Developmental fishing policy

Developmental fishing enables fishers to investigate the viability of new commercial fishing activities, including:

  • targeting new, unallocated or currently non-commercial species
  • using different or modified types of fishing gear
  • exploring new areas for fisheries resources.

The developmental fishing policy allows for innovations in fishing practices or new fisheries to be explored more thoroughly, recognising the risks and costs associated with developmental fishing and aiming to balance these through a phased approach.

The policy outlines a flexible process to apply for, assess and permit preliminary, exploratory and developmental commercial fishing activities, transition between developmental phases and transition from developmental fishing to a formally regulated commercial fishing activity.

This process allows fishers to explore the practicality of their ideas at their own cost, while providing Fisheries Queensland with sufficient information to determine if the fishing activity is likely to be ecologically sustainable, economically viable and socially acceptable in the long term.

More information