Recreational fishing fee exemptions

You are required to pay the NSW recreational fishing fee to fish in fresh and salt water in the state unless you are:

1. under the age of 18
2. an adult assisting a person under the age of 18 to take a fish using a single rod or to take prawns using a single dip or scoop net
3. a person fishing in a private dam with a surface area of two hectares or less
4. an Aboriginal person
5. the holder of a:
   • Current Pensioner Concession Card issued by Centrelink
   • Current Pensioner Concession Card issued by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs
   • Department of Veterans’ Affairs Veteran Gold Card printed with ‘TPI’ (Totally and Permanently Incapacitated)
   • Department of Veterans’ Affairs Veteran Gold Card printed with ‘EDA’ (Extreme Disablement Adjustment)
   • Letter or statement from the Department of Veterans’ Affairs stating the person receives a Veterans’ Entitlement Act 1986 (VEA) Disability Compensation Payment (formerly known as a Disability Pension) at the 70% rate or higher, or is eligible for Special Rate Disability Pension (SRDP) under the Military Rehabilitation And Compensation Act 2004 (MRCA).

Please note that Senior's Cards, Health Care Cards and Department of Veterans’ Affairs Veteran White Cards will not exempt you from paying the fishing fee.

Centrelink advises that only the person who signs the Pensioner Concession Card where it reads "Signature of cardholder" is the holder of that card. If an additional person is listed on the card (usually a spouse), this relates to health care benefits and not to other exemptions/concessions available to the card-holder.

There are no forms to fill in.

Just take your signed card with you when you go fishing.

Recreational Fishing Fee Exemption Certificates for Businesses

Charter boats, hire boats and fishing guides

You may not need to pay the recreational fishing licence fee if you are fishing on a charter boat, hire boat or under the supervision of a fishing guide. Please check with the charter/hire boat operator or guide, before you go fishing. If they do not hold a Recreational Fishing Fee Exemption Certificate you will need to pay the NSW recreational fishing licence fee.

• Recreational Fishing Fee Exemption Certificate Application

If you are unsure if you need a NSW recreational fishing fee receipt, please call 1300 550 474.

Tweed concession area

The recreational fishing fee payable is reduced by 50% for fishing in the following waters:

• Tidal waters of the River Tweed, upstream of a line joining the eastern extremities of the Tweed River breakwaters to:
  • Bray Park Wier on the Tweed River
  • Boat Harbour Bridge
  • Numinbah Road on the Rous River
  • Scenic Drive Road on Duroby Creek
  • Scenic Drive Road Bridge on Bilambil Creek
  • Robinson Road Bridge on Cobaki Creek
• River Tweed Breakwaters
• from the rocks and beach north of the Tweed River Breakwaters to the Queensland Border, or
• from the rocks and beach south of the Tweed River Breakwaters to the lighthouse at Fingal Head