What's the Catch - Recreational Fishing Survey
Over 2000 Tasmanian households were surveyed in late 2022 by the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies to see if they fished recreationally. Approximately 460 of these households (almost 1,300 people) then provided details of their fishing activities over the following 12 months.
Results in a snapshot
What's the catch
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| Angling for Information
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You can view the full report here.
Who fishes?
- Almost one in four Tasmanians or 130,500 people went fishing at least once in 2022. They fished an average of 5 days per year.
- The highest number of fishers were aged 45-59 years old, but participation rate was highest in fishers aged 5-14 years old with one in three people in this age group fishing at least once per year.
- Twice as many males (86,000) as females (44,500) went fishing.
Where is fishing happening?
- Almost 81% of all fishing effort occurred in saltwater, with the rest being in freshwater.
- 61% of sea fishing is boat-based and 39% is shore-based.
- Nearly three-quarters of all fish are caught off the south east (50%) and east coasts (23%).
What’s the sea fishing catch?
Most popular fish - Flathead
Flathead remains the most popular recreational fish by both number of fish caught and number of fish kept.
- 1.08 million flathead are caught each year, accounting for 50% of total finfish catch.
- 95% of flathead catch is sand flathead, 3% is tiger flathead and the remaining 2% is unspecified flathead (bluespotted, rock or unidentified flathead)
- Of 1.02 million sand flathead caught, 63% were released. The majority of fish were released because they were under the legal minimum size.
- Nearly 80% of sand flathead catch is from the south east (57%) and east coast (22%)
Other popular species
Other commonly caught species include Australian salmon (183,000), gurnard (111,000), King George whiting (52,000) and sharks (47,000).
The top 5 most commonly kept species were:
- Sand flathead (381,000 kept)
- Australian salmon (92,000 kept)
- Calamari (38,000 kept)
- Tiger flathead (30,000 kept)
- Goulds squid (29,000 kept)
|
Species |
Caught |
Kept |
Released |
|
Sand flathead | 1,024,000
| 381,000
| 643,000 (63%)
|
Australian salmon
| 183,000
| 92,000
| 91,000 (50%)
|
Gurnard
| 111,000
| 23,000
| 87,000 (79%)
|
King George whiting
| 52,000
| 26,000
| 26,000 (50%)
|
Sharks
| 47,000
| 10,000
| 37,000 (79%)
|
Calamari
| 39,000
| 38,000
| 1,000 (3%)
|
Wrasse
| 35,000
| 5,000
| 30,000 (35%)
|
Barracouta
| 32,000
| 19,000
| 13,000 (41%)
|
Goulds squid
| 31,000
| 29,000
| 1,000 (7%)
|
Tiger flathead
| 30,000
| 20,000
| 10,000 (34%)
|
Bream
| 29,000
| 8,000
| 21,000 (72%)
|
Other flathead
| 28,000
| 13,000
| 15,000 (53%)
|
Tuna
| 28,000
| 12,000
| 16,000 (57%)
|
Leatherjacket
| 20,000
| 4,000
| 17,000 (82%)
|
| Mackerel | 19,000 | 17,000 | 2,000 (10%)
|
Mullet
| 18,000
| 8,000
| 10,000 (55%)
|
Jackass morwong
| 16,000
| 10,000
| 6,000 (37%)
|
|
|
|
Please note, all values have been rounded to the nearest 1,000. Freshwater species are not included in this table.
How are the survey results used?
The survey findings allow us to better understand recreational fisheries, and the information is used in stock assessments that help us sustainably manage Tasmania's fisheries.
Recreational Rock Lobster Catch App Trial
During the 2021/22 and 2022/23 rock lobster seasons, recreational rock lobster fishers had the opportunity to voluntarily log their catch in an app. The
research trial aimed to test the potential of an app for recreational catch reporting.
Feedback from the trial has informed the design of the of the
Fishing Tas app, which fishers must use to
report their rock lobster catch as part of reporting requirements.
Recreational Scallop Fishery Survey 2024
IMAS conducted surveys of the D'Entrecasteaux Channel (DEC) during March 2024. The survey covered 76 sites throughout the DEC including 22 long term sites and 10 sites identified by recreational fishers. The surveys were conducted using towed cameras, whereas previous surveys have been conducted by divers.
Relatively low densities of scallops were observed at 76 sites across the northern, middle, and southern regions of the DEC, with a greater than two-fold decline in total scallop density between 2022 and 2024 at sample sites assessed in both years. From the survey, the dominance of legal-sized scallops (> 100 mm) suggests that recruitment continues to be limited. The scallop population in the DEC is heavily reliant on self-recruitment. Therefore, further rebuilding of adult stocks is important before considering reopening the fishery.
The report concluded opening the DEC for recreational scallop fishing would risk further depletion of adult stocks. Even if favourable settlement and recruitment occurs, it will take several years for scallops to reach legal size and maturity. Therefore, recreational scallop fishing closures in the DEC should remain in place to protect the remaining population.
The next survey will likely take place in 2026. Read more about why the Channel will remain closed, or view the full report here.
Recreational Rock Lobster and Abalone: 2023-24 Catch Estimates
The Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS) surveys a proportion of recreational rock lobster and abalone fishers annually including estimates of catch, days fished, and social information including stock status perceptions, fishing quality and management.
The survey uses the phone/diary method, where participants are contacted by phone then issued a diary to record their fishing details. They are contacted throughout the season by an interviewer who records their fishing details. This methodology has historically the most cost-effective way of accurately estimating catch.
App-based catch reporting offers a new way to more quickly and cost-effectively estimate recreational rock lobster catch, and will be an important tool in the catch estimate and stock assessment tool-kit going forward.
Read the report on the Tasmanian Recreational Rock Lobster and Abalone Fisheries.
Information Paper - Recreational Catch Tags
In 2016, NRE Tas undertook a comprehensive assessment of catch tags, including a cost benefit analysis and how catch tags are used in other jurisdictions both in Australia and overseas.
The assessment found that catch tags would be:
- costly to implement and administer and;
- unlikely to constrain the recreational rock lobster catch in the Eastern Region.
Read the 2016 report.
Other Recreational Fishing Research
Licensing Evaluation for Tasmanian Recreational Fishing 2013
Historical Baselines for Key Fish Stocks in Tasmania 2013