Fishcare is a community based volunteer program with the motto ‘We Fish, We Care’. The Victorian Fishcare Volunteer Program is developing positive relationships between recreational fisheries users and fisheries managers to achieve sustainable resource use.

Fishcare volunteers provide information, distribute educational material, offer assistance to recreational fishers, collect recreational fish catch data and visit schools and angling clubs. We also assist other natural resource related programs e.g. CoastAction, and provide displays at shows and community events. Volunteers have no enforcement role whatsoever. 

The volunteers respond to the needs of their clients regarding State and local fisheries issues which involves visiting riverbanks, piers, jetties, and boat ramps, or anywhere fish can be caught. 

Fishcare Victoria was an initiative of the then Department of Natural Resources and Environment. Fishcare was started in East Gippsland on August 15, 1995 and has flourished to be now coastally statewide in six regions with plans to extend inland soon. All regions are now fully incorporated with volunteers filling the Executive Committee roles therefore allowing them more say in the actual running of Fishcare.

The aim of the Fishcare Volunteer Program is ‘to foster a concept of stewardship and personal responsibility by Victorian recreational fishers to fish resources and the aquatic environment’.

The volunteers play an important role in promoting ethical fishing behaviour, increasing resource values and establishing links between users and managers. Fishcare Volunteers interact with both and external (public) and internal (DPI) staff clients by extending access to the most up to date information on issues affecting our fisheries. For further information regarding fishing regulations please check out the DPI website.

Volunteers are kept well informed, are friendly and concerned for fish and fish habitat. Once recruited, trained, confident and the coordinator is satisfied a new volunteer is competent, field work or project involvement can proceed. Volunteers generally undertake field work in pairs. Projects include community events, schools, displays and community activities relating to fish and fish habitat. 

Field work is Fishcare's core focus which involves talking to recreational anglers on site about how important it is to be well informed and to act responsible.

All regions throughout Victoria are supervised by a Facilitator who looks after mundane things such as paperwork, etc. and who organizes events for the volunteers to attend. They also liaise with other Government Departments and private industry sourcing funding and raising much needed sponsorship to ensure the longevity of Fishcare. Without our Facilitators, Fishcare would not be able to function effectively.

The Fishcare Victoria State Steering Committee, made up of volunteers and facilitators, meets quarterly to secure funding for the volunteer groups and to provide direction for the regions across Victoria.