May 4, 2022
The Australian Recreational Fishing Foundation (ARFF) is the Australian peak body representing Australia’s 5-million recreational fishers at the national level. More than $10 billion is spent on going fishing every year, making recreational fishing one of the most popular outdoor leisure activities in the country.
Ahead of the upcoming federal election, ARFF have released their $100 million election platform to make recreational fishing better for Australians. Supported by ARFF’s members, their election platform aims to increase the social, environmental and economic benefits of recreational fishing in Australia as well as protecting and enhancing our aquatic environments.
The federal election can have an impact on our Victorian recreational fishing experiences as the federal government are responsible for the Commonwealth fisheries and marine parks, international fishery management arrangements and nation-wide environmental policies.
Recreational fishers can be significantly impacted by Government policy as a large aquatic stakeholder group. The foundation ARFF’s election package is to form a true partnership between the next Federal Government and the recreational fishing community to implement the proposed initiatives.
ARFF have proposed a range of initiatives including:
- A community grants program targeted at recreational fishing clubs and organisations
- A national recreational fishing safety program
- Expansion of the Tuna Champions program
- Improving access for land-based fishers through creating new locations and restoring existing locations
- 20 new artificial reefs around Australia
- A national FADs program in Commonwealth waters
- Building capacity within the recreational fishing community to participate in citizen science and a fish habitat restoration program.
ARFF’s members include all state and territory recreational fishing peak bodies, representative bodies and other organisations within the recreational fishing sector.
