Outcome 3: fishing opportunities for everyone

Read about outcome 3 strategies and actions of the Northern Territory (NT) recreational fishing development plan 2023 to 2033.

Strategies and actions

Grow awareness and recognition of the importance of fishing opportunities and experiences for everyone

• Undertake promotion and education around the importance of fishing opportunities for everyone and the behaviours required, using existing communication channels and resources. Focus areas include, best practice fishing behaviours, shark depredation mitigation, respectful behaviours to other fishers and the community, and the need for a variety of recreational fishing infrastructure and services.

Raise community awareness of the recreational fishing opportunities and experiences available across the Territory

• Develop a web portal to connect more people with fishing opportunities and experiences in the NT.
• Update and print a land-based fishing guide for Darwin.

Facilitate the infrastructure and facilities required to support a growing recreational fishing sector and ensure fishing opportunities for everyone

• Progress cross-agency investigation on the design and installation of essential boat ramp upgrades and land based fishing access, including:
  • all-abilities access at Dinah Beach, Shady Camp and Corroboree (noting that such a facility has already been committed to at Dundee)
  • CCTV at Middle Arm boat ramp and Saltwater Arm boat ramp
  • CCTV and lighting at Shady Camp
  • feasibility of pontoons at priority ramps
  • land-based infrastructure opportunities at East Point
  • continue to progress Dundee siltation mitigation, land-based fishing infrastructure and upgrade carpark
  • continue to explore land-based fishing opportunities at other locations in the Darwin region.
• Develop and implement a longer term recreational fishing infrastructure plan focusing on new longer term priority infrastructure development, improvement and maintenance. Focal areas include:
  • Support for land-based access for kids and mobility impaired, all-abilities facilities at all public boat ramps, safe boat launch and retrieval (tidal, night launch and security), toilets, shade, camping, as well as wash down and filleting facilities.
  • Prioritising exploration of land-based fishing options at Channel Point, Buffalo Creek and Deck Chair Cinema/lower esplanade.
  • Further engagement with stakeholders on the maintenance and future development of boat ramp access to the mouth of Darwin Harbour
  • Engagement in regional Traditional Owner negotiation processes to identify key infrastructure needs in the regions and identify how this might support access outcomes.
  • Ensuring recreational fishing infrastructure considerations are integrated into any new developments along waterbodies.

Facilitate expansion of artificial fish habitats and fish attracting devices to increase fishing opportunities in the Darwin region

• Develop and implement a new artificial reef network program and supporting artificial fish habitat policy’ to:
  • update constraints/site selection mapping with proximity to boat ramps weighted as significantly more important, so that new reef networks are as close to Darwin boat ramps as allowable
  • provide guidance around the use of selected repurposed materials and the augmentation of existing artificial reefs and habitats, and potentially links to circular economy strategies
  • explore fish aggregating devices (FAD) opportunities focusing on previous FAD issues, gear and design options, location options, research and monitoring possibilities, and possibilities to help shift fishing pressure away from at risk demersal species
  • commence a trial FAD with involvement of the community and other organisations
  • expand on existing artificial reefs, facilitating new fish habitats around the Darwin region
  • establish a research and monitoring program
  • ensure scalability and staged investment.

Facilitate recreational fishing opportunities through fish stocking activities

• Trial Barramundi stocking at:
  • Bundilla Lagoon
  • McMinns Lagoon
  • Rum Jungle.
• Develop and implement NT fish stocking program and supporting fish stocking policy to identify priority stocking objectives and locations, create site-specific stocking strategies to meet objectives, and inform priority aquaculture infrastructure needs. This includes focusing on priority closed water bodies, and exploration of stocking in open systems (such as Darwin Harbour).

Maximise safe and responsible behaviours and compliance with relevant legislation to build on community acceptance and support

• Develop and promote codes of best practice, including:
  • NT code of best practice for recreational fishing
  • NT code of best practice for fishing guides.
• Develop and implement a recreational fishing safety, compliance and enforcement plan focusing on supporting high levels of voluntary compliance with fisheries, safety, access and other relevant legislation.

Investigate how to mitigate interactions between recreational fishers and sharks to improve recreational fishing experiences

• Participate in national initiatives around solutions to reduce unwanted fisher interactions with sharks.

Develop long term planning for the Darwin region to maximise fishing opportunities in areas of high resource use

• Develop and implement a Darwin region recreational fishing strategy focusing on maintaining and creating high quality and accessible fishing opportunities available in close proximity to the Territory’s highest population centre in a way that coordinates other actions in the recreational fishing development plan, in light of potential development, population change, and climate change. The strategy should also include a component about supporting recreational fishing industry and tourism growth in the Darwin region.

Invest in development and tourism opportunities and benefits created by recreational fishing across the Territory

• Develop and implement a regional recreational fishing development and tourism strategy focusing on maintaining and creating recreational fishing industry and tourism opportunities and experiences across regional and Aboriginal areas and communities.
  
  Priorities include:
  • support for partnerships with Aboriginal people and communities wanting to enter the fishing tourism sector
  • review of existing and required facilities that support recreational fishing experiences, such as lodges, camping, tours and self-drive
  • ensuring sufficient capacity to drive this strategy.
• Develop and implement a fishing tour operator plan to engage the sector to evaluate and identify enhancement opportunities, develop more innovative management particularly in areas of high competition for the same resources, and maximise coordination of fishing tour operator objectives across fisheries management frameworks.