Episode 5: The Last 500 – How do we have a smaller fishing fleet now than in 1901?

In this episode we break down the quiet collapse of commercial fishing in New South Wales. Today there are only about 500 working fishers left in the state, which is fewer than the number recorded in 1889. We walk through the key moments that led to this decline, including policy decisions, licence reductions, rising imports, and the slow erosion of local seafood supply. This is a deep dive into how an industry that helped build coastal NSW has been pushed to the brink, and what it means for communities, consumers, and the future of Australian seafood.