The linkage between high quality, functional ecosystems and valuable recreational fisheries is generally well understood - particularly by recreational fishers. The affinity that many anglers have with aquatic environs, mean many have experienced the impacts that habitat degradation, water quality decline, alien species incursion, historical overfishing, barriers to fish migration and spread of disease can have on fish stocks. The recreational sector recognise the need to monitor, conserve and rehabilitate natural systems, and have expanded their historical emphasis on stocking in recent years, to include activities such as re-snagging, fishway construction, alien fish species control, litter removal, fish rescue from drought impacted areas, and technology enhancement to minimise environmental impacts, including development of biodegradable and toxin-free fishing tackle. Such initiatives have been funded through a variety of means including fishing licences, fishing club raffles, government grants, and through creation of partnerships. Whilst cumulatively beneficial, the disparate nature of many of these initiatives, and lack of a process through which relevant information can be captured and broadly communicated, means that much of this incredibly valuable work is relatively unknown. This can result in reduced efficiency through duplication of R&D or perpetuation of sub-optimal methodologies, which may hinder outcomes achieved. Possibly most importantly however, it can also mean that the good work undertaken by the recreational community is not well understood by the broader community.

There is a need to examine and compile information relating to conservation initiatives undertaken, funded or supported by the recreational sector, to enable them to communicate (both internally and externally), the good work that is being done, and level of success achieved. This will facilitate knowledge exchange, and provide a valuable tool when communicating the level of environmental custodianship displayed by recreational fishers to environmental groups and the broader community.

Participants at a national workshop on recreational fishing in 2005 identified a need for increased investment in RD&E addressing national priorities for the recreational sector, and maximisation of benefits flowing from that investment. Recfishing Research was established to address this need.

Since then Recfishing Research has provided leadership in identifying and dealing with relevant national RD&E priorities, and communicating results to end-users. Achievements to date include:

-maintaining and communicating an annual business plan articulating national priorities for the recreational sector;
-delivering workshops and conferences to develop consensus on priorities for specific issues;
-guiding the development and delivery of projects responding to national priorities (e.g. improvement of fisheries statistics, understanding sector value, projects under the Recreational Fishing Industry Development Strategy);
-development and distribution of extension products (articles, websites, podcasts, brochures etc) to increase awareness of R&D findings.

And there is still much to do. Delegates at the National Recreational Fishing Conference in 2012 reaffirmed the need to deal with national issues including confirming social/economic benefits associated with fishing, improving sectoral leadership capacity, and greater collaboration to communicate the needs of the recreational sector to external parties. The need to enhance fishing outcomes through improved fish habitat was also recognised, as was the challenge of developing an agreed method for funding these and other national priorities for the sector. RD&E aspects associated with the above-mentioned issues, and other national priorities identified by the sector will be progressed in this project. Opportunities for evolution in the delivery of Recfishing Research's functions will also be explored to maximise benefit to the recreational sector and other key stakeholders.