During the summer break, Queensland's waterways come alive with families, friends and solo anglers making the most of the long days and warm weather.
With one in five Queenslanders fishing recreationally, and catching nearly four million fish each year, many would be surprised to know the impact recreational fishers can have on fish populations.
According to fisheries staff, the effect of recreational fishing on fish populations varies by species because some are favourites for recreational fishers and targeted more often, while others are not.
"Thanks to population growth in Queensland and our love for fishing, we have so many more people on the water these days and for some iconic species, the recreational catch now matches or even exceeds the commercial sector catch," said Lucas Sumpter, Department of Primary Industries Fisheries Scientist and keen recreational fisher, based in Cairns.
"It's not just the number of people, but also advances in technology that have increased our fishing efficiency and capacity to impact fish stocks."
This means that people's ability to catch fish has increased and therefore their impact on fish populations.
Principal Fisheries Manager Jeff Ikin added, "It does depend on the fish species, but at times it's recreational fishers who have the biggest impact on fish populations, and this is reflected in harvest strategies. Understanding fishing effort from all sectors is crucial for sustainable management."
Caption: Jeff Ikin
Given the growth of the sector, it's more important than ever for recreational fishers to record each and every catch. This information helps fisheries managers make decisions that balance maintaining fish populations with the economics, enjoyment and traditions of so many.
"Better data equals better modelling, and that leads to better decisions by fisheries managers," said Lucas.
"We can only model the data we have to understand fish populations, so when recreational fishers log their catch, they're directly providing data that improves the science behind the rules. This is their chance to ensure the science incorporates what they see and do out on the water."
Jeff explained, "In the absence of complete information, we have to act cautiously and use the best information available, which can mean tighter restrictions. But when fishers log their trips and catches, especially using the Qld Fishing 2.0 app, we can get a more detailed picture and manage stocks more appropriately. Better data can allow us to relax rules when stocks are healthy."
The app makes it easy for fishers to record their trips and catches and with more data more often, managers can make better decisions.
"We'll continue to use boat ramp surveys to understand fish populations, and the addition of the app can help us gain a more complete image of our fisheries, with data submitted directly by fishers," Jeff said.
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About us:
Your Catch Counts is a pilot funded by the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC) on behalf of the Australian Government. The pilot is part of Project 2023-150 (Normalising voluntary catch reporting on QLD Fishing 2.0 app).
