Fisheries assistance

2025 South-east Marine Park Network Fishing Business Assistance Program

The 2025 South-east Fishing Business Assistance Program (the 2025 Program) will assist eligible commercial fishers transition to new management established by the 2025-35 South-east Marine Parks Network Management Plan (the Plan).

The Australian Government recognises that some Tasmanian, South Australian and Commonwealth commercial fishers will be directly impacted by changes to zoning in the South-east Marine Parks Network. Impacted commercial fishers will be eligible for assistance if they have statutory catch records in areas of the South-east Marine Parks Network they are no longer allowed to fish and have also experienced a net loss of fishing area.

The 2025 Program will be based on the 2019 Fishing Business Assistance Program (the 2019 Program) that delivered $9.47 million in assistance to eligible fishers who were impacted by new marine park management arrangements in 2018. Information on the 2019 Program is available below.

The 2025 Program will deliver assistance to eligible operators through a demand-driven grants program in the 2025-26 financial year:

1. Letters of offer and information on how to accept offers will be sent directly to eligible authorisation holders when the grant round opens – eligibility will be determined using statutory fishing records held by relevant fisheries management agencies.
2. Further details on the 2025 program, including information on eligibility, timing and grant calculations will be made available online when the grant round opens.

The affected South-east Network Marine Parks provides a map showing the zone changes in the South-east Marine Parks Network and a list of affected Australian Marine Parks, where certain fishing gear types are now not-allowed due to changes in zoning.

For direct updates on the program register your interest by emailing FishingBusinessGrants@dcceew.gov.au.

Electronic and Vessel Monitoring Assistance Program

• The Electronic and Vessel Monitoring Systems Assistance Program was launched in 2021 to provide assistance to the commercial fishing industry, through their fisheries management agencies, to support the uptake of electronic and vessel monitoring technology. This program is the last component of the Fisheries Assistance and User Engagement Package.
• Enhancing the use of remote electronic and vessel monitoring systems on commercial fishing vessels transiting or operating in Australian Marine Parks will increase levels of voluntary compliance, which is cost effective in preventing inadvertent breaches, supporting sustainable fishing practices and protection and conservation of marine park values.
• The Assistance Program is being administered through the Community Grants Hub. Successful state and Northern Territory fisheries management agencies have begun their projects which are scheduled to be completed in June 2026. Read more information about the grant projects.
• In line with the objectives of the Assistance Program, on 18 April 2024, the Director of National Parks announced the mandatory requirement for VMS when operating in or transiting through an Australian Marine Park for commercial fishing vessels. More information can be found at Mandatory Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS) for commercial fishers in Australian Marine Parks.