AFTA Projects
Projects Supporting the Future of Recreational Fishing
— Made Possible Through Government Support
Let’s Go Fishing (NSW Schools Project)
– Educating School Children on the Sustainable Benefits of Recreational Fishing –
Program Overview
Since 2016, AFTA’s NSW Schools Project has grown into a multi-phase program supporting marine studies and fishing education in schools across New South Wales. Through the program, schools have received fishing tackle kits containing practical equipment such as rods, reels, tackle boxes, landing nets, scales, line, hooks, sinkers, pliers, tackle bags and other essentials needed for hands-on learning.
The program was created to address a simple challenge: many schools are under-resourced, and without shared equipment, only students who already owned fishing gear could participate in practical activities. By providing schools with dedicated kits, the project has helped expand participation, support classroom- and field-based learning, and give more students the opportunity to build skills, confidence, and a lifelong appreciation for recreational fishing.
In Phase 3, the project expanded beyond equipment support with the development of a six-part beginner video series and accompanying question-and-answer sheets for Marine Teachers Association member schools across NSW. The resources were warmly received by teachers and students, with feedback showing strong engagement and clear demand for additional content to help schools build on foundational fishing knowledge.
Phase 4, rolled out in late 2022, delivered more complete fishing gear kits and top-ups to 83 schools, while also introducing a six-part intermediate video series with accompanying question-and-answer sheets for Marine Teachers Association members. The beginner series covered core topics such as choosing gear, setting up a rod and reel, knots and rigs, baiting up, casting and catching fish. The intermediate series built on those basics with practical guidance on species and settings, including bream, flathead, whiting, beach fishing, estuary fishing and fishing with soft plastics.
In early 2024, Phase 5 extended the program further, with additional fishing tackle kits delivered to 93 schools, including both new schools and existing participants.
Project Growth and Impact
Across the life of the project, five phases have now been completed, with fishing tackle kits supplied to schools throughout NSW at every stage. Recent phases included gear deliveries to 83 schools in Phase 4 and 93 in Phase 5, and Phase 6 is now being rolled out, with additional gear supplied to 85 schools. Together, these phases have steadily expanded practical access to fishing education and helped ensure more students can participate, regardless of their personal access to equipment.
Video Resources
The project’s video resources have grown alongside the equipment program. Earlier phases delivered both a six-part beginner series and a six-part intermediate series, each supported by question-and-answer sheets distributed to Marine Teachers Association member schools. Strong feedback from teachers and students has helped shape the development of a third series designed to further extend learning.
The previous two video series are available below.
Phase 6 Rollout
In 2026, Phase 6 is bringing the next stage of the program to schools across NSW, with a third educational video series now being rolled out alongside additional fishing gear for 85 schools. Building on the beginner and intermediate resources already developed through the project, the new series is designed to strengthen students’ practical knowledge, build confidence on the water and encourage responsible, sustainable fishing habits. The new six-part series explores a fresh range of techniques, settings and skills, including:
- Hard Body Lures
- Jetty Fishing
- Boat Fishing Basics
- Freshwater Fishing
- Sustainable Fishing
- Shore-Based Estuary Fishing
Project Partners
This project is a joint initiative of the Marine Teachers Association of NSW, the NSW Recreational Fishing Trust and AFTA.
Click here to read some thoughts about the program from the MTA in 2024.
Series 2
Six-Part Intermediate Video Series for Educating School Children
Written by Steve Starling.
Produced and presented by Alistair McGlashan, Michael Guest and Rob Paxevanous.
The average run time of each video is 9 minutes, long enough to deliver important information and short enough to hold students’ attention. The kids should find the delivery style to be quite engaging. We hope the videos are enjoyed by both students and teachers alike. To reinforce the information covered in the videos, we have provided a Q&A sheet for each topic.
Series 1
Six-Part Beginner Video Series for Educating School Children
Written, produced and presented by Steve Starling.
The average run time of each video is seven minutes, long enough to deliver important information and short enough to hold students’ attention. The kids should find the delivery style to be quite engaging. We hope the videos are enjoyed by both students and teachers alike. To reinforce the information covered in the videos, we have provided a Q&A sheet for each topic.
AFTA’s Let’s Fish Australia is a national campaign by the Australian Fishing Trade Association that encourages more Australians to enjoy recreational fishing. Through television advertising and social media content, the campaign invites families, friends and newcomers to get outdoors, spend time together and experience the many benefits of fishing.
The campaign highlights fishing as more than a pastime, positioning it as a way to relax, reconnect with nature, support mental wellbeing and enjoy quality time with others. Its goal is to make recreational fishing feel welcoming, accessible and appealing to a broad audience across Australia.
Let’s Fish Queensland
Phase 1 of the Let’s Fish Australia campaign begins in Queensland.
There are nine social media clips available below for you to download. All parties interested in promoting recreational fishing in Queensland are encouraged to share on your social media channels.
This project is a joint initiative of the Queensland Government and AFTA.
To download these clips for you to share on your social networks, please click here.
Let’s Fish South Australia
Phase 2 of the Let’s Fish Australia campaign rolled out in South Australia.
There are eleven social media clips available below for you to download. All parties interested in promoting recreational fishing in South Australia are encouraged to share on their social media channels.
This project is a joint initiative of the South Australian Government, SA Health’s Open Your World, RecFish SA and AFTA.
To download these clips for you to share on your social networks, please click here.
Let’s Fish New South Wales
Phase 3 of the Let’s Fish Australia campaign rolled out in New South Wales.
There are nine social media clips available below for you to download. All parties interested in promoting recreational fishing in New South Wales are encouraged to share on your social media channels.
This project is a joint initiative of the New South Wales Government’s Recreational Fishing Trust and AFTA.
To download these clips for you to share on your social networks, please click here.
Let’s Fish Australia
Phase 4 of the Let’s Fish Australia campaign is for use in Victoria, Tasmania, Western Australia, Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory.
There are twelve social media clips available below for you to download. All parties interested in promoting recreational fishing in Australia are encouraged to share on your social media channels.
This project is an initiative of the Australian Fishing Trade Association.
To download these clips for you to share on your social networks, please click here.
Let’s Fish South Australia
A related South Australian campaign within the broader Let’s Fish Australia initiative is Let’s Fish SA, built around the message “Fish Local, Support Local”. Launched in 2025, the campaign was developed to support fishing businesses and communities impacted by the algal bloom by promoting South Australia’s world-class fishing destinations, highlighting areas and species that remain unaffected, and connecting anglers with local tackle stores that are open and ready to help with gear and advice.
The campaign encourages people to support affected communities by planning a local fishing trip, booking a charter or shopping with local retailers. It also reinforces that fishing remains available across much of the state, with more than 70 per cent of South Australia’s coastline unaffected and freshwater reservoirs still open. For the latest information and updates on the algal bloom affecting some coastal areas, readers should refer to the South Australian Government’s algal bloom response website.
Indigenous Youth Mobility Pathways –
Recreational Fishing Cultural Exchange Program
This program offered four separate workshops during 2021, presented in Rockhampton, Cairns, Townsville and Brisbane. The program trained 103 indigenous youth leaders in modern recreational fishing techniques. In turn, they taught our presenters about traditional fishing techniques.
The short video below speaks volumes with regard to the success of this project, which has been a joint initiative of IMYP, the Queensland Government and AFTA.
For further information on IMYP please visit their website.
The indigenous participants were from all over QLD, from Mt Isa in the west to the Torres Straight and Palm Islands in the north to Thargomindah South, and they all had some traditional fishing skills. However, they found it hard to fish when they had come to regional centres where the fish were harder to catch. Methods that they had successfully used in their traditional lands failed. During the workshops, it was verbalised many times that their newfound skills would be used for recreation at a later date. We were receiving pictures of fish caught by participants just days after the workshops.
The cultural exchange was fantastic; to hear from the elders of each area about their deep connection to the water and the fishery is something that everyone in the recreational fishing industry should listen to and help us understand.
The indigenous people were our first anglers, and many fishing spots have indigenous names. The names often refer to the local fish or landscape.
We also learnt how to;
• make rope from the beach hibiscus
• choose the wood for spears
• use a soap bush to deoxygenate the water in billabong to harvest the fish
It was great to give back via modern techniques that help increase catch rates and ease of involvement in recreational fishing. We as an industry have a lot to learn from indigenous fishers and a lot to give simultaneously.
It was fairly relevant that all of these camps happened over/around reconciliation week.