Understanding the State of Play of Australian recreational fishing goes beyond catch statistics in a report. It is where you are fishing, just as much as where you can’t access anymore. What you are catching as much as what you’re not finding in traditional spots. The way you fish as much as the techniques that no longer work. It’s about your fishing experiences and the flow of recreational fishing opportunities from abundant regions to pressured waterways. It’s about focusing on the millions of Australians who wet a line in our rivers, lakes, estuaries and coastal waters, and the economic, social and environmental value this creates for local communities.
Your waters.
Your catch.
Your insights.
Your State of Play.
Help us tell Australia’s recreational fishing story by sharing your insights and experiences. We want to know what’s working, and what isn’t. What your aspirations are, what is needed to support them and what are the barriers.
This workshop will involve members of the recreational fishing community and peak bodies across eight jurisdictions.
The objective is to delve into issues and impacts, gather insights, and prioritise trends related to recreational fishing activities over the last two decades. The workshop will engage in targeted, problem-centric discussions.
The workshop will pivot from a formal structure to a more agile, action-oriented approach. The focus will be on uncovering the immediate, pressing issues affecting recreational fishers, such as access restrictions, stock assessments, licensing complexities, infrastructure decline, and habitat degradation.
We will foster an environment that encourages open, candid discussions, ensuring that stakeholders feel heard and empowered to contribute meaningful solutions.
The workshop will include a number of exercises to document the group’s ambitions for recreational fishing, the challenges and opportunities they currently face and the strategic actions required in the short, medium, and long term to ensure the sustainability and continued enjoyment of Australia’s recreational fishing opportunities.
Furthermore, the workshops aim to capture a snapshot of sentiment, and provide a reflection on the standout changes, hurdles and innovations encountered over the last twenty years.
The workshop’s format is intentionally designed to be flexible, accommodating varying participant numbers and the integration of real-time insights. This approach is geared towards maximising participant engagement, fostering collaborative problem-solving, and facilitating constructive dialogues.
