How popular is fishing?
The last statewide survey estimated that approximately 943,000 Queenslanders recalled going recreational fishing in 2019. About 19% of Queenslanders aged over five ‘go fishing’ recreationally, with 27% of fishers aged between 30 and 44 years old, and 26% aged between 5-14 years old. While most recreational fishers live in South East Queensland, fishing’s popularity increases as you head further north. In 2019, males represented 64% of fishers, with females the remaining 36%.
In 2019, recreational fishers harvested approximately 3.7 million fish and released another 6.3 million.
During 2019-20, recreational fishers living in Queensland spent approximately $630 million on fishing-related expenses, contributing a substantial $334 million in Gross State Product to the state’s economy.
Boat ramp surveys
Our statewide boat ramp survey program is part of monitoring sustainable recreational fishing in Queensland. We regularly conduct surveys at 43 boat ramps around the state.
Using the survey, we monitor:
- trends in fishing effort
- the numbers and size of fish species caught
- the distances travelled by fishers to fish the region.
In 2023, we interviewed over 17,000 boats and nearly 33,000 anglers. We use this survey data for stock assessments and fishery management decisions.
Queensland’s fisheries resources are shared among recreational fishers, commercial fishers, charter operators and people practising traditional Indigenous fishing.
