Managing our fisheries for all

Are you one of the many Canberrans who go fishing in the ACT? Are you concerned about conserving our threatened fish species?

We are reviewing the Fisheries Act 2000, which provides for the sustainable management of fishing in the ACT. The Act promotes the protection and conservation of native fish species and their habitats to ensure high quality and sustainable recreational fishing. It also guides management of commercial fish production and fishing enterprises, fish dealing and live fish transport.

Your comments are helping us understand the community’s needs and expectations when it comes to fisheries management so we can make sure the Act is still relevant and up to date and that it addresses contemporary fisheries management issues.

The discussion paper focused on recreational fishing, sustainable fishing management, cultural fishing and issues about compliance with and enforcement of the Act.

What happens next

Consultation on the discussion paper is now closed. Thank you to everyone who contributed to the discussion during the review of the Fisheries Act 2000.

Following the consultation process, amendments were drafted to the Fisheries Act and other relevant legislation through the Fisheries Legislation Amendment Bill 2019.

The Bill makes a number of amendments to the Fisheries Act 2000 as well as complementary changes to other Acts in order to modernise fisheries legislation to enable better fisheries management in the ACT.

These changes include:

  • Increased protection for important aquatic habitats
  • Prohibiting use of certain types of fishing gear, including increased penalties for use of this gear
  • Better alignment with NSW in recreational fishing rules and management of fish trade, and
  • Provision to develop a plan for management of cultural resources by Aboriginal people under the Nature Conservation Act.

Some of the changes will happen straight away, but many (particularly those relating to recreational fishing rules) will come into effect through legislative instruments over the next 6 months. Further information about these changes will be made available on this page.