Recreational and cultural fishing

Research focus

This program leads research on recreational and cultural fisheries for the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI), providing science and research in support of the DPI strategic priorities Assess and monitor natural resource health for sustainability and Improve the quality of the natural resource base. The program achieves this through research and monitoring targeted across several areas:

1. Development, implementation and monitoring of fisheries enhancement within NSW, including fish stocking, artificial reefs and habitat repair;
2. Research and monitoring of catch, effort, behaviour, and social and economic impacts of recreational fisheries (under the Recreational Fisheries Monitoring Program);
3. Research on cultural fishing within NSW
4. Research on the fisheries ecology of important recreationally targeted species
5. Ongoing resource assessment for important recreationally targeted species.

Current projects

Recreational Fisheries Monitoring Program

The Recreational Fisheries Monitoring Program conducts an ongoing biennial off-site survey of recreational fishing within NSW, and an ongoing observer program for charter fishing in NSW. This project is funded by the NSW Recreational Fishing Saltwater Trust. Project lead: Jeff Murphy

Science-based sustainable and productive fisheries enhancement in NSW

The project provides the required monitoring and scientific evidence to support the stocking of new species and optimise release strategies to maximise the benefits of stocking for NSW anglers. The project team works closely with fisheries managers to oversee the sustainable execution and expansion of the marine stocking program, enhancing stocks of a spectrum of key recreational species. This project is funded by the NSW Recreational Fishing Saltwater Trust. Project lead: Alistair Becker

Research to support improved science-based decision making for Estuary Cockle

This research project is addressing critical knowledge gaps that currently hamper management of Estuary Cockle harvest across commercial, recreational and cultural fishing sectors within NSW. This includes defining stock structure, quantifying basic population processes, and quantifying the influence of environmental and oceanographic variability on populations. This project is jointly funded by the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation and the NSW Recreational Fishing Saltwater Trust. Project lead: Matt Taylor

Informing adaptive management of portunid fisheries in New South Wales

This research project is conducting a long-term fishery independent survey to quantify how biological and environmental processes affect the distribution and abundance of Blue Swimmer Crab and Giant Mud Crab, to inform future management arrangements for the species. This project is jointly funded by the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation and the NSW Recreational Fishing Saltwater Trust. Project lead: Matt Taylor

Assessment of cultural fishing

This project aims to test the suitability and utility of the existing telephone/diary/online surveys methodologies employed to survey recreational fishers, for collection of catch and effort data attributable to cultural fishing at a local level. The project also aims to collect attitudinal information on motivations, aspirations and perceptions related to cultural fishing.  This project is funded through the Marine Estate Management Strategy. Project lead: Faith Doyle

Key publications

To view recent and historic publications within this program, please visit the scientist’s webpages below:

1. Dr Matt Taylor, Principal Research Scientist, and Program Leader for Recreational and Cultural Fishing
2. Mr Jeff Murphy, Project Coordinator, Recreational Fisheries Monitoring Program;
3. Dr Julian Hughes, Senior Research Scientist;
4. Dr Alistair Becker, Research Scientist;
5. Dr Faith Doyle, Research Scientist