 Sections of the river, particularly around the estuary, are used for recreational fishing, however it considered to be of limited angling value for most of its length because of the scarcity of angling species.While some of the river's tributaries carry self-supporting populations of brown trout, the Tambo itself carries few trout south of Bindi, even despite extensive stocking up to 1974.With no physical barriers to the fish spreading, it is thought natural chemical discharges from some springs contaminating the river may affect some fish populations such as the trout.