Recreational fishing is a popular outdoor activity in Australia and is one of the few forms of nature-based recreation that can generally be enjoyed through all life stages, providing the opportunity to develop skills, techniques and knowledge through long-term participation. Participation rates suggest that approximately one in four Australian households consist of at least one recreational fisher. People fish from the beach, in the river, from rocks, and from boats or other watercraft.

Despite the benefits, fishing can also be very dangerous. In fact, rock fishing alone has been dubbed Australia’s most dangerous sport and is responsible for drowning deaths every year. Many boating- or watercraft-related drowning deaths occur during fishing trips. The range of recreational fishing activities highlights a number of water safety challenges and the need for diverse, multi-faceted and targeted approaches to ensure safe fishing practice.