PRIVACY POLICY – FISHINGMAD
Last updated: 04.03.2026
1. Who we are
FishingMad is operated by FishingMad Aus Pty Ltd as trustee for the Bonnici Family Trust ABN 50 782 166 948 (“FishingMad”, “we”, “us”, “our”).
FishingMad is an online resource that provides a library of helpful fishing content to help local anglers catch more fish. This includes location and species guides, as well as helpful reviews and written tutorials. Our website also offers a paid membership platform that provides weekly fishing reports, workshops, tutorials, rigging and gear guides, boating, kayaking and sounder help, community forums, podcasts, competitions, giveaways and much more.
2. Our approach to privacy (APP-aligned)
FishingMad is not currently an “APP entity” under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth). However, we aim to handle personal information in a way that is generally consistent with the Australian Privacy Principles.
3. What is “personal information”?
“Personal information” means information or an opinion about an identified individual, or an individual who is reasonably identifiable.
4. What information we collect
4.1. Website visitors (public website)
We generally do not require visitors to provide personal information to browse our public website. However, when you visit our site, we may automatically collect limited technical information such as:
4.1.1. IP address (and approximate location inferred from IP);
4.1.2. device, browser and operating system information;
4.1.3. pages viewed, time spent, referring URLs; and
4.1.4. cookie identifiers and similar online identifiers.
This information is used to operate, secure and improve our website and understand usage trends.
4.2. Members (paid or registered users)
When you become a FishingMad Member, we collect the information needed to administer your membership and provide services. This may include:
4.2.1. name;
4.2.2. email address;
4.2.3. phone number;
4.2.4. address (for billing, tax invoice and prize fulfilment purposes where applicable);
4.2.5. membership status, subscription level and transaction confirmations; and
4.2.6. account preferences and communications history.
4.3. Payment information:
FishingMad does not collect or store your full card number or bank account details. Payments are processed by third-party payment providers (such as Stripe or PayPal). We receive payment confirmations and limited details such as a transaction reference and (where provided by the payment provider) the last four digits of a card. Please note that these payment providers have their own privacy policies and terms and conditions, and we encourage you to visit their respective websites if you have any questions or concerns.
4.4. Forums and user-generated content
If you use the members-only platform features (such as forums, comments, or competitions), we collect and display information you choose to provide, such as:
4.4.1. your display name (or name, depending on your account settings)
4.4.2. forum posts and comments
4.4.3. photos or other content you upload or submit (including catch photos)
4.4.4. competition entries and related communications
5. How we collect information
We collect information:
5.1. directly from you when you sign up, update your account, enter competitions, post in forums, upload content, or contact us; and
5.2. automatically when you use the website or members platform (technical data, logs, cookies).
6. Why we collect, hold, use and disclose information (purposes)
We use personal information for purposes including:
6.1. creating and administering memberships and providing member services;
6.2. communicating with you about your account, membership, competitions, support requests and service updates;
6.3. processing payments through third-party payment providers;
6.4. awarding and delivering prizes, giveaways and competition outcomes;
6.5. maintaining platform safety and integrity (including detecting fraud, misuse, security issues); and
6.6. analytics, troubleshooting, and improving website performance and content.
If you do not provide required information (for example, at sign-up), we may not be able to create or administer your membership, respond to your requests, or deliver prizes where applicable.
7. Cookies and analytics (Google Analytics)
7.1. Cookies
Cookies are small files placed on your device to help websites function and remember preferences. We use cookies and similar technologies for:
7.1.1. essential website functionality and security
7.1.2. remembering preferences
7.1.3. analytics to understand site usage and improve performance.
You can control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect site functionality.
7.2. Google Analytics
We use Google Analytics to help us understand how visitors and members use our website (for example, what pages are visited and how the site is navigated). Google Analytics uses cookies and similar technologies to collect information such as IP address, device and browser details, pages visited and time spent on the site.
Information collected through Google Analytics may be processed or stored by Google outside Australia. Please refer to Google’s privacy policy for more information.
7.3. When we share information (disclosures)
We do not sell personal information.
We may disclose personal information to trusted third parties who help us operate our website and business, such as:
7.3.1. website hosting and infrastructure providers
7.3.2. technical support providers and web developers
7.3.3. email and communications providers (for transactional communications)
7.3.4. professional advisers (e.g. accountants) where necessary
7.3.5. payment providers (e.g. Stripe, PayPal) to process payments
7.3.6. regulators, courts, law enforcement or others where required or authorised by law.
Where we use service providers, we aim to limit disclosures to what is necessary for them to provide services to us and require them to handle information confidentially.
8. Overseas processing
Some third-party service providers (including analytics and payment providers) may process or store information outside Australia. As a best-practice benchmark aligned to APP-style disclosures, we notify users that overseas processing may occur.
9. Members-only platform visibility (forums, competitions, socials)
The FishingMad membership platform includes members-only community features. Content posted in members-only areas (such as forums and leaderboards) can be viewed by other FishingMad Members.
10. Competitions and recognition:
We may display a member’s name, display name, or supplied photos in connection with:
10.1.1. Monthly Giveaway winner announcements
10.1.2. Catch of the Month winner announcements
10.1.3. Catch of the Month leaderboards (within the members platform).
We may also feature winners on FishingMad social media pages, subject to the options and consents described below.
11. Opt-out and choices:
If you prefer not to have your name or photos displayed in connection with competitions or social media features, contact us at enquiries@fishingmad.com.au and we will take reasonable steps to accommodate your request for future posts, noting that prior publications (including on third-party platforms) may not always be fully removable.
12. Security
We take reasonable steps to protect personal information from misuse, interference and loss, and from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.
No online service can be guaranteed to be completely secure. You should also take care to protect your own devices, passwords and accounts.
13. Direct marketing and service messages
We send limited emails to members, primarily for service and transactional purposes such as:
13.1. responding to your enquiries;
13.2. welcome and membership administration emails;
13.3. payment renewal invoices and cancellation confirmations; and
13.4. winner notifications for competitions and giveaways.
If we send marketing communications, we will do so in accordance with Australian anti-spam requirements, including consent, sender identification and an unsubscribe option where required.
14. Children and young people (under 18)
14.1. FishingMad may be used by individuals under the age of 18.
14.2. If you are under 18, you must have the permission of a parent or legal guardian to become a member, participate in competitions, or submit photos or content.
14.3. FishingMad will not knowingly use the name or image of a member under 18 for promotional or social media purposes without parent or guardian consent. Parents or guardians may contact us to request access to, correction of, or removal of a child’s personal information.
15. Access and correction
You can update certain account details by logging into your members account.
You may request access to personal information we hold about you, or request correction, by contacting us at enquiries@fishingmad.com.au. We may need to verify your identity before responding.
16. Complaints
If you have a complaint about how we handle personal information, please contact us at enquiries@fishingmad.com.au with details of your complaint. We will acknowledge and respond within a reasonable time and aim to resolve the complaint promptly.
17. How long we keep information (retention)
We keep personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary to provide our services, meet legal and accounting requirements, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements. We may retain certain records after cancellation for legitimate business or legal purposes.
Forum posts and user-generated content may remain visible to members unless removed in accordance with our Terms and Conditions or moderation rules.
18. Links to other websites
Our website may contain links to third-party websites or services. We are not responsible for the content or privacy practices of third parties. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing them with personal information.
19. Changes to this policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The “Last updated” date will show when changes were made. If changes are material, we will take reasonable steps to notify members (for example, by posting a notice on the website or within the members platform).
20. Contact us
For privacy questions, requests, or complaints:
Email: enquiries@fishingmad.com.au
