Katrina Hodgkinson said funds raised in the past year through recreational fishing licence fees were now available to assist recreational fishing groups, community organisations, councils and individuals to improve fishing in their local areas.

“Fishing is an immensely popular recreational activity, with around one million people dropping a line in NSW every year,” Ms Hodgkinson said.

“Money generated from the sale of NSW recreational fishing licences is placed into separate saltwater and freshwater fishing trusts, which spend all their funds on improving recreational fishing for the State’s avid angling community.

“This is a fantastic opportunity to get much-needed fishing projects off the ground for the benefit of recreational fishers in NSW.”

Funding from NSW Recreational Fishing Trusts is open to individuals, groups and organisations, including fishing clubs, local councils and universities. Joint applications are also encouraged.

Ms Hodgkinson said the allocation of trust funds was recommended by committees of expert fishers as part of a five-year strategy that would focus on both short and long-term projects.

“The NSW Government is committed to giving our State’s anglers new opportunities to reel in a winner.

“In the 2012/13 round of Recreational Fishing Trust funding, the NSW Government is allocating about $14 million to a wide variety of programs including fish stocking, artificial reefs, fish aggregating devices, fishing facilities, Fishcare volunteers, fishing clinics and essential research to improve recreational fishing,” Ms Hodgkinson said.

Applications for funding close on Friday, March 2 2012.

Funding applications must benefit recreational fishing. Contributing funding and in-kind support, such as voluntary labour, is encouraged.

For more information or assistance with applications contact NSW Department of Primary Industries on (02) 6648 3917, email recreational. fishingtrust@dpi.nsw.gov.au or visit, www.fisheries.nsw.gov.au.