30 mins
National
Article originally authored by the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development.
More than 160 teenage fishers and their families will come together today in Sydney’s inner west to celebrate their passion for fishing as part of a NSW Government and TikTok push to get more teenagers involved in angling.
The gathering is part of the phenomenal growth in interest, mostly from teenage boys, in fishing, driven by social media communities, particularly on TikTok, and the highly successful school fishing education program, ‘Get Hooked’.
NSW Minister for Agriculture, the Hon. Tara Moriarty, TikTok Australia and fishing content creator Shroom, are today hosting a first-of-its-kind #FishTok meetup to encourage young Aussies to get outside and teach them the best techniques to tie a knot, drop a line, and land a keeper.
#FishTok is a thriving community with more than 10 million fishing videos, featuring everything from fishing tips and techniques to favourite fishing spots and species.
Peter Phung, better known by his FishTok username as Shroom is one of Australia’s biggest fishing content creators with over 140,000 followers, amassing more than 7.4 million likes sharing his fishing experiences.
So far more than 750 primary schools across NSW have engaged in the Get Hooked program with more than 66 high schools across the state, from the North Coast, to Bega, out to the Far West, having expressed interest in the new high school program.
Run by education officers and Fishcare volunteers, Get Hooked, teaches students responsible fishing, environmental awareness and practical skills.
Get Hooked is a hands-on, curriculum-linked program that integrates with subjects like Biology, Environmental Science, and Physical Education, fostering a passion for fishing in our classrooms and helping students learn how to care for our waterways and aquatic resources.
The new high school program includes curriculum-aligned units – Fishing in NSW; Understanding Fish Habitat; Conserving Fish Habitat with lesson plans, activities and assessments tailored to Year 7 to 10 students.
It also promotes the health and social benefits of recreational fishing to teenagers and encourages inclusive participation across all ages and genders.
High schools can get involved by registering for the free program on the DPIRD website.