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Australia’s Northern Territory (NT) can lay claim to having a higher proportion of anglers than any other state or territory in the country, according to new research.
Around one in three people aged over 18 in the territory go fishing, says a report commissioned by the federal government.
In what is good news for the tackle industry, recreational fishing contributed some AUS$270 million to the NT economy in 2018-2019 and now the NT government is seeking feedback on a draft plan to develop the sector still further.
The final report, which has just been released, was carried out by the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) and confirms the importance of fishing to the country as a whole. The sport contributed $11.5 billion to the national economy.
David Ciaravolo, Chief Executive of the Amateur Fishing Association of the Northern Territory (AFANT), believes findings would have been even better if it had not been for poor weather. “It was a pretty bad wet season and tourist numbers were down that year,” he said.
“Anglers spend a lot on hospitality and accommodation, and that money is spread right across the economy.”
AFANT is working with the NT government to develop a new recreational fishing development plan which aims to make fishing more accessible.
