the United Kingdom and Denmark.
The finalised zone also provides further separation from breeding areas and migratory paths for Southern Right Whales.
The opposition says the community has been ignored as Labor pushes ahead with offshore wind, but a coalition of unions, the Smart Energy Council and environmental groups has cautiously welcomed the latest zone.
Maritime union branch secretary Will Tracey said with strong and consistent offshore winds when solar power was not available, projects off Bunbury could power much of the region's essential industries.
Unions warn the lack of a credible industry policy to demand local content means inferior wind towers could be dumped here.
Manufacturing union boss Steve McCartney said members had spent 20 years campaigning for good local manufacturing jobs that allowed them to live at home, earn a decent living, and see their families every night.
"Coupled with green metals production in Collie, the future economy of the southwest is in well-paid, secure green manufacturing jobs," he said.
The Conservation Council of WA said it supported offshore wind projects to replace "climate and nature-wrecking fossil fuels" if the settings were right.
The zone is one of six locations identified as priority areas around Australia to replace coal-fired power in the coming decades.
