Recreational

Recreational fishing is an important activity for about 3.4 million Australians who fish each year. They enjoy a wide range of recreational activities  from northern estuaries for barramundi, to southern waters for snapper and King George whiting, and inland waters for trout and native fish such as Murray cod. About 80 per cent of the recreational catch is from salt water  in estuaries, off beaches and in the seas. The fish most frequently caught in Australia are whiting, followed by flathead, Australian herring, Australian salmon, bream, mullet, garfish, tailor and snapper. The recreational sector is larger and more widely dispersed than any other recreational activity that utilises a natural resource. The National Recreational and Indigenous Fishing Survey (2001) showed that the rate of participation in fishing varies greatly among the people who fished. This varied from those who fished once a year to those who fished as frequently as members of a fishing club.

The number of people who fish recreationally (inland, in estuaries, off beaches and in the seas) represents about 25-30 per cent of all Australians. About 15 per cent of these people fish regularly on 20 or more days per year. Within this 15 per cent, twice as many males as females are involved. Participation in recreational fishing is highest in younger age groups.

Significant economic benefits from recreational fishing flow to many regional areas including jobs in the tourism, tackle, boating, and charter industries. Charter boats support game fishing, estuarine and coastal fishing, skin-diving and whale-watching activities, and there is a diverse boat-hire and service industry. These industries support others. For example, of the 4.475 million international tourists visiting in 2001, some 12 per cent (450 000) participated in diving activities, 4 per cent (179 000) participated in fishing activities, and 2 per cent (75 000) in whale-watching. One estimate of annual direct, indirect and capital expenditure on recreational fishing is $1.8 billion. Employment from national recreational fishing expenditure is conservatively estimated at between 27 000 and 54 000 jobs nationally, using expenditure multiplier estimates.

Social factors relating to the recreational sector

Recreational fishing is an important activity for about 3.36 million Australians. Although the rate of participation in fishing varies greatly among these people, the recreational sector of the fishing industry is nevertheless larger and more widely dispersed than in any other natural resource industry that supports a prominent commercial sector.

For most people, the major reason for recreational fishing is relaxation. Obtaining fish for food is a lesser, though important, consideration. Indeed, many recreational fishers place the benefit of experiencing fishing well above the benefit of making a catch.

In addition to their value as sources of food, fisheries resources are valued by the community in many other ways. For example, they have values deriving from people knowing that the environment and the diversity of species are maintained and that fisheries resources exist.

The aquatic environment is increasingly being used by people particularly tourists who do not capture the resource but simply enjoy it. Similarly, many people place a very high value on being able to take their children fishing and knowing that the fish will be there for another generation. Many jobs supporting recreational fishing exist because of these values.

The recreational sector expresses its views in the political arena through a number of associations, including its peak body, Recfish Australia, which is also one of the FRDC's two representative organisations.