Developmental Commercial Fisheries

From time to time individuals and groups express an interest in exploring opportunities to harvest fisheries resources they perceive to be under-utilised in NSW waters, or using unique fishing methods not authorised under the State's existing Fisheries Management Strategies.

Any decision to authorise the exploitation of under-utilised fisheries resources or the use of new methods requires an assessment of the likely environmental, social and economic impacts.

In some instances the department may determine that a particular developmental fishery is likely to bring considerable benefit to the State and therefore warrants the investment of departmental (or other) public resources. In these instances the department has the option of carrying out the environmental assessment and taking the project through to the approval stage and then offering entitlements to participate in the fishery by public tender.

Applications for Developmental Commercial Fishing Activities

No new applications for developmental commercial fishing activities are currently being accepted.