South-east Marine Parks Network Fishing Business Assistance Program questions and answers

Thank you for your interest in the South-east Marine Parks Network Fishing Business Assistance Program. The following common questions and answers aim to assist you in completing the acceptance form. We encourage you to read these prior to submitting your acceptance form.

Grant program

1. Why is grant assistance being offered?
   The 2025 South-east Marine Parks Network Management Plan includes new zoning which affects some commercial fishers. The Australian Government is providing financial assistance for directly affected fishers to adjust their businesses to the new management arrangements.
    

2. What is the new zoning / what are the new rules?
   Information on the new zoning arrangements and other details of the South-east Marine Parks Network are available in the 2025 South-east Marine Parks Network Management Plan.

   Fishers and fishing industry representatives were consulted to help ensure that the new marine park zoning and rules balance enhanced conservation outcomes with industry access.

Acceptance form timeframe

3. What is the closing time and date for acceptance forms?
   The closing time and date is 9:00 pm AEDT on Thursday 22 January 2026. It is recommended that you submit your form well before this time.
    
4. What if I can’t submit my acceptance form by the due time and date?
   An automatic 7 day extension will be applied allowing you to submit your acceptance up until 9:00pm AEDT on 29 January 2025.
   
   Requests to submit after 9:00pm AEDT on 29 January 2025 may be accepted and can be made by emailing support@communitygrants.gov.au. Please refer to section 5.3 of the Grant Opportunity Guidelines.
    
5. How do I know that my acceptance has been received?
   You will receive an automated email notification acknowledging the receipt of your acceptance.
    
6. When can I expect my payment/s?
   Payments will be made during March and April 2026.

Acceptance form process

7. Can someone from the Community Grants Hub help me with my application?
   The Community Grants Hub can provide general information and advice on completing your application.
    
8. What if I need help or have questions?
   If you need help, you can contact the Community Grants Hub on one of the following support options:
   Online Contact Form: Community Grants Hub
   Email: support@communitygrants.gov.au
   Or to leave a voicemail for a call back phone: (02) 5162 6910
   
   Please include your Unique ID provided from your Letter of Offer in all correspondence with the Community Grants Hub. If you do not supply your Unique ID you will be asked to supply it before receiving a response to your question. Please note any questions received between 24 December 2025 and 1 January 2026 will be addressed from 2 January 2026.
    
9. Where do I find my Unique ID?
   Your Unique ID is contained in the Letter of Offer that was sent to your registered postal address.
    
10. What if I lose my letter of offer?
    If you lose your letter, please email fishingbusinessgrants@dcceew.gov.au
     
11. I don’t have access to a computer/the internet, what do I do?
    You will need internet access and an email address to complete your acceptance form. If you do not have your own device or internet access, most libraries provide free public access to computers and the internet. Many libraries also offer help with learning to use computers.
     
12. What if I can't upload my letter of offer, don’t feel confident completing the form or I don’t have the equipment needed to complete my acceptance form?
    The online acceptance form is designed for mobile phone pictures of required documents to be uploaded. Alternatively, you may choose to use public facilities where IT equipment is available such as a local library. A third option is engaging a trusted third-party to lodge the acceptance form on your behalf, for example a family member or the person responsible for managing your businesses tax affairs.
     
13. I’m not familiar with using technology, what do I do?
    If you or members of your organisation require digital training, support can be accessed through the Be Connected website. Be Connected is an Australian Government initiative aimed at increasing the confidence, skill and online safety of older Australians (people over 50 years of age), their families and peers and local community organisations. Be Connected provides information, interactive training tools and resources nationally.
     
14. How can I submit the acceptance form?
    The form is an online form that you must submit electronically. The Community Grants Hub will not provide acceptance forms or receive acceptance forms for this grant opportunity by fax, email or through Australia Post unless otherwise stated in the grant opportunity documents.
    
    You must submit the acceptance form using the acceptance form, which is available to you on GrantConnect. The form includes help information. 

Eligibility 

15. How were grant amounts calculated?
    Grant amounts have been calculated through a formula that uses commercial fishers’ statutory catch records from areas affected by marine park zoning changes. Section 3 of the Grant Opportunity Guidelines explains the formula. Letters of offer also have an attachment that shows how the formula was applied based on that particular fishing authorisation.
     
    The approach to calculating grant amounts is based on the 2019 Fishing Business Assistance Grant Program that provided adjustment assistance to affected fishers following the establishment of 44 new Australian Marine Parks in 2018.
     

16. How did you access my fishing data?
    Your fishing data was accessed under data sharing agreements between relevant fisheries management agencies, the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) and Parks Australia. 

    These agreements provide for the maintenance of confidentiality to ensure your fishing data and personal information is not inappropriately used or shared. When you accept your grant, you will need to agree to your information being used by the Community Grants Hub to link your Unique ID with your personal details and progress your payment. 

17. Will the names of successful applicants be made public?
    No, individual grant details will not be made public. Only the total amount of funding will be made public.
     
18. Why is the Director of National Parks relying on information provided by fisheries management agencies?
    Fisheries management agencies are required to collect and store individual fishers’ catch information in accordance with applicable legislation. These records represent the most reliable, accurate and commonly accepted account of entitlements and catch history across multiple fishers and fisheries.
     
19. Why is the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) calculating income displacement?
    The Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences has significant expertise in fisheries analysis and economics, including supporting the implementation of the 2019 Fishing Business Assistance Program.
     
20. Why is the fisheries management agency reference in my letter of offer different from my actual authorisation reference?
    In order to maintain confidentiality, your actual authorisation reference was de-identified when your catch data was provided to the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences. This means that the reference in the attachment was created solely for the purposes of the South-east Fishing Business Assistance grants program. To accept your grant, you must use the Unique ID reference in your letter of offer.
     
21. I have received more than one letter of offer/what happens if I have more than one authorisation?
    You will receive a separate letter of offer for each eligible commercial fishing authorisation that you hold. If you have received multiple Letters of Offer you must submit an acceptance form for each one using the Unique ID provided in each Letter of Offer.
     
22. How do I have to spend the grant money? What are my obligations if I accept this grant?
    There are no obligations associated with accepting your grant and you do not have to spend the funds in a particular way. The South-east Marine Parks Network Fishing Business Assistance Program grants are a one-off payment to assist commercial fishers with a recent catch history in areas of South-east Marine Park Network where they are no longer allowed to fish.
    
    Independently of the grants, you are legally obligated to comply with the 2025 South-east Marine Parks Network Management Plan and the South-east Network Commercial Fishing Class Approval.
     
23. Does accepting a grant prevent fishing in certain areas?
    No. The 2025 South-east Marine Parks Network Management Plan applies to all fishers, regardless of whether they accept a grant.
    
    Commercial fishers operating in South-east marine parks need to be familiar with the rules of the parks, including the locations of zones and allowable activities within each zone. The Australian Marine Parks website has a range of information available about the rules, including maps, shapefiles and zoning factsheets.
     
24. What are the tax implications of receiving this grant?
    Information on taxes is available in section 9.4 of the Grant Opportunity Guidelines. Grants are assessable income for taxation purposes, unless exempted by a taxation law. We recommend you seek independent professional advice on your taxation obligations or seek assistance from the Australian Taxation Office. We do not provide advice on your particular taxation circumstances.
     
25. Will my payment include Goods and Services Tax (GST)?
    No, GST is not in scope for this program.
     
26. How can I check or verify my legal entity status?
    The Community Grants Hub website provides tools to assist in verifying legal entity status. Go to Confirming the legal entity status of an applicant on the Community Grants Hub.
    
    To maintain a fair and equitable process for all applicants, the Community Grants Hub is unable to provide assistance in, or undertake on behalf of an applicant, the determination if an applicant’s legal entity status meets the eligibility requirements. Applicants are required to self-determine their organisation’s legal entity’s eligibility in reference to the grant’s eligibility requirements.
    
    As part of entering into a grant agreement with the Commonwealth of Australia, an organisation may be asked to verify its legal entity status to make sure it has the legal capacity to enter into a legally binding agreement. This may involve a request for documentation, including proof of any name changes.
     
27. I have already submitted an acceptance form, but I want to revise it. What should I do?
    An acceptance form cannot be revised once it is submitted, but you can submit a new acceptance before the closing date and time. Where more than one application is submitted, the latest accepted form will progress.
     
28. Why is the Director of National Parks using the Community Grants Hub to administer its grants?
    The Community Grants Hub (the Hub) provides grant administration services on behalf of Australian Government client agencies to support their policy outcomes.
    
    Client agencies are responsible for grant policy and the development of grant programs, while the Hub is responsible for administering grant programs at the direction of policy owners and consistent with the requirements of the Commonwealth Grants Rules and Principles 2024.
     
29. Who will be approving the South-east Marine Parks NetworkFishing Business Assistance grants?
    The Commonwealth Minister for the Environment and Water has approved all grant offers.
     
30. What if I don’t think the method for calculating grants is fair? How was the program designed and who was consulted?
    The method for determining eligibility and calculating grants is based on the 2019 Fishing Business Assistance Program, which provided assistance to commercial Commonwealth, NSW, QLD, WA, SA and NT fishers affected by the establishment of 44 marine parks in 2018. The Director of National Parks consulted with key commercial fishing representatives when designing the 2019 program and considers that the method used is the fairest verifiable way of consistently determining eligibility and calculating payments across multiple fishers and fisheries. More details about consultation on the 2019 program are available at: Fisheries assistance.
    
    The method for calculating grants has been adjusted in some ways compared to 2019. For example, industry concerns about impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on fishing activity and import bans reducing prices for Australian rock lobster have led to lengthened reference periods being used to calculate average catch value and rock lobster beach prices.
     

31. What if I don’t agree with the grant amount?
    We calculated grant amounts using catch information supplied by you to your fisheries management agency and a formula applied consistently across all affected fisheries. This formula is set out in section 3 of the Grant Opportunity Guidelines. If you believe an error has been made in the calculation of your grant(s) please email fishingbusinessgrants@dcceew.gov.au and provide your unique ID.

    The Director of National Parks’ position on the calculation method and grant amount offered is final.

32. Who is eligible/How do I know if I’m eligible/When do I find out if I’m eligible/How is eligibility determined?
    A letter of offer has been mailed to the registered address of eligible commercial fishers. The letter of offer provides information on individual grant amounts and instructions on how to accept the offer.
    
    Information about eligibility for the fishing business grants is outlined in section 4 of the Grant Opportunity Guidelines.
     
33. I haven’t received a letter of offer
    Section 4.1 of the Grant Opportunity Guidelines describes the eligibility requirements for the Southeast Marine Parks Network Fishing Business Assistance Program grants. A letter of offer has been mailed to the address of eligible commercial fishers that is registered with their fisheries management agency. If you do not receive a letter of offer, it most likely means that you aren’t eligible to receive assistance. If you believe this is an error, please email fishingbusinessgrants@dcceew.gov.au.
     
34. Am I eligible if I lease an authorisation?
    Yes, where the lease arrangements are in accordance with the Grant Opportunity Guidelines and their definition of 'authorised to fish'.
     
35. Why has an assumed profit been used and why is it set at 30%?
    The Director of National Parks is aware that fishing profits are highly variable based on a range of factors. Basing assistance payments on an assumed profit margin allows for a fair and consistent calculation of adjustment assistance across fishers and fisheries.
    
    For the 2019 program, an assumed profit margin of 25% was initially proposed. This was increased to 30% in response to industry feedback and the 30% assumed profit margin has been retained for this program.
     
36. Why is there a $100 threshold?
    A $100 eligibility threshold for each authorisation is in place to ensure that the bulk of funds available are directed towards eligible fishers most affected by the new management plan by reducing administrative costs associated with the program relative to total grants.
     
37. How are beach prices calculated?
    The beach prices and the methods used to calculate these prices are outlined in Appendix D of the Grant Opportunity Guidelines.
     
38. Why is catch history from 2023–2024 not included in the calculation of GVP?
    Catch history from 2023–24 is not included in the calculations as this data was not available in time to inform the program’s design.
     
39. What are the implications for providing false or misleading declarations in my acceptance form?
    Eligible persons sign a declaration before submitting the acceptance form, which states “I acknowledge that giving false or misleading information to the Community Grants Hub/Department of Social Services is a serious criminal offence. Persons who do so may be prosecuted under Section 137.1 of the Commonwealth Criminal Code Act 1995”.
     

40. Where should I go for further information?
    Please email your enquiries to support@communitygrants.gov.au

    More information about this grant can be found in the Grant Opportunity Guidelines. If you have any questions during the application period, please contact the Community Grants Hub by emailing support@communitygrants.gov.au or by visiting the Community Grants Hub’s Contact Us page. The Community Grants Hub will respond to emailed questions within 5 working days.

41. How do I submit complaints?
    The complaints process is outlined in section 11.1 of the Grant Opportunity Guidelines.
    Complaints about the grants administration process should be made through the Community Grants Hub online complaints form, or by contacting the Department of Social Services:
    Phone: 1800 634 035 
    Email: complaints@dss.gov.au
    Mail: Complaints GPO Box 9820 Canberra, ACT, 2601.
    Complaints about this grants program should be addressed in writing to the Director of National Parks via email to fishingbusinessgrants@dcceew.gov.au.
    
    If you do not agree with the way the Director of National Parks or the Community Grants Hub has handled your complaint, you may complain to the Commonwealth Ombudsman:
    Phone: 1300 362 072 (toll free) 
    Email: ombudsman@ombudsman.gov.au
    Website: www.ombudsman.gov.au