There is a legal requirement for anyone who keeps, breeds, hatches or cultures fish to hold an aquaculture licence. Exceptions include;
keeping fish for non-commercial purposes;
keeping fish, except marron, for display or ornamental hobby purposes (marron can be kept in a home aquarium if not kept for the purpose of swapping, trading, sale or exchange);
keeping fish for display or ornamental purposes in retail establishments;
keeping fish for display in public aquariums.
To help determine if your keeping of fish is a business or hobby visit the Australian Taxation Office website.
Forms to apply for an aquaculture licence and further information can be downloaded from the links below. All applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
If the aquaculture proposal affects land other than private land, for example crown land or waters (including coastal waters), more 
detailed guidelines are available.
Written approval from our Director General is required if your proposal involves the translocation of fish:
to areas outside the historic range of the species;
to areas which contain genetically distinct populations of the species; or
from an area where a reportable disease is known to occur.
The following application forms are available to download:
Barramundi (Also see Fisheries Management Paper No.159 - this paper may be updated to include new information.)
Inland finfish (eg. black bream)
Marron (There are two types of licence: ‘Marron-Unlimited’ and ‘Marron-Limited’. For details, see the information sheet attached to the licence form.)
Ornamental fish
Red claw crayfish (Also see Fisheries Management Paper No.100 - this document is only available in hardcopy from the Fisheries Library).
Silver perch (Also see Fisheries Management Paper No.145.)
Trout
Yabbies, koonacs & gilgies (There are two types of licences, ‘Growers’ and ‘Harvesters’. For details, see the information sheet attached to the form.)
All other fish (including marine species)
Application for the variation of an authorisation (eg. the removal or modification of a licence condition)
Coastal water or large-scale land-based proposals
Marking and lighting guidance statementTranslocation application form (To be completed by all applicants for new sites or variations to existing aquaculture licences in coastal waters. Lodge it at the same time as the application form.)
Conditions
An aquaculture licence is issued subject to the conditions set out in Regulation 69 of the Fish Resources Management Regulations 1995 and additional conditions that may be specified in the licence by the Director General (who may also vary or cancel a condition by notice in writing).
If you send your application by fax, you must also post the original form to the address on the form.
The prescribed application fees for applications relating to non-freehold land or freehold land must accompany your application. (Fees may be subject to change.)
Be aware that the details disclosed in your application may be recorded on the Licence Register and be available for public search.