Department of Primary Industries and Regions

What Department of Primary Industries and Regions does

The Department of Primary Industries and Regions South Australia (PIRSA) is a state-level government department under the Government of South Australia, established as a key economic development agency to safeguard and advance the state's primary industries, fisheries, and regional communities. It serves approximately 356,000 recreational fishers, commercial fishing and aquaculture operators, and primary producers across grains, livestock, horticulture, wine, dairy, forestry, and apiary sectors, operating through 14+ metropolitan and regional offices across South Australia.

PIRSA's core digital products include the SA Fishing mobile app (iOS/Android) for recreational fishing species identification, catch reporting, and GPS-based closure maps; FishNet, an online payment portal for fishing license and gear registrations; and myPIRSA, the service hub for online departmental services. Its applied research arm, the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI), conducts aquatic, food, crop, and livestock sciences research and runs aquaculture breeding programs (including over half a million Snapper released). Additional platforms include a digital reporting system for commercial fishers, a 10-year shark sighting tracking system with acoustic telemetry integration, and quality assurance programs such as SASQAP and the Seafood Food Safety Scheme.

PIRSA operates as a public-sector entity rather than a commercial business. Its funding comprises Government of South Australia appropriations, regulatory and licensing fees (e.g., rock lobster pot registration at $91 per pot, mesh net registration at $192), and 14 industry-specific funding schemes collecting levies from grains, wine, livestock, apiary, and horticulture sectors. The department holds legislative authority under the Fisheries Management Act 2007 and operates a network of 24/7 hotlines (Fishwatch, biosecurity, drought recovery, fruit fly) for citizen engagement.

Name

Department of Primary Industries and Regions

Legal name

Department of Primary Industries and Regions South Australia

Website

https://pir.sa.gov.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

PIRSA is a South Australian government department that regulates fisheries, supports primary industries, and delivers regional economic development through digital services, licensing, biosecurity, and applied research via SARDI.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Primary Industries and Fisheries Management

NAICS

Regulation of Agricultural Marketing and Commodities (926140), Finfish Farming and Fish Hatcheries (112511), Regulation, Licensing, and Inspection of Miscellaneous Commercial Sectors (926150)

SIC

Fishing, Hunting And Trapping (900)

akta.pro primary industry

Agriculture, Fisheries & Food Administration (BPAIAAAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Coastal & Marine Resources Administration (Oceans, Fisheries, Shorelines) (BPAIAMAI), Sanitary & Phytosanitary (SPS) & Food Safety Regulatory Cooperation (BPADANAF), Supplier Approval, Verification & Food Safety Risk Management (GFSI-aligned) (AFALADAH)

Keywords

• Government fisheries management
• Primary industries regulation
• Agricultural biosecurity services
• Recreational fishing licensing
• Applied agricultural research

Headquarters

HQ city

Adelaide

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices14 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Regulatory and Licensing Fees: Government agency generates revenue through regulatory fees including fishing license registrations, rock lobster pot registrations, mesh net registrations, and various industry licensing. Fees are non-refundable and support fisheries management operations.
2. Government Appropriations: Core funding from the Government of South Australia as a key economic development agency. Annual appropriations support primary industries development, regional development, biosecurity, and fisheries management.
3. Industry Funding Schemes: 14 funding schemes established by regulations to collect funds from various primary industry sectors including grains, wine, livestock, apiary, and horticulture industries to support industry-specific research and development.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

PIRSA is a South Australian government department that regulates and develops primary industries and regional communities, providing fisheries and aquaculture licensing, biosecurity services, regional development support, and applied research through SARDI. The department offers digital platforms (SA Fishing App, FishNet, myPIRSA) for licensing, registration, catch reporting, and citizen services, alongside industry funding schemes, seafood safety assurance programs, and digital reporting tools for commercial fisheries.

Product overview

PIRSA operates as a government economic development agency providing a portfolio of regulatory services, digital platforms, and research services for South Australia's primary industries. The core digital products include the SA Fishing App (recreational fishing companion with catch reporting), FishNet (commercial licensing portal), and myPIRSA (service hub). SARDI delivers applied science research across aquatic sciences, food sciences, crop sciences, and livestock sciences. The department also manages 14 industry funding schemes, seafood safety assurance programs, and digital reporting systems for commercial fisheries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SARDI: South Australian Research and Development Institute - delivers applied science that grows South Australia's primary industries, food and wine.
• SA Fishing App
• myPIRSA

Products and services

• SA Fishing App Official PIRSA mobile application for recreational fishers in South Australia providing species identification, mandatory Snapper catch reporting (South East) and voluntary reporting for other species, fishing rules lookup, GPS-based closure zone maps, fishing diary, and illegal activity reporting. Available free for iPhone and Android.
• FishNet Online registration and licensing portal for recreational rock lobster pot registration, mesh net registration, and other fishing license renewals in South Australia, with secure Mastercard and Visa payment processing.
• myPIRSA Central online portal hosting PIRSA's online services and departmental resources for South Australian primary industries stakeholders.
• SARDI (South Australian Research and Development Institute) PIRSA's wholly-owned applied research and development division delivering science-based outcomes across aquatic sciences, food sciences, crop sciences, livestock sciences, plus services including molecular diagnostics, seed services, and the Australian Pastures Genebank, hosted at the University of Adelaide Waite Campus.
• Seafood Food Safety Scheme Regulatory food safety scheme covering all aquaculture and fisheries license holders in South Australia who catch or produce fish for human consumption.
• Shellfish Quality Assurance Program (SASQAP) Quality assurance program administered by PIRSA to ensure shellfish safety and quality standards for market access in South Australia.
• Digital Reporting System Online digital reporting platform enabling commercial fishers in South Australia to submit catch and activity reports to PIRSA.
• Industry Funding Schemes 14 regulation-based funding schemes collecting contributions from primary industry sectors including apiary, cattle, pig, sheep, grains, wine, and citrus to support industry-specific research, development, and biosecurity activities.

Quantifiable outcome

• Managed fishing activities for 356,000 recreational fishers
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Conservation Council SAcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Malinauskas Government partnership with Conservation Council SA to deliver bird flu response training program empowering birders to contribute to South Australia's bird flu response.
• Birds SAcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Partnership with Birds SA as part of the nation-leading bird flu response collaboration involving birding community training programs.
• BirdLife AustraliacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Partnership with BirdLife Australia as part of the bird flu response collaboration to deliver training program for birders in South Australia.
• The University of AdelaidecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSARDI operates within The University of Adelaide Waite Campus, conducting applied research and development that grows South Australia's primary industries, food and wine sectors.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania: Tasmania's primary industries and natural resource management agency. Smaller jurisdiction but highly comparable structure for fisheries, agriculture, and biosecurity regulation — a near-identical model in a smaller-state context.
• Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (Queensland): Queensland's state primary industries agency operating fisheries, agriculture, and forestry regulatory and extension functions. Direct functional peer with comparable fisheries licensing, biosecurity, and industry funding scheme structures.
• Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (Western Australia): Western Australia's primary industries department covering agriculture, fisheries, and regional development with research arm and biosecurity functions. Most structurally comparable peer to PIRSA in terms of state-agency remit and economic development orientation.
• NSW Department of Primary Industries: Australia's largest state-level primary industries agency, providing direct comparability to PIRSA on fisheries management, agriculture extension, biosecurity, and applied research through its DPI division. Same functional scope, larger jurisdiction, similar legislative model.
• Agriculture Victoria (Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action): Victoria's state-level agriculture and biosecurity agency with overlapping scope in livestock, horticulture, wine, and biosecurity. Comparable agency structure and service portfolio, though fisheries management sits with a separate unit.

Others

• Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC): Statutory R&D corporation co-investing industry and government funds in fisheries research Australia-wide. Indirect peer via the R&D funding model PIRSA's 14 industry schemes mirror, but operates nationally and as a co-investor rather than a regulator.

Broad incumbents

• Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (Australian Government): Australian federal counterpart overseeing national policy on agriculture, fisheries, and forestry. Sets the legislative and funding framework within which PIRSA operates; broader portfolio and policy orientation, but the same functional domain.
• CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation): Australia's national science agency with overlapping applied research in aquatic, agricultural, and food sciences. Less directly comparable as a regulator but a clear functional peer to SARDI's research mission and data assets.

Regional players

• Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade (Northern Territory): Northern Territory's combined primary industries, tourism, and trade agency. Functions overlap on fisheries and agriculture regulation, though smaller jurisdiction and broader mandate make it a regional rather than direct state peer.
• Ministry for Primary Industries (New Zealand): New Zealand's national primary industries ministry with fisheries, food safety, and biosecurity functions. Comparable integrated mandate and digital service model, but national rather than state-level scope and a different operating jurisdiction.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SA_PIRSA
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCyicJZzw2RKEBYrfp0p1IDw
• Facebookfacebook.com/PrimaryIndustriesAndRegionsSA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/primary-industries-and-regions-sa
• Instagraminstagram.com/sa_pirsa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments1 record

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Frequently asked questions about Department of Primary Industries and Regions