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Do you have a fishing-related project or event that could use better financial support or resources?
With round 15 of Recfishwest’s community grant applications closing on 15 September, now is the time to apply for a financial boost for your local project such as a fishing clinic, event, competition, equipment upgrades, safety training, habitat restoration, education or research project!
Over the last 13 years Recfishwest’s community grants program with backing from the Recreational Fishing Initiatives Fund (RFIF) and DPIRD has supported more than 270 community-driven fishing projects to assist fishing clubs and other groups in making fishing better in their area.
Check out just four of the 16 great events and projects supported by our Community Grants Program over the past 12 months to show how this initiative could benefit you, your club or the local community!
Recipient: Mary Island Fishing Club – 2024 Kids Fishin’ Derby
The Mary Island Fishing Club’s Kids Fishin’ Derby in May saw more than 100 kids and their families wetting a line off the famous Derby jetty, with Recfishwest helping the club coordinate the bustling kids fishing clinic. With support from our community grant, every participating kid went home with a Recfishwest lure, handline, crab net, sunscreen and plenty more in their goodies bag so they can continue to enjoy the fantastic Kimberley fishing on offer.
Check out the highlights from this event by clicking on the video below!
Recipient: Apex Club of Kununurra – 2024 Apex Kununurra Barra Bash
The 2023 Apex Kununurra Barra Bash went down as the biggest fishing competition in WA history (as seen in the jam packed image below) – and one of the biggest nation-wide – with a staggering 1,125 competitors hoping to catch the ‘metrey’ barra. With Recfishwest’s support, funds will be used to purchase more fantastic prizes for the upcoming 2024 competition to see it return even bigger and better.
The Kalbarri Offshore & Angling Club annual school whiting competition held on the white sands of the Murchison River during the October school holidays is a cherished community event and dozens of families travel to Kalbarri just for this spectacle. With an important role in boosting tourism and support for regional economies, Recfishwest will again attend the competition in 2024 and we are proud to support the KOAC in promoting everything that is great about fishing.
Recipient: Southern Forests Freshwater Angling Club (SFFAC) – MacCallum Smith Trout Pond signage
If you’re in Pemberton, make sure you retrace the rich history of freshwater fishing and trout stocking in WA by checking out the new sign at the MacCallum Smith Trout Ponds! Recfishwest proudly supported this new sign through our Community Grants program for the Southern Forests Freshwater Angling Club, who did a fantastic job marking the long history of the spiritual home for trout farming and stocking in our South-West, with the Pemberton Trout Festival also now a very popular annual event for the local community.
Whether it be fishing clubs or local businesses – community groups can easily tick off all their goals when they are backed in with adequate support and resources.
That is why over the last 12 years Recfishwest has supported funding for 260+ community-driven fishing projects including fishing clinics, events and competitions, equipment upgrades, safety training, habitat restoration, education and research.
Funded through the Recreational Fishing Initiatives Fund (RFIF) and supported by DPIRD, Recfishwest’s Community Grants program helps fishing clubs and other groups achieve their goals in making fishing better in their area for the benefit of fishers in their community.
Check out the 22 different organisations below that have received funding through Round 14 of the Recfishwest Community Grant Program.
2024 Community Grant recipients and their projects
Recipient: Apex Club of Kununurra Project: 2024 Apex Kununurra Barra Bash
The 2023 Apex Kununurra Barra Bash went down as the biggest fishing competition in WA history with a staggering 1,125 competitors, and with Recfishwest’s support, funds will be used to purchase more fantastic prizes for the 2024 competition to see it return even bigger and better. Since barramundi stocking began InKununurra a few years ago, fishing around Kunurra and the lower Ord has never been better. The Barra Bash is a great celebration of barramundi fishing in Western Australia.
How’s this for a crowd at the 2023 Apex Kununurra Barra Bash!
Recipient: Ashburton Anglers Inc Project: Release Me Fishing Competition
This non-demersal catch and release competition for local kids teaches them the importance of sustainable and abundant fish stocks. The competition encourages catch and release and is a chance for families to all enjoy the benefits of fishing in the State’s North.
Recfishwest’s Community Grants program will help ensure great prizes like this will continue at the Club’s Release Me Fishing Competition.
Recipient: Australian Trout Foundation Project: Trout Fishing Guide
Funding from this Community Grant will go towards covering the costs of developing a trout fishing guide for the Donnelly River. This will add to fishing guides the Australian Trout Foundation have previously made for the Murray River, Blackwood River, Warren River, Collie River and Wellington Reservoir. Fishing in WA’spicturesque South-West is a celebrated part of our culture and these free guides help aid people to go fishing in more places and catch more fish.
The Australian Trout Foundation will use their funds to help encourage more fishers to enjoy the unique experience of wetting a line in our beautiful South-West fresh waterways.
Recipient: Australian Underwater Federation Project: 69th Annual Spearfishing National Championship
Funds will go towards the Australian Underwater Federation’s promotion of the 69th Annual Spearfishing National Championshipswhich is being held in Western Australia in 2024. In addition to promoting the great fishing on offer in WA andsupporting tourism and our regional economies,the competition promotes best practice via safe, sustainable, selective fishingto ensure abundant fish stocks for everyone.
Recipient: Bluewater Freedivers of Western Australia & WA Undersea Club Project: Visibility Safety Check
The funds from this Community Grant will be used for the installation of a self-cleaning underwater video camera that will be used by both clubs. This camera will collect valuable scientific information and allow real timecondition reporting, allowing fishers to understand visibility before choosing whether to head to sea.
Recipient: Cockburn Power Boat Club Projects: First Aid Training, female boat and radio training
Keeping all fishers safe while wetting a line is paramount and these funds will go towards supporting first aid, boat and radio training for partners of skippers so if something happens at sea they will be able to call for help and navigate the vessel back safely. In addition to saving lives, this great initiative also promotes female participation in fishing which is simply fantastic.
The Cockburn Power Boat Club is at the forefront of raising awareness on protecting Cockburn Sound and the great fishing experiences it provides.
This grant is a true celebration of fishing and thesefunds will help this southern-based fishing club in promoting theRainbow Coast fishing competition, which is a mainstay of the southern fishing calendar. The 2024 Rainbow Coast competition also coincides with the 100-year anniversary of the Denmark boating and Angling Club which has been a central part of the Denmark community for generations.
Recipient: Fremantle Amateur Angling Club Project: FAAC Swan Flathead Competition
There are not many capital cities anywhere in the world that have a river on its doorstep whichsupportsgreat fishing. This is why the Swan River deserves to be celebrated. This grant will support the Fremantle Fishing Club run a Swanand Canning River fishing competition that encourageseveryone to have fun and celebrate our fantastic river. The competition will promote catch and release and will be open to people of all ages.
Fremantle Amateur Angling Club will use their funds to promote fishing in the Swan and Caning River.
Recipient: Fremantle Sailing Club Project: Fremantle Sailing Club Kids Clinics
Fishing is fantastic and ensuring it can be enjoyed by future generations across WA is core to the value of Recfishwest. This grant will assist the Fremantle Sailing Club run their popular kids fishing clinics along with the purchase of a lifejacket rack, knives and landing net. These clinics provide children with the experience of fishing from a boat where they can learn about the wide variety of great fish that can be caught on the city’s doorstep.
TheKalbarri Offshore & Angling Club (KOAC) annual school whiting competition held on the white sands next to the Murchison River during the October school holidays is a cherished community event. With many families traveling to Kalbarriduring the holidays just for this competition it also hasan important role in supporting tourism and regional economies. Recfishwest will once again attend the competition in 2024 and we are glad to once again be able to support the KOAC as they are an essential part of the Kalbarri Community and do fantastic work promoting everything that is great about fishing.
With support from Recfishwest’s Community Grants program, the Kalbarri Kids Whiting Competition will return bigger and better in 2024!
Recipient: Lancelin Angling & Aquatic Club Project: John Bray Junior Fishing Clinic
The Lancelin Angling & Aquatic Club is another club who is a foundation of their community. Each year the Club hosts the John Bray classic for children during the Festive season. This annual kidsfishing competition is always buzzing with an excited crowd of youngsters who can learn about the great fishing on offer in and around Lancelin setting themselves up for a summer full of great fishing adventures.
This annual event always sees the beach in front of the Mandalay Holiday Resort in Busselton brimming with hundreds of families wetting a line. The Mandalay family fishing competition is a mainstay on the South-West fishing calendar, attracting hundreds of families to Busselton while supporting tourism and regional economies.Recfishwest look forward to once again joining the community at the 2024 Mandalay family fishing competition in January 2024.
The Mandalay Holiday Resort Family Fishing Competition always pulls a massive crowd and Recfishwest is proud to continue supporting this great event in 2024.
Recipient: Mary Island Fishing Club Project: Kids Fishing Derby Day
Fishing is the lifeblood of Derby and Recfishwest is proud to assistthe Mary Island Fishing Club with their kids fishing day at the Derby jetty. In addition to promoting fishing the day is also a celebration of jetties which have underpinned fishing experiences all around WA for generations. To see more of the Derby jetty watch this short video from our Derby fishing ambassador Katlyn Yeeda.
Recipient: Ozfish Projects: Kids Busso Jetty Bash and Pimp My Jetty (Stage Two)
Great fishing experiences rely on great fishing environments which is why we are once again teamingup with Ozfishto promote fishing and restore habitats. This grant will see OzFish host their popular kids fishing competition on the historic Busselton jetty and help them install mussel habitats in the canals of the Peel Harvey estuary, significantly improving water quality and bream fishing experiences. To learn more about the mussel seeding project visit the Pimp my Jetty page on the OzFish website.
Ozfish is at the forefront of improving mussel numbers in our waterways to the benefit of water quality and fishing experiences.
Recipient: Perth Game Fishing Club Projects: FADs t-shirts, Junior Tuna Competition, South-West Skeletal Snapper Competition, 2024 Marlin Cup, WA Open 2024 and Metro FADs deployments
The Perth Game Fishing Club (PGFC) has played a pivotal role in championing game fishing in Western Australia. From first promoting game fishing in Perth more than 70 years ago to deploying FADs in our Metro region more than 40 years ago, the Club has grown to be a central pillar of the Western Australian fishing community. The funding provided to PGFC through the Recfishwest Community Grant Program will assist in promoting several important fishing events primarily focusing on their Junior Tuna Competition and the WA Open. Every fisher knows recreational fishers are leaders in fishing conservation protecting fish stocks that underpin their great fishing experiences. This is why the funding will also assist the PGFC promote FAD fishing and great alternatives to demersal fishing.
The Perth Game Fishing Club were instrumental in helping get FADs deployed off Perth to the benefit of Metro fishers such as Chris Webster with this solid dolphinfish landed at one of the Metro FADs this year.
Recipient: Scubanautics Diving Academy Project: Seeds for Snapper
Everyone loves seagrass and as a founding supporter of the Seed for Snapper program, Recfishwest is excited to support Scubanautics Diving Academy to providefree air fills to Seeds for Snapper volunteers. With the seagrass seed collection program already underway and with a target of more than a million seeds to collect we are sureScubanautics Diving Academy will be kept busy this summer! Seeds for Snapper is a crucially important initiative aimed at restoring seagrass meadows in Cockburn Sound which act as a nursery habitat for many species Metro fishers love to catch.
Recipient: South East Coast Recreational Fishing Council Project: Family Fun Fish Day, Education and Safety Day
Esperance has some of the world’s best beaches and has supported sustainable family fishing for generations.The South East Coast Recreational Fishing Council (SECRFC) does amazing work educating and protecting fishers to ensure everyone can come home safe from a days fishing. Withfunding from the Recfishwest Community Grant Program the SECRFC will once again be able to undertake family fishing fun days, safety inspections and children’s educationso everyone will be able to continue exploring and wetting a line along Esperance beautiful beaches.
Recipient: Southern Forests Freshwater Angling Club (SFFAC) Project: MacCallum Smith Trout Ponds in Pemberton
WA’s trout fishery generates an estimated $37 million annually to our state’s economy, with fishers visiting the regions to fish, enjoy southern hospitality and support local businesses. The first successful shipment of trout into Western Australia occurred in the 1870’sand trout have been the mainstay of WA’s freshwater fishing scene ever since. To support the development of trout fishing in WA, a series of holding ponds were constructed in the 1940’sat One Mile Brook.Toprovide some historical context to the role these historic ponds played in developing our freshwater fishery, Recfishwest is supporting the Southern Forests Freshwater Angling Club to create information signs at these ponds in Pemberton.
Pemberton is the spiritual home of freshwater fishing and stocking in our South-West and SFFAC will use their funds to create and install a sign paying tribute to the region’s significant history of freshwater fishing in WA.
Recipient: Western Australian Coarse Angling Club Project: Golden Ponds Fishing Club Upgrades
Coarse angling (angling for fish species traditionally considered undesirable as food or game fish) is a form of fishing that continues to grow in popularity and these funds will help the Western Australian Coarse Angling Club promote coarse fishing through a fun family fishing day.
Recipient: Western Australian Game Fishing Association (WAGFA) Project: West Coast Interclub Game Fishing Event
Fishing clubs have been a part of our communities for more than a hundred years and just like with cricket, footy, swimming and netball clubs, there has been some great comradery and good-naturedrivalry between clubs. The Western Australian Game Fishing Association is looking tobuild on this good-naturedrivalryestablish an interclub fishing event. In addition to capitalising on the joy of fishing, this event is also designed to promote positive fishing practices that can be passed on to all other club members. The event will encourage fishers to target species other than demersaland promote best practice amongst fishers.
Recipient: Youth Futures Community School Project: The Next Cast
For over thirty years Youth Futures have been empowering young West Australians to take control of their future by offering them the holistic support and opportunities they need to thrive. Recfishwest is thrilled to once again team up with Youth Futures Community School to provide fishing clinics in 2024.
It is scientifically proven that fishing improves wellbeing and by providing young Western Australian with the opportunity to wet a line and learn about fishing we can help the school continue to empower and engage young people into the future.
Youth Futures Community School’s young students experienced great social, physical and mental benefits from their fishing clinics in 2023 and Recfishwest’s Community Grants will help fund the continuation of these clinics into 2024.
We have already seen numerous organisations across WA make the most of their 2022/2023 Community Grant funding this year – and the opportunity for the next potential recipients to apply for grants is arriving soon.
Our Community Grants Program applications for 2023/2024 officially open for eight weeks from 1 August until midnight, 25 September – so now is the time to get your thinking caps on to plan how a grant could help your fishing-based projects such as competitions, fishing infrastructure, materials, education, fishing safety, habitat protection or other means in your local area!
Whether fishing clubs or local businesses – many community groups can achieve great things when they are backed in with the resources and financial assistance to improve fishing experiences in their regions.
That is why Recfishwest has proudly provided more than $500,000 in funding for more than 220 projects across Western Australia since 2011.
Funded through the Recreational Fishing Initiatives Fund (RFIF) and supported by DPIRD, the Community Grants program saw 15 different organisations across WA achieve their project goals this past year, from the Apex Club of Kununurra up north down to the Albany Boating and Fishing Club in our State’s south.
With eight weeks to go until the Community Grants program closes, start brainstorming on what projects you think could do with a supportive boost!
Want to see proof of how Recfishwest’s Community Grants improved fishing across WA over the past year? Check out some of the previous Round 13 recipients and their project highlights below!
Life’s Short, Stay Moist – Women in Spearfishing Series and charter trip
Recfishwest was proud to supply a Community Grant to the Life’s Short, Stay Moist women’s spearfishing club, which financially supported the promotion of their Women in Spearfishing Series and enabled them to get out on a charter vessel for a successful spearfishing expedition!
Shark Bay Community Resource Centre – Fishing Fiesta
Hundreds of visitors across WA and Australia ventured to Denham for the week-long Shark Bay Fiesta to celebrate all things fishing in the region. The Community Grant supplied by Recfishwest to the Shark Bay Community Resource Centre helped support this great annual event, along with their family-friendly SunSmart fishing clinic that saw 38 kids enjoy wetting a line. More info here.
Fremantle Sailing Club’s First-Aid Training Course
13 members of the Fremantle Sailing Club’s angling, power and dive sections took part to update or gain a first aid certificate conducted by St John’s WA, which enabled them to take out the club’s vessel and to furnish them with proper first aid training for future club events. More info here.
The Albany Boating & Fishing Club held their annual Southern Ocean Spectacular fishing competition in May, with our Community Grant funding aiding in turning this great event into a catch and release competition while helping the club implement the Track My Fish app.
Youth Futures Community School Fishing Clinics
Young people who are doing it tough enjoyed the mental, well-being and physical net benefits fishing has to offer, with funding from our Community Grants program helping the Youth Futures Community School run multiple metro fishing clinics. The clinics received such positive feedback from students and teachers that the school is hoping to make the fishing clinics a permanent activity in future. More info here.
Djiljid Dreaming film
As part of NAIDOC week, Recfishwest was proud to support the short film Diljdjid Dreaming, which was funded through our Community Grants program and celebrated how the water of the Swan and Canning rivers connects the ‘Paperbark People’ of the South-West. Watch this short film here.
Young people who are doing it tough are enjoying the mental, well-being and physical net benefits fishing has to offer thanks to a partnership between “at risk” youth program Youth Futuresand Recfishwest.
Funded through our Community Grants Program – students from the Youth Futures Community School in Midland are being given the chance to enjoy fishing through Recfishwest’s SunSmart fishing clinics proudly supported by Healthway and Shimano Australia, which are being run on several locations on the Swan River.
And the ‘Next Cast’ project is proving to be a huge success with the school’s students truly bitten by the fishing bug.
“I’ve been inundated with questions from the students asking where and when the next fishing clinic is taking place because they had so much fun,” said Youth Futures Education Assistant Jonathan Higham.
“We’ve been seeing first-hand the immediate and prolonged benefits that these fishing clinics have been having on our students. Engaging activities out in the fresh air close to nature such as fishing also helps boost the students’ engagement in class. They’ve told us they all really look forward to coming to school when the fishing clinics were coming up.”
Youth Futures have reported the fishing clinics as a huge success for improving the mental and physical wellbeing of their students, with higher engagement in classes following the fishing trips.
Next Cast aims to give alternative learning opportunities to young people who are socially disconnected because of their circumstances and are at risk of falling through the cracks of the education system.
Most importantly it gives them the opportunity to enjoy the social and physical benefits fishing provides, as well as promoting peer support and positive social interaction.
“Different students had different levels of experience,” said Jonathan. “Some of them had never fished before while others were quite skilled and experienced. It resulted in the more experienced helping out the inexperienced, which adds to the social element of it all.”
Recfishwest Fishing Clinics Coordinator Sedin Hasanovic, who has been running the clinics with fellow instructor, Kim Burton said, “Time and time again, we see young people come alive with a rod in their hand at these fishing clinics and the Youth Futures students are no exception. Fishing is such a highly engaging activity and as well as showing them how to fish, our clinics teach participants about fishing sustainably, looking after the environment and being SunSmart.
“It’s been fantastic to see these young people from some tough backgrounds getting into fishing so much – hopefully it can give them some relief from some of the challenges they have to face and maybe sew the seeds for a lifelong passion for fishing just like we have.”
Seven fishing clinics, for young people aged between 12-14 years, took place over the school’s first semester of 2023 at a number of locations in the Swan River, along with metro-based ocean marinas and jetties.
Another 11 fishing clinics are planned for the second semester of 2023 for the schools’ 15-18-year-olds, with a view to making the Next Cast program a permanent fixture of Youth Futures.
Based on the great feedback from their first seven fishing clinics in the first semester, Youth Futures have booked another 11 fishing clinics for their older students for the remainder of 2023, with hopes of making fishing trips a permanent social activity in future.
Granting wishes to great local projects
Since the Community Grants program began in 2011, Recfishwest has proudly provided more than $500,000 in funding for more than 200 fishing clinics, equipment upgrades, safety training and numerous community-driven fishing projects thanks to funding through the Recreational Fishing Initiatives Fund (RFIF) and supported by DPIRD.
Recfishwest is proud to see one of the 16 recipient organisations receiving a Community Grant in 2023 – the Fremantle Sailing Club (FSC) – is saving money and potential lives by using a Recfishwest Community Grant to help fund a portion of their recent first aid training course.
And participants got to see firsthand skills they were learning about being put into practice into a ‘a real life’ situation!
Conducted by St John’s WA earlier in May, 13 members of the FSC angling, power and dive sections took part to update or gain a first aid certificate enabling them to take out the club’s vessel ‘Success’ and to furnish them with first aid training for future club events.
Recfishwest’s Community Grant funding being put to good use by supporting the Fremantle Sailing Club’s recent first aid training course.
Around 30 minutes into the first aid course, one of the participants in the course started experiencing vertigo, which eventually developed into more serious symptoms, resulting in the decision being made to call an ambulance.
Thankfully, after some further medical care, the patient recovered without hospitalisation being required, meaning the course could resume.
FSC West Australian Game Fishing Association representative John Cramer said, “Everyone attending, I’m sure, received and benefited far more than was anticipated as a result of what happened and thanks of course to receiving a grant through Recfishwest.”
Funded through the Recreational Fishing Initiatives Fund (RFIF) and supported by DPIRD, the Community Grants program helps fishing clubs and other groups achieve their goals in making recreational fishing better in their areas and benefitting local fishers.
Since the Community Grants program commenced in 2011, Recfishwest has proudly provided more than $500,000 in funding for more than 200 clinics, equipment upgrades, safety training and numerous community-driven fishing projects.
“The Recfishwest Community Grants Program provides funding for small scale projects which benefit recreational fishing in WA,” said Recfishwest’s Operations Manager Leyland Campbell. “This is a good example of how they can be used to make a real difference to great community clubs like FSC and their capacity to continue to run great family fishing events that are fun and safe with people skilled in first aid if ever the need arises – as was ably demonstrated in this instance.”
Want to see all recipients of our Community Grants in 2023 and the projects they have planned? Click here.
Round 10 of the Recfishwest Community Grants is still open for fishers!
We want your applications for projects to improve fishing for your community. Previous successful projects receiving Community Grants funding have included the Kalbarri Kids Whiting Comp, Steep Point Clean Up Day (pictured above), the West Kimberley Women’s Fishing Clinics and videos to help raise the profile of Fishability.
The Mary Island Fishing Club decided to run a West Kimberley Women’s Fishing Clinic and the sessions were a huge success with fishers learning how to back a boat trailer, tie knots, rig their own fishing gear, fillet fish and much more!
You could use the money to hold a fishing clinic, hold a fishing competition, offer a training day for your club members, purchase new information or safety signage, or improve access to fishing locations. There are so many opportunities to improve fishing for your community. Think outside the box and bring new projects to the table.
The grants are available to a maximum of $8,000 for each applicant, although preference will be given to applications under $5,000. Applications which demonstrate the support of local recreational fishers or fishing club will rank highly. This scheme is funded using recreational fishing licence fees through the Recreational Fishing Initiatives Fund. Be a part of making fishing better in WA, help us help you, help fishers!
Broome North Fishing Club used their Community Grant funding to host a threadfin competition for locals and visiting fishers to the region.Whiteys Tackle & Camping used their funding to have their very own instore app to help fishers apply for licences, understand the fishing rules, check the weather, navionics chart viewer and much more. This is the first of its kind in Australia!
Every year Recfishwest run a community grant program designed to provide funding for small scale projects which benefit recreational fishing in Western Australia.
Incorporated fishing clubs and community groups are encouraged to submit an application for funding.
Applications for Round 9 of the Recfishwest Community grant program open on 15th August and close on 12th October.
Applications for funding must cover at least one of the following priority areas:
Extension Materials
Education/Engagement Initiatives
Habitat Protection/Enhancement
Recreational Fishing Safety
Community Capacity Building
Access
Promotion of recreational fishing in Western Australia
More than one application may be submitted from your group provided each project is quite distinct from the others, and you have the capacity to deliver them.
All applicants are encouraged to discuss their projects with Recfishwest prior to submission.
The Recfishwest Board will be responsible for approval of funding applications.
Round 9 Community Grants are Now Closed