Recreational fishing catch compositions and species abundance are susceptible to anthropogenic and environmental influences, such as shifts in fishing effort or regulations and oceanographic variability, respectively. In an environment that is naturally in flux, climate change is exacerbating the impacts of this variability on many marine species. This study investigated spatial and temporal changes in pelagic and demersal catches, and relative abundances to determine the influence of an extreme marine heatwave event and related oceanic conditions on tropical, subtropical and temperate species. Multi-species catch and effort data was used from mandatory logbook reporting in a charter boat recreational fishery from 2003 to 2021, a period that encompasses a major heatwave event in 2011, within a known tropical-temperate transition zone, an area that encompasses the Houtman Abrolhos Islands Fish Habitat Protection Area. Significant change was evident in pelagic catch compositions from temperate to tropical species following the marine heatwave, coupled with a southerly shift of ~1-1.5 degrees latitude in the centre of gravity for temperate pelagic species. Demersal species showed less pronounced responses to the marine heatwave, potentially due to their long recruitment pulses. This study highlights spatial shifts in tropical, subtropical, and temperate species in response to a marine heatwave, underscoring the importance of regional approaches to fisheries management. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the complex interactions between oceanic conditions, species abundance, and management decisions in highly dynamic areas experiencing shifts in ocean temperatures and tropicalisation of fish communities.