Recreational Fishing Management Strategy & Environment Assessment of Recreational Fishing

Developing a Recreational Fishing Management Strategy for Recreational Fishing in NSW guided by an Environmental Assessment

Why carry out an environmental assessment?

Many fisheries and fisheries based activities in NSW have been subject to an environmental assessment (EA) process which has then guided development of a fishery management strategy. It has also enabled a focus on ensuring that fishing activities are ecologically sustainable and provided a strategy to address and manage activities that present risk and impact on the aquatic environment.

Some recreational fishing associated activities such as fish stocking and installation of artificial reefs have already been subject to environmental assessment. While there are long established management policies, and a regulatory framework to manage the fishery consistent with the objects of the Fisheries Management Act (1994), the recreational fishery in NSW has not been subject to a specific environmental assessment process nor has an overall strategy been developed.  While the NSW recreational fishery is managed in accordance with the objects of the Fisheries Management Act (1994), the recreational fishery itself is not a designated fishing activity and therefore has not been subject to legislated EA process.

This project aims to take a proactive approach and address this by undertaking an EA to facilitate development of a recreational fishing management strategy (RFMS) to ensure the recreational fishery continues to operate to conserve fish stocks and provide quality recreational fishing opportunities now and into the future.

The term 'environmental' includes biological, cultural, social and economic aspects. The EA will be informed by the best available scientific information and will consider the impacts of recreational fishing on target species, by-catch and protected species, fish habitat and the broader ecosystem, as well as the impacts on the community’s cultural, social and economic values of the environment.

What will a Recreational Fishing Management Strategy do?

A RFMS will be developed to set out an appropriate management framework and regime to address and mitigate the key threats and risks identified in the EA.

The RFMS will include:

• management goals and objectives
• strategies for achieving the objectives (including the fishing or activity controls)
• monitoring programs that apply to the fishery.

Development of a recreational fishing management strategy will provide better transparency and understanding of fisheries management approaches in NSW which will help ensure improved stewardship of our fisheries resources by the recreational fishing sector.

How will the EA and RFMS be completed?

The EA and RFMS will be completed in two key stages based on NSW’ saltwater and freshwater recreational fisheries. Stage 1 will involve an assessment of the saltwater fishery, taking account and building on the existing findings from the Marine Estate Statewide Threat and Risk Assessment (TARA). It will involve finer scale review of recreational fishing methods and techniques, as well as an additional assessment process for the offshore fishery. Stage 2 will involve an assessment of the freshwater fishery using a similar risk assessment framework used for the saltwater fishery.

Progress to date

Saltwater assessment

The assessment process has identified and assessed threats and their associated risks to environmental assets and social and economic benefits of the NSW marine environment. Evidence was gathered through detailed literature searches and expert input from external workshop sessions. These workshops determined the risk ratings of the identified threats and included government agencies, independent experts, and relevant recreational fishing stakeholders including the Recreational Fishing NSW Advisory Council (RFNSW).

Threats and risks were assessed at a regional scale. The three regions were as follows:

• North region (NSW-QLD border/ Tweed Heads to Stockton)
• Central region (Newcastle to Shellharbour)
• South region (Shellharbour to NSW-VIC border)

Environmental assessment

This has assessed the impacts of recreational fishing to the key natural attributes of the saltwater environment – the water, habitat types and organisms in estuaries, coastal environments and offshore waters in NSW.

Key threats were identified across the three environments (Estuary, coastal, and offshore). These included:

• Catch (on fish assemblages & protected species)
• Physical disturbance (on protected species)
• Marine debris and pollution (on various habitats and protected species)
• Pests and diseases (on fish assemblages).

Social and Economic Assessment

This has assessed the impacts of recreational fishing on the key benefits that the community derives from the marine environment in NSW.

Key threats identified included:

• Environmental – Pests & diseases, water pollution & marine debris, wildlife disturbance and reductions in abundance of species
• Governance - Inadequate regulation of recreational fishing and lack of compliance with regulations by users
• Resource use – Unsafe practices, conflict over access and use, overcrowding/congestion and loss or decline of marine industries.

Cultural Assessment

This has assessed the impacts of recreational fishing on Aboriginal cultural heritage and use of the marine environment in NSW.

Key threats identified included:

• Environmental – Marine debris & water pollution, wildlife disturbance, reductions in abundance of species and pests & diseases
• Governance - Inadequate/ inappropriate regulation or over-regulation of Aboriginal cultural fishing, lack of or ineffective community engagement, lack of recreational fisher awareness of the marine estate and lack of compliance with regulations by recreational fishers
• Resource use conflict – Excessive or illegal extraction, conflict over access and use, antisocial behaviour and unsafe practices, overcrowding/congestion and loss or decline of marine industries
• Critical knowledge gaps - Inadequate information about how recreational fishing may impact  Aboriginal cultural heritage, connection and use of the marine environment.

Assessment Reports

Detail on the technical assessment reports, including the assessment process, the evidence gathered, and all the threats assessed can be found below:

• Environmental assessment (saltwater) - Background Report
• Assessment of the environmental impacts of recreational fishing in NSW (saltwater) - Workshop report and risk scores
• Assessment of the social and economic impacts of recreational fishing on other user groups in NSW (saltwater)
• Assessment of the impacts of recreational fishing on Aboriginal cultural heritage and use of the marine environment in NSW – background report
• Assessment of the impacts of recreational fishing on Aboriginal cultural heritage and use of the marine environment in NSW – expert review, stakeholder engagement and risk scores

What’s next – Have Your Say

On completion of the three assessment components, the RFMS will be prepared to develop the appropriate management responses to address the key threats identified through the assessment process.

This will provide the opportunity for broad stakeholder consultation and for the community to have their say in the way DPI responds to the key threats from recreational fishing. Consultation will occur with RFNSW and other advisory groups before the draft document will be shared with the wider community for input.

Further information

If you require further information regarding the development of the RFMS for recreational fishing in NSW, please contact rec.rfms@dpi.nsw.gov.au.