Charter fishing in NSW

A licence is required to undertake charter fishing activity in marine and estuarine waters in NSW. Charter fishing licences are issued and managed by NSW DPI to help ensure that the States fisheries resource are harvested in a sustainable manner whilst also providing industry stability and economic benefits to the people of NSW. A licence is not required to operate a charter fishing boat in inland (freshwater) waters in NSW.

Charter fishing boat operators are required to adhere to strict licence conditions, including making and submitting records of catches and meeting Australia Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) standards. Serious penalties apply under both the Fisheries Management Act 1994 and the Marine Safety Act 1998 to persons conducting charter fishing operations without a licence.

Go charter fishing in NSW

Whether you’re an experienced angler or new to fishing, accessing local knowledge and using the right bait and tackle can make all the difference. The best way to do this is to book a charter fishing trip using the Go Charter Fishing in NSW webpage. Charter fishing businesses authorised by NSW DPI operate out of most NSW coastal ports.

Further information

• Fact Sheet - Changes to Charter Fishing Licensing Arrangements - January 2023 (PDF, 303.4 KB)
  
• Information on charter fishing licensing arrangements
• Starting a new charter fishing business
• NSW Charter Fishing Business Licence Administration Guide February 2023 (PDF, 419.1 KB)
  
• Records of Catch and Effort
• NSW Charter Fishing Code of Practice (PDF, 735.7 KB)
  
• Charter Fishing New South Wales Working Group
• Go Charter Fishing in NSW
• Form CB2 - Application to transfer a NSW charter fishing business (PDF, 116.6 KB)
  
• Application for NSW Recreational Fishing Fee Exemption Certificate
  
• An economic survey of the recreational fishing charter boat industry in NSW (PDF, 661.0 KB)
  
• Freshwater Fishing Charters and Guided Shore-Based Fishing in NSW

To find out more about the charter fishing boat licence, call the NSW DPI Licensing section on 1300 720 662 or email charter.fishing@dpi.nsw.gov.au.