about
game fishing association of australia (gfaa)
The primary objects of GFAA are to:
The Game Fishing Association of Australia (GFAA) is the longest established national fishing association in the world. It has been, and remains, a model and example for game fishing associations around the world. GFAA plays an active part in the leadership of the sport of game fishing on a world level.
The membership of the GFAA is the Australian States and the Northern Territory (the Canberra GFC is affiliated with the NSW Game Fishing Association).
Game fishers, wherever their place of residence, have a voice and representation – just as was planned by those who founded the national body in 1938. Each of the State and Northern Territory Associations is made up of affiliated clubs. The club members – the anglers – in turn, receive the benefit of membership.
GFAA has been a leader in promoting the ethics of the sport and is a determined advocate of game fishers’ rights at government level.
The membership of the GFAA is the Australian States and the Northern Territory (the Canberra GFC is affiliated with the NSW Game Fishing Association).
Game fishers, wherever their place of residence, have a voice and representation – just as was planned by those who founded the national body in 1938. Each of the State and Northern Territory Associations is made up of affiliated clubs. The club members – the anglers – in turn, receive the benefit of membership.
GFAA has been a leader in promoting the ethics of the sport and is a determined advocate of game fishers’ rights at government level.
GFAA Principles and Code of Practice
Principles
GFAA operates under a form of ‘Code of Practice’ for many years. The constitution of the GFAA contains a set of objects (or aims) that are a very useful starting point in this regard. The relevant points set high standards.
They are:
- To formulate and support fair, uniform and ethical angling rules.
- To conserve gamefish and food fish resources for the recreational and economic use of present and future generations.
- To affiliate with similar minded associations, scientific institutions and government bodies interested in fisheries conservation and management.
- To encourage and further the study of recreational angling, the related fish species and the habitat requirements of such species.
- To develop and support fish tagging programs and other scientific data collection.
- To act as a data accumulation centre for fishing results and to make such information available to governments and others for furthering education in the wise use and conservation of the species.
- To analyse the pressure of recreational and commercial fishing upon the respective gamefish species.
- To disseminate information and knowledge of scientific studies of commercial fishing and game fishing to GFAA member clubs and to the general public.
- To assist and participate in domestic and international gamefish seminars and symposiums where the expertise, data and purposes of the Association may be helpful in assisting other organisations with similar objectives.
- To make grants to gamefish-oriented organisations or institutions for the support of research and education in the sciences related to gamefish and the sport of angling.
Code of Practice
Gamefish anglers will strive to:
- Fish to the ethical standards espoused by the GFAA. Follow the rules and regulations set by the GFAA. Always conduct game fishing activities in an ethical manner.
- Show due care and responsibility for the habitat of gamefish and other marine life. Don’t discard anything overboard, including plastic, metal and fishing line. Report pollution. Pick up floating rubbish. Take care in anchoring over sensitive reef areas. Only use biodegradable chemicals onboard.
- Minimise direct effects on wildlife, including seabirds, marine mammals and reptiles.
- Minimise taking onboard material that will produce pollution or rubbish. Observe proper provisioning processes. Minimise packaging.
- Follow all relevant regulations by governing institutions. Adhere to bag and size limits. Respect and adhere to protected species legislation. Be aware of zoning within marine parks and marine protected areas.
- Be informed about the biology of gamefish. For example, be aware of how to identify various gamefish species for more accurate recording of tagging and capture data.
- Tag and release fish with care. Learn the correct procedures for tag and release and catch and release to ensure maximum likelihood of survival of tagged and released fish. Record and forward accurate post-release information in a timely manner.
- Take only what is needed. Exercise restraint when taking any species of fish even if no bag limits exist. Be realistic about baitfish taken for fishing. Try to return unused live baitfish to the area in which they were caught.
- Dispatch fish quickly and humanely. All fish that are taken should be killed as quickly and humanely as possible.
- Convey the benefits of game fishing to the public. Take opportunities to educate the non-fishing public about the benefits of game fishing, of tag and release and support of research.
- Encourage others to join affiliated game fishing clubs.
- Cooperate and participate in research and development activities that will enhance the sustainability of the resource. Offer free access to fish for recognised research programs. Participate in biological sampling programs.
- Participate and assist in the collection of catch and effort statistics.
- Consider and respect the rights of others when engaged in any aspect of game fishing. This includes other anglers, and commercial fishers’ rights to harvest common property resources.
current office bearers
past presidents & life members
Past Presidents
- Clive W Firth (Foundation) *1937-47
- Thomas A Bell *1948-49
- GR (Jim) Cowell *1950-51
- John A Kelly *1952-53
- Thomas A Bell *1954-59
- William L Southam *1960-61
- Ernest W Palmer AO 1962-63
- Richard Rowe *1964-67
- Dr H James Delohery *1968-71
- Terrence M Caughlan *1972-73
- William B Coombs *1974-75
- Patrick V Gay AM *1976-77
- W John O'Brien MBE *1978-79
- John C Johnston *1980-81
- C Ian Cutler *1982-83
- Malcolm D Ramsay *1984-85
- Bill Heyward *Nov-Dec 1985
- K Neil Patrick 1986-87
- Robert Ellis 1988-89
- Bruce Downie *1990-91
- Col Roberts 1992-93
- Robert H (Bob) Lowe *1994-95
- Alan Messenger 1996-97
- Grahame Williams OAM 1997-12
- Brett Cleary 2013-15
- Doug Sanderson 2016-19
- Ian Bladin 2020-
Life Members
- Clive W Firth *1939
- GR (Jim) Cowell *1951
- Thomas A Bell *1951
- AB Carrodus *1951
- MJ Lawson *1957
- Michael Lerner *1959
- Ernest W Palmer AO *1965
- Dr H James Delohery *1973
- William B Coombs *1975
- Elwood K Harry *1979
- W John O'Brien MBE *1981
- Peter Goadby OAM *1981
- Patrick V Gay AM 1981
- John C Johnston *1983
- Daphne V Nielsen *1983
- C Ian Cutler *1985
- Malcolm D Ramsay *1989
- K Neil Patrick 1991
- Bruce Downie *1993
- Robert H (Bob) Lowe *1997
- Col Roberts 1997
- Grahame Williams OAM 2000
- Tom Roche *2004
- Brett Cleary 2016
- Peter Babarskas 2018
- John McIntyre 2019
- Doug Sanderson 2022
* Deceased
annual gfaa awards & trophies
Each year GFAA-administered trophies for Capture and Tag & Release are awarded to anglers fishing in Australian waters. The Capture trophies are the Tom Bell Trophy and the Peter Goadby Trophy. The Tag & Release trophies are the John O’Brien Trophy, the Sir Garrick Agnew Trophy, the Bob Lowe Trophy, the Peter Bennett Trophy, and the trophy for the Highest Point-scoring Boat, which was donated by Tailored Marine Accessories.
In 2003 anglers had three new trophies to fish for: the Geoffrey Woolley Trophy for the most meritorious tag & release achievement by an adult angler, the Grahame Williams trophy for the most sharks tagged by an angler, and the John and Anne Brooker Trophy for the most southern bluefin tuna tagged by an angler.
In 2004 another trophy was added: the Neil Patrick Trophy for the most other gamefish tagged by an angler.
In 2012 the David Litchfield Trophy was added for the highest point scoring boat tag & release marlin in Australian waters.
The operative year for all trophies is from 1st July in one year to 30th June the following year. Entries for the Tom Bell Trophy, Peter Goadby Trophy, Bob Lowe Trophy, Peter Bennett Trophy and Geoffrey Woolley Trophy must be submitted to GFAA by clubs through their State Association, and will be judged by the GFAA Executive. All other trophies are based on tag cards received by NSW Fisheries. To be eligible for the Peter Bennett Trophy the angler must be under 16 years of age at the time of the event.
It should be recognised that a claim need not be an Australian record to win the trophy. However, sufficient data must accompany the application to satisfy the Executive of its validity. The decision to award a trophy, or otherwise, rests totally with GFAA and no correspondence will be entered into.
There are also three trophies available at the Australian International Billfish Tournament, a prestigious tournament held every year from a different location: the Ern Palmer Trophy awarded to the winning team, the Moreton Bay Trophy awarded to the runner-up team (previously champion international team), and the Mal Ramsey Trophy awarded to the champion angler (previously champion Australian team).
Note: The use of the ‘billfish only’ tag is mandatory to be eligible to win any GFAA billfish trophies and awards.
- EW Palmer Trophy
- Moreton Bay Trophy
- Mal Ramsay Trophy
- John O'Brien Trophy
- Sir Garrick Agnew Trophy
- Bob Lowe T&R Trophy
- Peter Bennett Trophy
- Tom Bell Trophy
- Peter Goadby Trophy
- Highest Point-Scoring Boat T&R
- Geoffrey Woolley Trophy
- Grahame Williams Trophy
- John and Anne Brooker Trophy
- Neil Patrick Trophy
- David Litchfield Trophy
- John Dunphy Young Achiever Award
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Game Fishing Association Australia (GFAA)