National Recreational Fishing Forum Series (2025-2029)
ARFF proposes to run a 1-day National Recreational Fishing Forum on Tuesday 22nd July 2025. With the set up and additional meetings around recreational fishing to be held on Wed 23rd, the AFTA Trade Show held on Thurs 24th, Fri 25th and Saturday 26th. Allowing participants to travel to the event on Monday 21st and home on Sunday 27th (if not prior). Followed by Annual events in the two years following.
Target Audience/s – Leaders in recreational fishing sector, future leaders of recreational fishing sector, key leaders of other fishing sectors (commercial wild and indigenous), decision makers in governments/departments relevant to recreational fishing. We expect between 150-300 participants.
ARFF will engage a conference organising agency (preferred proposal attached) on the Gold Coast, and set up a forum organising committee from their broader membership. Together they will;
- Determine the logistics of the location and set up, and alignment with AFTA events
- Set up online information and registration
- Promote broadly to recreational fishing groups, peak bodies and recreational fishers
- Determine a program, themes/topics and call for speakers
- Run the event smoothly including all pre event and post event logistics
FRDC will have the opportunity to receive,
- A place on the organising committee
- A mutually agreed number of complimentary registrations
- Any signage provided by FRDC for the forum on stage or at strategic meeting places in the forum break-out/gathering areas
- Logo on all materials, both hard copy and digital including conference website
- Ability to promote the event
Assess new technologies and techniques that could improve the cost-effectiveness and robustness of recreational fishing surveys
It is proposed that a national workshop is needed to: (1) explore options to improve the precision and cost-effectiveness of recreational fishing surveys; (2) consider the use of emerging technologies to support recreational fisheries science; and (3) identify engagement strategies.
Although all States are expected to benefit from the outcomes of the proposed workshop, South Australia is particularly reliant on the shared expertise, transfer of knowledge and advice regarding the execution of scientifically robust, routine recreational fishing surveys. The South Australian Government is committed to undertaking a recreational fishing survey every five years. All previous surveys have been carried out by interstate experts, however, there is a commitment by PIRSA/SARDI to develop recreational fisheries science capability at a sufficient level to undertake all future State-based surveys. It is expected that the workshop will establish South Australia’s role as an active participant in the national assessment of recreational fisheries, increase data harmonisation opportunities across the jurisdictions, and contribute in advancing recreational fisheries science.
Final report
Currently, the most significant gap in our knowledge in assessing the status of community-shared fisheries is determining the relative contribution by the recreational sector. To explore this issue, a two-day national workshop was held from 10-12 July 2018 at the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI). The key focus was advancing the ‘best practice’ approach in design, execution, and analysis of recreational fishing surveys as described in Georgeson et al. (2015; FRDC 2007-014). This project also builds on recent work by Griffiths et al. (2014; FRDC 2011-036) and Moore et al. (2015; FRDC 2012-022.20). The overarching aim of this workshop was to assess the usefulness of new technologies and techniques for enhancing the cost-effectiveness and reliability of recreational fishing surveys. The attendees included recreational fisheries scientists, managers, a national peak body representative, an international expert, representatives from Deckhand© and a Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC) representative.
The specific objectives of the workshop were to:
1. explore options to improve the precision and cost-effectiveness of recreational fishing surveys;
2. assess whether emerging technologies can be feasibly integrated into future surveys; and
3. identify strategies that positively engage the recreational sector in fisheries science and management.