The Greater Sydney Region covers a large area, stretching from the Newcastle area southwards to the Illawarra area. This region contains the three largest cities in New South Wales and a great number of the state’s recreational fishers. Recreational fishing surveys are being done at a variety of locations within the Greater Sydney Region, starting in March 2007 and continuing for a two year period. Within this region, recreational fishing in the Hawkesbury River estuary and the Port Hacking estuary are being extensively surveyed. Coastal marine fishing is being surveyed in the Central Coast area (Norah Head and Terrigal Haven), the Sydney area (offshore from Broken Bay, Long Reef, Port Jackson, Botany Bay, and Port Hacking) and the Illawarra area (Bellambi, Port Kembla and Shellharbour).

The survey handouts are intended to provide feedback to the thousands of recreational fishers who have cooperated in the surveys. The survey handouts have been customised to provide information for each of the survey sites thereby satisfying local interests. The information provided on the handouts includes a summary of the number of fishing parties interviewed and their associated catches during the first year of the study for each survey site. A list of the ten most commonly retained species (by number) and the total number of species recorded in catches is given. Information on total oceanic catches is included in the handouts for the direct ocean access sites (i.e. Shellharbour, Port Kembla, Bellambi, Long Reef, Terrigal and Norah Head) to provide a relevant comparison for local results. The handouts that summarise the results from the surveys in the Hawkesbury River estuary and the Port Hacking estuary have similar formats. These handouts contain a summary of the local estuarine survey work and a summary of the local oceanic catches made outside the estuary.

Summary of observed catches of anglers and spearfishers

• Bellambi  37.9 kb
  
• Hawkesbury  37.8 kb
  
• Long Reef  37.9 kb
  
• Norah Head  37.8 kb
  
• Port Hacking  43.0 kb
  
• Port Kembla  38.1 kb
  
• Shellharbour  38.1 kb
  
• Terrigal  38.1 kb