State of the Reef Report 2003: Fisheries

Abstract

Fishing is the predominant extractive activity in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and includes the major commercial fisheries of prawn trawling, reef line fishing and inshore netting and crabbing, as well as smaller dive-based fisheries for tropical rock lobster, aquarium fishes, coral, sea cucumber, trochus and specimen shells. Recreational fishing is an important activity with 56,000 privately registered boats in coastal communities adjacent to the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area. In addition, tourist charter boats take recreational fishers to many fishing locations. Traditional fisheries also occur adjacent to indigenous communities.