Fisheries Structural Adjustment Scheme - Stage 2
The Fisheries Structural Adjustment Scheme aims is to support holders or lessees of particular primary commercial fishing licences (PCFLs) and particular fishery symbols, as well as supporting former skipper and crew members of affected PCFL holders who are affected by the closure of certain fisheries in the Great Barrier Reef region, changes under the Marine Parks Act 2004 to zoning or management in the Great Sandy region or the introduction of new gillnet free areas in the Gulf of Carpentaria.
Stage 2 of the Scheme closed to applications on 31 July 2024.
To learn more about the assistance available under Stage 3 click here.
Program information
The following assistance was available under this Scheme:
Payment for Former Skippers and Crew
Under this section, a payment was available to former skippers and crew members whose income was or will be affected by changes to fisheries in the Great Barrier Reef, Great Sandy Marine Park or the Gulf of Carpentaria regions.
Surrender of Primary Commercial Fishing Licences (PCFLs) or ‘N3’ fishery symbol
Under this section, a payment was available to holders of PCFLs who decide to surrender:
their PCFL, or
the ‘N3’ fishery symbols written on their PCFL.
Payments for loss of income
Under this section, a payment was available equivalent to three financial years of projected income to affected fishers in the following regions based on the applicant’s fishing data:
Gulf region, for ‘N3’ and ‘N11’ licences
Great Sandy region, for ‘A1’ and ‘A2’ licences
East coast fisheries, for Hammerhead sharks
For more information on Stage 2 of the Fisheries Structural Adjustment Scheme assistance, please see the Guidelines below.
For more information on Stage 1, please visit the Fisheries Structural Adjustment Scheme - Stage 1 webpage.
QRIDA is administering the Fisheries Structural Adjustment Scheme on behalf of the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries.
For further assistance
If you require further assistance please contact the relevant agency as below:
If you have a question regarding your application - please contact QRIDA on 1800 623 946 or email fisheriesstructuraladjustment@qrida.qld.gov.au
If you have not received a letter from DAF and you believe you are eligible - please contact DAF on 13 25 23 or email future.fishing@daf.qld.gov.au
If you have received a letter from DAF and wish to dispute the fishing data provided - please contact DAF on 13 25 23 or email FishDataCoordinator@daf.qld.gov.au
Additional Support
The Rural Financial Counselling Service are available to provide free financial counselling to fishing enterprises:
Questions concerning your personal taxation circumstances should be directed to your taxation adviser or the Australian Taxation Office on 13 72 86.
Your health and wellbeing
Need to talk? Take care of your health and wellbeing by contacting one of the many support networks available:
Stay Afloat – provides confidential mental health support and advice.
Royal Flying Doctor Service mental health clinicians - For 24 hour medical and emergency help 1800 733 772.
Head to Health - free or low-cost Australian digital mental health services.
ReachOUT is a website-based mental health service for young people.
Lifeline, 24 hour crisis support and suicide prevention services - Call 131 114.
MensLine Australia - information and referral service for men with family and relationship concerns. Call 1300 78 99 78.
Suicide Call Back Service - 24/7 telephone and online counselling. Call 1300 659 467.
Frequently asked questions
If you have queries on the catch history records that have been provided by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries please call 13 25 23 or email FishDataCoordinator@daf.qld.gov.au.
Yes, you are entitled to a decision review. See reviewing a decision for more information.
QRIDA will contact you via telephone, email, SMS or post. Should you be concerned about whether contact you have received is genuine, please contact QRIDA on 1800 623 946 and ask to speak with your Portfolio Manager.
If your application is successful QRIDA will pay the funds to your nominated bank account.
QRIDA is committed to ensuring due administrative processes are undertaken with the decisioning of applications for Government assistance.
When making decisions on applications, as well as the internal review of a decision, QRIDA follows the QRIDA Decision-Making Policy and Procedure.
You can view this Policy and Procedure on the Reviewing a decision page.
