About Commercial Recreational and Indigenous Fishing

Wild catch fisheries are generally split into three different sectors: commercial, recreational and Indigenous.

Each sector and even members within a sector can have different motivations for participating in a fishery.

Commercial Recreational and Indigenous Fishing

Commercial Fisheries

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Australia’s wild catch commercial fisheries are of economic and social importance. They provide employment and income to thousands of people, make public resources available to those that can’t catch their own fish and can be a drawcard for tourism in some coastal areas. Australian fisheries are diverse in the areas fished, species landed and fishing gears used.

Management of Australian fisheries is some of the best in the world. Over 90% of our catch comes from sustainable stocks with those judged not currently sustainable, being mainly managed through re-building strategies.

Commercial fishing occurs in estuaries and bays, on the continental shelf and oceanic waters throughout Australia’s Economic Exclusion Zone as well as on the high seas. Hundreds of different species are landed, ranging from sea cucumbers to prawns and tuna. These are sold in markets, stores and restaurants around Australia and exported. Fishing gears used range from hand harvest to large offshore trawlers.

In 2019-20, Australian seafood production (including aquaculture) had a gross value of $3.11 billion.

More Information

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NSW Commercial Fisheries

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Queensland's Commercial Fisheries

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Northern Territory's Commercial Fisheries

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Western Australia's Commercial Fisheries

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South Australia's Commercial Fisheries

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Tasmania's Commercial Fisheries

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Victoria's Commercial Fisheries

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Commonwealth Managed Commercial Fisheries

5

ABARES Fisheries and aquaculture statistics

Presentations

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Collecting fisheries data

Indigenous Fisheries

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ have been sustainably fishing in Australian waters for tens of thousands of years. For many contemporary Indigenous communities, fishing is both sustenance and cultural connection to their ancestors, oceans and inland water ways that form part of their country. Fishing by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ covers customary, recreational and commercial.

Indigenous ecological knowledge is increasingly being seen as a valuable resource for land and water managers around Australia. Traditional burning is a great example of how Indigenous fire management practices are becoming widely recognised as an important and effective land management tool. In fisheries also, traditional knowledge is recognised as an essential component of good management.

In many parts of Australia, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ have important rights to access and manage their traditional fisheries without regulation. These rights have been secured with the help of native title.

More Information

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FRDC Indigenous Reference Group

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Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies

Presentations

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Victorian Indigenous Fisheries Policies

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Collecting Indigenous Fisheries Data

Recreational Fisheries

Recreational fishing is one of the largest outdoor activities in Australia. It provides social benefits and is part of life for over three and a half million Australians of all ages and socio-economic groups. In addition, recreational fishing provides direct economic benefits to the wider Australian economy and the economy of specific regions and towns around Australia.

Recreational fishing in Australia ranges from casting a line of a jetty to serious game fishers. Mostly, recreational fishing in Australia is undertaken for leisure but there are a range of other reasons, one of which is the provision of food.

The future of recreational fishing and the quality of the fishing experience is reliant on healthy and sustainable fish stocks. Each Australian state has a peak body that represents recreational fishers and a component of their mission statement is to work with federal and state governments to encourage sustainable fisheries management.

The last time a survey was done in 2001, the value of recreational fishing to the Australian economy was estimated to be $1.85 billion.