RECREATIONAL fishers across Queensland are urged to record their catches using the Qld Fishing 2.0 app, with Fisheries Queensland saying the data is critical to managing fish stocks and securing the future of the State’s fisheries.
Under the Your Catch Counts pilot program, every recorded trip contributes to real-time data used by fisheries scientists and managers to better understand fish populations, fishing pressure and stock health across Queensland waters.
Fisheries Queensland says anglers do not need to be frequent or “serious” fishers to make a difference.
The app allows fishers to quickly log what they catch, where they fish and how often they go out, turning everyday fishing trips into what Fisheries Queensland describes as “citizen science in action”.
The information is used to monitor fish populations over time, measure changes in recreational fishing pressure, build robust stock assessments, and guide management decisions to ensure Queensland’s fisheries remain sustainable.
Fisheries Queensland says traditional phone and logbook surveys are becoming increasingly expensive and only provide snapshots in time, while the app delivers more frequent, up-to-date data across seasons and regions.
The department points to Queensland tailor as proof the approach works.
In the 1990s, data showed most tailor caught were just one to two years old, raising sustainability concerns.
Management measures were introduced, and ongoing recreational catch data has since shown a healthier age mix, with more older fish now appearing in the stock.
Fisheries Queensland says future updates will aim to return more meaningful information to anglers.
The Qld Fishing 2.0 app is available for download on the App Store and Google Play.
