Department of Primary Industries and Regions
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.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1997
- HeadquartersAdelaide, Australia
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
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.
Department of Primary Industries and Regions firmographics
Firmographics- 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
Department of Primary Industries and Regions industry classification
Industry- 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
Where Department of Primary Industries and Regions is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Adelaide
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices14 records
Markets served
Department of Primary Industries and Regions business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Annual | Rock lobster pot registration - 1 pot |
| One time/ perpetual license | Annual | Rock lobster pot registration - 2 pots |
| One time/ perpetual license | Annual | Lake George recreational mesh net registration |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Lost rock lobster pot tag replacement |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Lost mesh net tag replacement |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Department of Primary Industries and Regions product offering
Product offeringCore 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
Companies that use Department of Primary Industries and Regions
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Department of Primary Industries and Regions technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Department of Primary Industries and Regions partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Conservation Council SAcoreMalinauskas 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 SAcorePartnership with Birds SA as part of the nation-leading bird flu response collaboration involving birding community training programs.
- BirdLife AustraliacorePartnership with BirdLife Australia as part of the bird flu response collaboration to deliver training program for birders in South Australia.
- The University of AdelaidecoreSARDI 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
Department of Primary Industries and Regions competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect 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
Department of Primary Industries and Regions social profiles
Digital presenceDepartment of Primary Industries and Regions financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Department of Primary Industries and Regions leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Department of Primary Industries and Regions subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Department of Primary Industries and Regions funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Department of Primary Industries and Regions M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Department of Primary Industries and Regions
What does Department of Primary Industries and Regions do?
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.
Is Department of Primary Industries and Regions a public or private company?
Department of Primary Industries and Regions is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Department of Primary Industries and Regions founded?
Department of Primary Industries and Regions was founded in 1997. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is Department of Primary Industries and Regions based?
Department of Primary Industries and Regions is headquartered in Adelaide, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does Department of Primary Industries and Regions make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Regulatory and Licensing Fees are the primary driver. The others are government Appropriations and industry Funding Schemes.
Who are Department of Primary Industries and Regions's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (Queensland), Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (Western Australia), NSW Department of Primary Industries and Agriculture Victoria (Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action). Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC) is listed as an others. Broad incumbents are Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (Australian Government) and CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation). Regional players are Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade (Northern Territory) and Ministry for Primary Industries (New Zealand).
Does Department of Primary Industries and Regions have an API?
No public API is recorded for Department of Primary Industries and Regions.
What industry is Department of Primary Industries and Regions in?
Department of Primary Industries and Regions's product category is Government Primary Industries and Fisheries Management. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAIAAAO, Agriculture, Fisheries & Food Administration, with a secondary code of BPAIAMAI, Coastal & Marine Resources Administration (Oceans, Fisheries, Shorelines). Its NAICS code is 926140 and its SIC code is 900.