About AFANT
Find out who we are and what we do…
Our Purpose
Ensuring great fishing in the Northern Territory, for everyone, always.
Our Mission
AFANT’s mission is to represent recreational fishing in the NT and to ensure the quality of our sport.
About AFANT
The Amateur Fishermen’s Association of the Northern Territory (AFANT) is your representative on all matters recreational fishing. We ensure that the voices of recreational fishers are heard and not ignored. If there is a major issue or proposal that affects recreational fishing in the NT you can be assured that we’re on it!
AFANT was first incorporated in 1980 by active recreational fishers who understood that the recreational fishing community needs an independent body to represent and advocate their interests to Government, industry and other organisations. Today, our organisation has thousands of members and is recognised by both the Northern Territory and Commonwealth Governments as the peak body representing recreational fishing in the Northern Territory.
Our Committee (Board) is elected by the members of our association, and is responsible for the strategic direction, governance and oversight of the organisation. Our Chief Executive Officer and Administration Officer comprise our dynamic, and highly effective staff team, and their capacity is complemented by skilled volunteers from our Committee and broad membership.
At AFANT we value professional conduct, integrity, honesty, and diversity. We understand that there is no “typical” recreational fisher, with people from all walks of life sharing a passion for fishing. Everyone who shares our values is welcome to be part of our organisation, so why not become a member?
Key Issues and Achievements
AFANT has a proud and enduring legacy of being a strong voice for recreational fishing and standing up on key issues to ensure that the Northern Territory continues to host some of the best fishing in the world.
Some key achievements we have secured through advocacy, or have contributed to the development of include:
- Australia’s largest net free zones (recreational and Traditional fishing only) for Barramundi; a significant reallocation of the Barramundi fishery from the commercial sector to the recreational sector over a period of decades, including commercial netting closures in Top End rivers, as well as the coastline from the Finniss River to Kakadu (the most recent being Chambers and Finke Bays in 2013).
- Establishment of the Daly, Mary and Kakadu Fish Management Zones to manage these areas with special rules to deliver high quality recreational fishing experiences as a key objective.
- Funding for the $8.5M Darwin Region Artificial (120 module) Reef Program (2018).
- Funding for new boat major ramps (including Shady Camp and Dundee)
- The establishment and ongoing funding for fishing clubs, community led projects and infrastructure through the NT Recreational Fishing Grants Program (2017 – ).
- Maintenance of 80% of water reserved for the environment in the Daly River (Oolloo Water Allocation Plan (2020))
- Ensuring recreational fishers are represented professionally on the development of all Fishery Management Plans and Harvest Strategies
AFANT professionally represents recreational fishers in the Northern Territory through membership and input on a range of fisheries and natural resource management committees. These include:
- Recreational Fishing Advisory Committee (RFAC)
- NT Recreational Fishing Development Plan Working Group
- NT Recreational Fishing Survey Steering Committee
- NT Recreational Fishing Research Working Group
- Coastal Line Fishery Management Advisory Committee (Jewfish & Snapper)
- Barramundi Management Advisory Committee
- Offshore Net and Line Fishery Management Advisory Committee (Shark & Grey Mackerel)
- NT Spanish Mackerel Fishery Management Advisory Committee
- NT Mud Crab Fishery Management Advisory Committee
- Darwin Harbour Advisory Committee (DHAC)
- Oolloo Water Advisory Committee (Daly River)
- Katherine Tindall Water Advisory Committee (Katherine & Daly Rivers)
- Mataranka Tindall Water Advisory Committee (Roper River)
- Howard Water Advisory Committee (Howard River)
- Kakadu Tourism Consultative Committee
- The NT Water Safety Advisory Council
Active membership of these committees and working groups ensures the NT recreational fishing community and industry have an informed say in the management of fisheries, water resources, and the environment, as well as input to policy development and strategic planning for sustainable development.
In addition to formal representation on committees, advisory, and working groups, AFANT engages routinely with Northern Territory Government agencies, Ministers, Members of the Legislative Assembly, industry, and non-government organisations. Through our full membership of the Australian Recreational Fishing Foundation we also contribute to, and a represented on Commonwealth fisheries matters.
AFANT regularly provides policy input through written submissions and formal hearings at the Territory and Commonwealth level, and submit responses to environmental approvals processes where there is a likely impact on fisheries or the ecosystems that support them.
Representing NT Fishers
We fish….
Our members, Committee, staff and sponsors all have one thing in common; our passion for ensuring the Northern Territory continues to boast some of the best fishing experiences in the world. When we are not working at AFANT HQ, chances are you’ll find us on the water!