A New South Wales parliamentary inquiry has handed down findings from a probe into the 13-year-delay of legislation to protect Indigenous cultural fishing.

The report says successive governments have “failed to effect the will of parliament” by not commencing the legislation, known as section 21AA of the Fisheries Management Amendment Act.

Compliance activity and prosecutions against Indigenous people for practising cultural fishing were found to have created “unacceptable and … perverse outcomes”, inconsistent with the government's own Closing the Gap targets.

Inquiry chair Mark Banasiak MLC said a comprehensive training package will be needed to better educate NSW Fisheries compliance officers about cultural fishing.

“To make sure that when they're dealing with this issue of cultural fishing that it's done in a respectful way and that compliance is done in a respectful way,” he said.

“Because clearly, that hasn't been happening.”

The report also calls for an independent review of the culture within the fisheries compliance division of the NSW Department of Primary Industries (NSW DPI), seeking any cultural problems and outlining necessary changes.

The inquiry held two public hearings earlier this year, at which Indigenous fishers detailed their experiences of targeting and harassment by compliance officers on the NSW South Coast.

Data obtained by Oxfam Australia from the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research showed 563 charges were brought against Aboriginal fishers since the 2009 legislation was passed, a third of which were later dismissed or withdrawn.

The report recommended the NSW DPI immediately cease all surveillance and prosecutions of Aboriginal cultural fishers.

The NSW government is urged by the report to commence section 21AA by June 30 next year.