Recreational fishing

Fishing with sunset

NSW is renowned for having some of the best fishing locations of anywhere in the country and recreational fishing is enjoyed by one million anglers every year.

The NSW recreational fishing industry is extremely valuable to our coastal and inland communities and generates about $3.4 billion of economic activity into the NSW economy each year. The industry  also creates the equivalent of about 14,000 fulltime jobs.

When fishing in NSW waters, both freshwater and saltwater, you are required by law to pay the NSW Recreational Fishing Fee.

All money raised by the NSW Recreational Fishing Fee is placed into the Recreational Fishing Trusts and spent on a wide range of salt and fresh water projects that directly benefit the recreational fishing sector.

In this section