Minister for Primary Industries and Minister for Lands and Water Niall Blair said he would like to see the co-op have a future.

He did not give details about what that could hold.

Mr Blair and Port Macquarie MP Leslie Williams yesterday met with the Hastings River Fishermen's Co-operative board amid uncertainty about the co-op's future after seven decades of trading.

"I can see there are some short and long term issues that need to be addressed and I want to look at all of those," Mr Blair said.

The co-op had been trading on a temporary licence since its lease expired and recently signed another licence to allow the business to operate until the end of the year after which the fishermen will be responsible for the building demolition costs.

The area is earmarked for future development but is a separate issue to the Plaza car park proposed sale.

Hastings Fishermen's Co-operative chairman Paul Hyde said the board was happy with the meeting with the minister.

Crown Lands will follow-up with the co-op as a result of yesterday's discussion. Mrs Williams said the discussions were productive.

"We've all agreed to explore the opportunities that are available to the co-op in the future," she said.

Meanwhile in a broader sense, Mr Blair said he wanted to see fishermen's co-ops into the future right up and down the coast.

"When people visit coastal communities, I want them to be able to experience NSW fish as fresh as it can be," he said.

The first stage of commercial fishing reform has started across the state.