Community fishing grants
The Queensland Community Fishing Grants Program supports activities and projects that:
- improve recreational fishing experiences
- support traditional fishing.
Recreational 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 acknowledges the importance of traditional fishing as a significant cultural activity for Aboriginal Peoples and Torres Strait Islanders.
The Guideline for Queensland's Recreational Fishing Grant Program (PDF, 403KB) outlines how the annual program operates and how funding is allocated.
Funding allocation
Up to $250,000 of grant funding was available through an expression-of-interest process.
Of this funding, $75,000 was 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.
Applications for the 2023 funding closed in December 2022, and the applicants were notified in March 2023 whether or not their application had been successful.
We were particularly seeking applications that addressed at least 1 of these priorities:
- contribute to the Sustainable Fisheries Strategy target to 'increase satisfaction of recreational fishers'
- support recreational fishing strategies developed by local government to promote recreational fishing opportunities in the Cairns, Mackay and Rockhampton net-free zones
- improve understanding of, or supports, traditional or cultural fishing activities of Aboriginal peoples or Torres Strait Islanders
- support community recovery from COVID-19 through non-commercial fishing activities.
Eligibility criteria
Projects must fall into at least one of the following categories.
Recreational and/or traditional fishing education
Fishing workshops/clinics, school education, come-and-try days, fishing education programs, signs explaining sea country, education about traditional fishing activities.
Fish habitat improvement and protection
Removing barriers to fish migration, replanting and protecting riverbank 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.
How to apply
Use our online form to apply for the commercial and charter grants. You will need to:
Submissions open Friday 1 December 2023 and close midnight Sunday 11 February 2024.
Applicants will be notified by March 2024 if their application is successful or unsuccessful.
Find other grants
Several funding opportunities and services exist in Queensland and across Australia, including:
- Advance Queensland programs and funds—delivers the Queensland Government's vision for the future and invests in a stronger Queensland, including programs and funding for entrepreneurs and startups and identifying business grants.
- Business Queensland—includes information about how to find grants and apply for grant funding in Queensland.
- AusIndustry—connects businesses and investors to information, grants, registrations and support to help businesses succeed in Australia, including a grants and programs finder.
More information
Email fisheriesgrants@daf.qld.gov.au or call 13 25 23.