Kennelly, S.J. and Turnell, P.J., 2011. Science-based collaboration in recreational fisheries management in New South Wales, Australia. Presentation given at the 6th World Recreational Fishing Conference, 1 – 4 August 2011, Humboldt-University, Berlin, Germany.

Summary

New South Wales has Australia’s largest recreational fisheries, involving over 1 million people and valued at over $500 million. All recreational fishers (except aboriginal people, pensioners and children under 18 years) are required to pay a licence fee (for 3 days – $6, 1 month – $12, 1 year – $30 and 3 years – $75) which generates over $13 million per year, which is spent on enhancement, education, compliance, habitat restoration and research programs.

All programs are underpinned by extensive research before, during and after to ensure that all work is scientifically based. At key steps of the process, scientists and fisheries managers liaise and together discuss ways to design projects and implement the findings. This is an example of a very large, sophisticated and diverse recreational fishery that is managed at very high standards, made possible by the significant input of solid science and quite modest individual licence fees.