Originally known as the Rex Hunt Futurefish Foundation, we were established in 1999 as a non-profit charitable organisation dedicated to protecting and enhancing recreational fishing in Victoria through events and projects which provide opportunities and grow participation in recreational fishing for all Victorians, Interstate and International visitors.

The Futurefish Foundation is also on the Register of Environmental Organisations (REO) with the Australian Governments Department of the Environment and Energy. This allows Futurefish Foundation to be endorsed as Deductible Gift Recipients by the Australian Taxation Office. Deductible Gift Recipient status means donations made to Futurefish Foundation will be tax deductible for the donor.

Futurefish Foundation conducts several large marquee events each year, the most well known being Mates Day on the Bay. Mates Day involves more than 200 people with disabilities and their carers being taken out fishing on our flotilla of volunteer boats for a morning of exciting fishing for Melbourne's iconic Snapper. For nearly two decades, our guests have enjoyed this event; one that is unequaled in size and opportunity anywhere in Australia.

As a lobby group, Futurefish has successfully driven the cessation of scallop dredging in Port Phillip Bay, the buyout of commercial netting licences in Mallacoota Inlet, Lake Tyers and Andersons Inlet and had these three estuaries declared Recreational Fisheries Reserves under the provisions of Section 88 of the Fisheries Act 1995. These three estuaries are now prime recreational fisheries containing trophy size fish enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of anglers each year. With the support of Futurefish Foundation, changes in law now protect the big breeders of the species dusky flathead which inhabit these estuaries and provide world class fishing.

Closer to Melbourne and more recently, Futurefish led the way in convincing the Victorian Government to ban the practice of commercial netting in Western Port and Port Phillip Bay. While supporting the increase in Aquaculture Reserves and maintaining commercial long line fishing in Port Phillip Bay, Futurefish Foundation is content with the balance of fishing opportunities for both the commercial and recreational fishing sectors in the bay.

Futurefish Foundation is proud of its involvement in building fishing platforms in several areas such as Mallacoota Inlet, the establishment of a fish cleaning table installation program and improvements in many inland lake systems such as Blue Rock Lake and Lake Toolondo.

Futurefish Foundation has a long list of improvement ideas it will take to all political parties leading in to State Government elections; the highest priority currently being to eliminate the fees charged at Victorian boat ramps, and to bring all ramps in Port Phillip Bay and Western Port under one State Government Management Authority.

In conjunction with our supporters and volunteers, we are making a real difference and will continue to do so well into the future.