Key information
- Status: Closed
- Grant amount: From $4,000 to $12,000
- Application opened: 30 January 2026
- Application closed: 27 March 2026
Program objective
Receive applications from the community to stock native fish into NSW waterways on a two dollar for one dollar basis to enhance local fisheries. Assess and approve native fish stocking proposals and issue fish stocking permits for quality recreational fishing enhancement stocking events. To provide economic benefits for regional aquaculture establishments by encouraging business activities with Government and local communities through production and sale of native fish to enhance recreational fisheries resources.
This program is administered by Fisheries and Forestry.
Eligibility
Who can apply
- Not-for-profit groups (a group includes a fishing club or other community organisation)
- Individuals
- NSW councils
- Non-government organisations
Who the grant is targeted towards
- Fishing clubs, local Councils, community groups, non-government organisations, individual fishers
Types of projects funded under this grant
- Applications to undertake approved fish stocking activities in NSW public waters to benefit recreational fisheries
Outcomes for projects funded under this grant
- To stock Australian Bass into approved public waters to enhance recreational fishing opportunities and aquatic biodiversity
What costs you can apply for
- Purchase and delivery of fish
Who can’t apply
- State or Federal Government Organisations
- Organisations / businesses that may or will realise a commercial gain from the project
What costs you can't apply for
- Any cost other than fish purchase and delivery
Types of projects not funded under this grant
- Applications to stock species other than Australian Bass
- Applications to stock waters which are publicly inaccessible
- Applications to stock fish from unaccredited fish hatcheries.
- Applications which do not meet fish stocking assessment requirements
- Applications which do not meet funding requirements
Example projects
- A fishing club or local Council which offers $3,000 in funding to stock Australian Bass in public impounded waters with fish sourced from an accredited fish supplier
What co-contributions are required
- Applicants must offer between $2,000 - $6,000 in funding per application to be eligible to receive the grant. Hence if a group offers $3,000 to stock Australian Bass it will be eligible to receive $9,000 worth of fish for the stocking event, if the application is approved.
Additional eligibility requirements
- Fish must be supplied by an accredited fish hatchery (the applicant will be provided with a list of accredited fish suppliers if the application is approved).
What your application needs to include
Prepare your application with this checklist
- Identify your funding source
- Ensure you have the minimum funds required (see co-contribution amount/details) to participate in the program
- Identify your fish stocking sites
- Public Access: Fish stocking sites must be publicly accessible
- Suitability: Receiving waters must be suitable for fish survival (should have good water quality and provide fish with good habitat for cover, shelter, food and protection from predators).
- Species distribution: Stocking sites must be located within the natural range of the species
- The application must be completed in its entirety to be eligible for consideration. Clearly mark any information that should be treated confidentially.
- Only one application per individual or group may be submitted.
- Applicants must act under the authority of a fish stocking permit issued by the Department
Address the eligibility criteria
Each applicant, as part of an application response, must confirm that they meet the eligibility criteria.
Applicants that do not address the eligibility criteria in full may be excluded from the application process at the department's discretion.
Address the assessment criteria
- Stocking activity (species to be stocked, species suitability, source of stock, stocking location, stocking level, closed waters, stocking exclusions, fish passage barriers, broodstock collection, stock production, stocking zones, genetic resource management requirements)
- Translocation of live aquatic organisms (fish consignment requirements)
- Local environmental issues (threatened species listings, threatened species interactions, cultural interactions, public accessibility requirements)
- Stocking review framework (departmental governance polices)
- Applications will be prioritised in order of submission
Start the application
Submission of applications
The applicant submits the fish stocking application by the closing date
Assessment of proposals
The application will be assessed against the specific criteria of the Fish Stocking Fishery Management Strategy (including interactions between stocked species and threatened species), and the applicant will be notified on the outcome of their application. Fish stocking may be excluded in some areas. If a proposal does not meet assessment guidelines, applicants will be asked to consider alternative stocking sites.
Notification, ordering and permit
If the application is approved, the applicant will receive a letter outlining the funding agreement for the program and will be provided with a purchase order for ordering fish with commercial hatcheries. The applicant will then need to submit their completed purchase order in order to receive a specific fish stocking permit (in accord with section 216 of the Fisheries Management Act 1994) for the upcoming event, as well as fish transport and release guidelines and the stocking code of practice.
Supply, delivery and stocking
The stocking group and the hatchery are responsible for arranging the supply of the fish for stocking. Upon acceptance of permit conditions, the applicant can then stock the fish into waters approved under the permit. The group must then provide verification advice to the Department notifying that the stocking event has been completed.
Payment
The applicant is responsible for its share of the payment to fish suppliers, as per the amount offered in its application (“the $1 component”), inclusive of delivery costs and GST. The Department will remit remaining funds [“the $2 component”] to fish suppliers upon completion of stocking events.
Note: If you are a new applicant to SmartyGrants, you will need to register and create a password. If you are already registered, you can log in with your existing username and password.
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After the application is submitted
Successful applications will be decided by: Minister for Agriculture, Minister for Regional New South Wales and Minister for Western New South Wales
Applications are assessed to ensure stocking proposals meet requirements of the Freshwater Fish Stocking Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Freshwater Fish Stocking Fishery Management Strategy (FMS). The EIS risk assessment outlines which species are at risk from the activity with appropriate management measures in place (under the FMS) to ameliorate identified risks. The assessment process commences after the closing date for applications and can take many months to complete. The assessment process involves a review of the stocking activity (by assessors from the Fish Stocking and Enhancement Operations section of the Department) according to Stocking Review Guidelines (SRG) of the FMS, to ensure that individual stocking events are properly considered before being carried out.
Assessment recommendations are then reviewed by decision makers (from the Aquaculture and Freshwater Environment Units of the Department), which make a decision on the activity. This may include approval of a stocking proposal (if it complies with FMS / SRG provisions), conditional approval (where mitigative action may alleviate any potential impacts, for instance, relocation of the stocking site) or that if any event should not proceed (for instance, for non-compliance with the SRG provisions). Project assessors and decision makers are guided by appropriate departmental governance policies, to ensure the above process is completed in a consistent, transparent and ethical manner. Upon completion of the assessment process, applicants are then notified on the success / non success of their applications, which occurs prior to the stocking period for the various species.
Anticipated assessment outcome date is Within 6 months of application closing date
Anticipated date for funding deed execution with successful applicants is Within 6 months of application closing date
Support and contact
Please refer any questions or enquiries to fish.stocking@dpird.nsw.gov.au