Community fishing grants large
The Queensland Community Fishing Grants Program supports activities and projects that enhance recreational fishing experiences and support traditional fishing.
Queenslanders are keen anglers. Fishing is an integral part of the Queensland lifestyle and is also important for tourism - attracting anglers from around Australia and the world.
The Queensland Government also acknowledges the importance of traditional fishing as a significant cultural activity for Aboriginal Peoples and Torres Strait Islanders.
Up to $250,000 of grant funding, was available through an expression of interest process.
Of this funding, $75,000 is set aside for small grants of less than $5,000 for recreational or traditional fishing education activities (such as kids fishing days) or community fishing programs.
The Guideline for Queensland's Recreational Fishing Grant Program outlines how the annual program operates and how funding is allocated. Please note the guideline has been updated for the 2021-22 financial year.
Types of projects funded
To be successful, a project or activity must have met at least one of the following criteria:
| Criteria | Project examples |
|---|---|
| Recreational and/or traditional fishing education | Fishing workshops/clinics, schools education, come and try days, fishing education programs, signs explaining sea country, education about traditional fishing activities. |
| Fish habitat improvement and protection | Remove barriers to fish migration, replanting and protecting river bank vegetation, restoring water flows, fish aggregating devices etc. |
| Monitoring or research provides linkages to, adds value to, or fills information gaps about recreational fishing | Possible projects include; fishing-related social or economic surveys, biology or ecology of popular recreational species, citizen science projects, fish tagging, projects that compliment Fisheries Queensland's Monitoring and Research Plan. |
The Queensland Government is particularly seeking applications that address at least one of these current fishing priorities:
- contributes to the Sustainable Fisheries Strategy target to 'increase satisfaction of recreational fishers'
- supports recreational fishing strategies developed by local government to promote recreational fishing opportunities in the Cairns, Mackay and Rockhampton net-free zones
- improves understanding of, or supports, traditional or cultural fishing activities of Aboriginal peoples or Torres Strait Islanders
- supports community recovery from COVID-19 through non-commercial fishing activities.
Queensland's recreational fishing grant outcomes
Applications for the Recreational Fishing Grant closed at 5pm, Sunday 26 September 2021 and the applicants were notified in February 2022 of their application being successful or unsuccessful.
The successful projects are listed below:
| Project category | Project | Organisation | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recreational and/or traditional fishing education | Dulabed and Malanbarra Yidinji Elders will undertake Cultural camps with youth to educate them in the Cultural ways of managing and utilising Cultural fishing resources to keep People, Country and Culture strong and healthy. | Dulabed And Malanbarra Yidinji Aboriginal Corporation Rntbc | 2021/22 |
| Recreational and/or traditional fishing education | To develop educational materials about freshwater fishing in Surat, including an information brochure and display materials. In addition to this, provide for the purchase of 12 sets of fishing equipment and tackle that will be made available for residents and visitors to borrow through the Surat Library. | Maranoa Regional Council | 2021/22 |
| Recreational and/or traditional fishing education | OneLifeNQ will provide the tools to encourage our local NDIS participants to be included in fishing clinics in the Mackay Region. Mackay has approximately 1600 NDIS participants that we would like to include in our fishing clinics. | Onelife NQ Inc | 2021/22 |
| Recreational and/or traditional fishing education | This project aims to increase visitation and sustainable fishing practices in the Rockhampton region's Net Free Zone through education around the types of species found in the Fitzroy Delta, an overview of our Voluntary Code of Practice and awareness of On Country fishing practices with traditional custodians of the land, the Darumbal people. | Rockhampton Regional Council | 2021/22 |
| Recreational and/or traditional fishing education | The Australian Fishing Trade Association (AFTA) Modern Recreational Fishing - Indigenous Traditional Fishing Cultural Exchange Program develops a stronger understanding and recognition for young people from remote Qld areas in Recreational Fishing whilst promoting positive reconciliation for all Australians. | Australian Fishing Trade Association Incorporated | 2021/22 |
| Recreational and/or traditional fishing education | This project will support the ongoing practice of traditional fishing and preserving sea country culture through storytelling, making tools necessary for survival, spear fishing, hunting for turtle/dugong and sharing the catch accordingly to traditional practice. | Mornington Shire Council | 2021/22 |
| Recreational and/or traditional fishing education | This project is aimed to get kids into recreational fishing and educate them through tutorial clinics and family competition style events. The event is a way for kids to socially interact and promote healthy mental wellbeing as we exit from Covid 19. | Bjelke-petersen Dam Fish Management Committee Inc | 2021/22 |
| Recreational and/or traditional fishing education | Replacement of the equipment that we use in our school fish program. While taking hundreds of school children fishing each year takes quite a toll on the equipment that the children use. Reels get dropped in the salt water, rods get broken, and tackle gets lost. | Mackay Recreational Fishers Alliance Inc | 2021/22 |
| Recreational and/or traditional fishing education | This project will continue work to restore seagrass meadows in a tropical estuary (Mourilyan Harbour), and refine planting methods following successful planting events in 2020 and 2021. | Ozfish Unlimited Limited | 2021/22 |
| Recreational and/or traditional fishing education | Using the new technology of Augmented Reality (AR), to provide an interactive recreational fishing trail that educates recreational anglers (of all ages), supports community recovery post Covid-19, improves awareness of traditional fishing activities of the indigenous, increase satisfaction of recreational anglers and becomes interactive so far as bringing enhanced knowledge of sea country as well as other habitat-related information in an informative and useful manner. | Gladstone Area Promotion Development Limited | 2021/22 |
External funding opportunities in Queensland and across Australia
Several funding opportunities and services exist in Queensland and Australia, which may be suitable for establishing aquaculture facilities. This includes AusIndustry and Advance Queensland programs and funds.
- Advance Queensland programs and funds
Advance Queensland delivers the Queensland Government's vision for the future and invests in a stronger Queensland. This includes programs and funding for entrepreneurs and start-ups and identifying business grants. - Business Queensland
Includes information about how to find grants and apply for grant funding in Queensland - AusIndustry
A service to connect business and investors to information, grants, registrations and support to help businesses succeed in Australia. AusIndustry includes a Grants and programs finder.
More information
Email fisheriesgrants@daf.qld.gov.au or call 13 25 23
