NSW Department of Primary Industries

Education and
Promotion

A range of projects receive funding from the Recreational
Fishing Trusts each year to promote awareness and
stewardship of our aquatic resources.

Priority Area Snapshot

350

Fishcare community events undertaken

31
workshops

Free fishing workshops held across NSW involving some 450 children and parents

81
schools

Registered to Get Hooked… It’s Fun to Fish schools education program

Fishcare

Fishcare is one of the flagship programs of the Recreational Fishing Trusts and uses a network of six dedicated education officers and 180 motivated Fishcare volunteers across NSW to provide face-to-face and hands-on education to anglers on the ground and promote responsible and sustainable fishing. Fishcare also plays a key role in the Get Hooked…it’s Fun to Fish and fishing workshop programs. The mission is to educate fishers and encourage fishing stewards that champion responsible fishing and a sustainable, secure fishing future.

Key Achievements:

  • 350 events undertaken, which involved 11,000 people
  • 5,000 families participated in Come Fish with Us events, supported by Fishcare volunteers
  • Distribution of Clean for Life kits to Fishcare litter legends who spent 47 days cleaning up popular local fishing spots
  • purchase of two new education trailers, to help promote the program.

Come Fish with Us

Our Come Fish with Us events teach adults and children how to fish in a responsible and sustainable way, with our mission being to create the fishing stewards and champions of tomorrow. The program provides an enjoyable experience that aims to teach the basics of fishing to new entrants, giving them the skills to continue in the sport for life.

Key Achievements:

  • More than 4,000 people participated in Come Fish with Us events, assisted by dedicated Fishcare volunteers
  • 31 free workshops held across NSW involving around 450 children and parents.

Get Hooked… It’s Fun to Fish

The Get Hooked… It’s Fun to Fish program introduces students to fishing and teaches the basics about sustaining aquatic habitats by practicing safe and responsible recreational fishing. The program provides in-class lessons and practical outdoor fishing workshops that are aligned to the Australian Curriculum and meet syllabus outcomes across all key learning areas.

Key Achievements:

  • 81 schools registered with 1,100 students
  • more than 310 students participated in fishing workshops and in-class fishing activities
  • expansion of the program into secondary schools is underway.

Gone Fishing Day

Gone Fishing Day celebrates our love of fishing and encourages everyone to get out on the water. It doesn't matter if you haven't fished before or if you're the keenest of anglers, Gone Fishing Day is for everyone. Funding grants and fishing packages are provided to fishing clubs to hold events and the DPI Fishcare Program team visited locations across the state to promote the joys of fishing.

Key Achievements:

  • 13 fishing clubs and organisations successfully applied for Gone Fishing Day grants to host their own events
  • 19 additional clubs and organisations were successful in applying for Gone Fishing Day fishing packages to assist with running their own events.

ACT Fly Fishers’ Casting for Recovery program

The Casting for Recovery program seeks to enhance the quality of life for women recovering from breast cancer treatment through the sport of fly fishing. Provided by the ACT Fly Fishers, this project offers free fly fishing retreats at NSW waterways, including one-on-one tuition, weekend accommodation and care for women who have breast cancer.

Key Achievements:

  • participation by 9 women with breast cancer in the three-day retreat held during March 2022.

Let’s Go Fishing

The Let’s Go Fishing schools program aims to provide NSW schools with fishing gear and facilitate quality education on recreational fishing. The program is delivered by the Australian Fishing Trade Association in partnership with the Marine Teachers Association.

Key Achievements:

  • expansion of the program to include 42 new schools in NSW, while providing top-up fishing kits to pre-existing schools involved in the program
  • commencement of the development of an intermediate level, 6 part video series for schools. The series will be delivered later in 2022.

2021-22 Annual Report

Income and expenditure from the Trusts are subject to an annual audit and regular announcements are made about licence fee expenditure. DPI also carries out periodic surveys of recreational fishing licence holders to ensure that the broad funding priorities are in line with angler expectations.

Download the 2021-22 Annual Report

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www.dpi.nsw.gov.au