Recreational Fishing Forums

Recreational Fishing Opportunities Working Draft document | Locations of forums across the state | Forum presentation | Your ideas so far

About the Forums Fisheries Victoria hosted nine Recreational Fishing Forums across Victoria from July to September for anglers to have their say about future opportunities for recreational fishing in the State. The aim of the forums was to give recreational fishers the opportunity to contribute to the development of new projects that enhance recreational fishing in Victoria. Some of the ideas provided by recreational anglers are listed below. These ideas raised will help develop a new Recreational Fishing Plan. The presentation that was given at the forums is attached below. The forums were supported by a 6-page working draft pamphlet. Recreational Fishing Opportunities Working Draft document Draft document - Recreational Fishing in Victoria - Future Opportunities (PDF 1.34MB) To view this draft document you will require Adobe Acrobat Viewer. A free copy can be downloaded from Adobe Acrobat (external link). Locations of Forums across the State

The 9 forums were held across the State at these locations: Melbourne, Torquay, Warrnambool, Horsham, Wangaratta, Bairnsdale, Mallacoota, Swan Hill and Patterson Lakes.

Recreational Fishing Forum Presentation Recreational Fishing Forum Presentation (PPT 1.7MB). To view the above document you will require PowerPoint or PowerPoint Viewer. PowerPoint Viewer can be downloaded free from the Microsoft website. Alternatively you can view the text only version of the presentation. Your ideas so far Coming out of the first forums in Melbourne, Torquay, Warrnambool, Horsham and Wangaratta, some great ideas from recreational anglers have been raised so far. All of the ideas raised have been recorded. Our aim is to develop a final plan based on the most popular ideas to take advantage of relevant funding opportunities in the future. Melbourne forum ideas Investigate opportunities to stock fish in waters within the Metropolitan area (e.g. trout into waters on Warrigal Road and golden perch outside their natural range) Improve boat launching facilities around Port Phillip Bay and Western Port Bay to meet current and future demand, including simple measures to reduce launching times at existing ramps (e.g. installing directional signage) and developing new ramps and better parking (e.g. Patterson River), Provide more fish cleaning tables and fishing platforms Provide better information about spearfishing (e.g. education information and signage to inform boaters about dive flags and actions that should be taken around them) Continue the 13 FISH fisheries crime reporting hotline Investigate stocking larger numbers of fish or stocking on more frequent events, taking account of the carrying capacity of each water body and the level of fishing activity Investigate the development of a marine stocking program where there is a clear purpose, including establishing a marine hatchery in Victoria (similar to the hatchery at Port Stephens, NSW) or sourcing fish from elsewhere Purchase water allocations for the benefit of recreational fisheries (e.g. Lake Wendouree in Ballarat) Support CMAs and DSE with water restoration projects Provide information about the location of fishing tackle and bait outlets Strengthen fisheries education and compliance programs, including Fisheries Officers Investigate opportunities to capture and utilise recycled water for drought affected lakes like Lake Wendouree in Ballarat Torquay forum ideas Improve fishing access signage at Lake Wurdiboluc Develop a fish stocking plan for Lake Colac Look at water quality issues at Lake McLeod, Drysdale and consider adding to the Family Fishing Lakes stocking program Discuss options for greater access to water storages/reservoirs with water managers e.g. boats or canoes Install recreational fishing reefs and Fish Attracting Devices in Corio Bay Improve awareness of scuba/free diver flags e.g. an information page in the Recreational Fishing Guide Investigate opportunities to stock estuary species in the lower Barwon River and other waters e.g. mulloway, estuary perch & black bream Develop an inter-agency (Fisheries Victoria, Parks Victoria and Marine Safety Victoria) television advertisement to educate anglers Identify and map key access points on crown land and seek funding to install stiles where suitable Investigate plans for improved access on Corio Bay e.g. pontoons Consider installing a fish cleaning table at Queenscliff harbour Explore new and innovative ways to launch boats on sandy beaches e.g. military netting Improve opportunities for kids fishing on Corio Bay Investigate opportunities to stock the Diversion Weir on Werribee River Warrnambool forum ideas Apply for funding and promote advantages of riparian zone work and re-snagging habitat works on the Hopkins, Merri, Glenelg, Curdies Rivers and Mt Emu Creek Install offshore reefs at Warrnambool and west side of Port Phillip Bay Install FADs off Port Fairy Investigate a new stocking plan for Lake Bullen Merri and improve signage for water skiing zones Investigate stocking in new waters e.g. Curdies River, Gellibrand River and Hopkins River Improvements to the fishing platform on Curdies River near Peterborough Install reflective markers on beaches where surf fishing is popular e.g. Levies Beach Introduce informative signs on local fish species at popular spots for inexperienced anglers Advocate to Warrnambool City Council the need for a safe boat ramp at Warrnambool e.g. softer padding on sides of ramp to protect vehicles/boats Install boat ramps at Boat Bay near Peterborough Open communication lines between recreational and commercial fishing industries Research into southern blue-fin tuna and what impact the recreational catch is having on stocks Install fishing platform on the Glenelg River Habitat works at Cobden Lake Promotion and education about fishing in school programs Support Fishcare in the south-west Install a kids fishing platform at Lady Bay, Warrnambool Research into algal blooms and its impact on fisheries Repair water access at Killarney, near Warrnambool Horsham forum ideas Recommend the Wimmera River be considered as a Premier River Stock on-grown native fish into the Wimmera River Introduce a ‘gold fishing card’ that allows guardians of a junior angler to be exempt for their first fishing trip Have a weekend in October each year where everyone is exempt from holding a recreational fishing licence Think of new and innovative ways to reach un-affiliated anglers Look at what opportunities there are to rehabilitate fish habitat in drought impacted lakes e.g. re-snagging Fund carp eradication programs for drought impacted waters Investigate a catfish breeding program Look at ways to gain sponsorship for the installation of reefs Improve land-based fishing access along Portland city harbour Send out a ‘your licence fees at work’ brochure annually with licence renewals Wangaratta forum ideas Consider Buffalo Lake and Lake William Hovel as potential waters to receive Macquarie perch if breeding proposal successful Consider stocking trout into the lower King River Promote a fish-out of redfin at Lake William Hovel Stock more larger fish River stockings to occur at different access points to encourage fish movement Utilise recreational angling clubs with their boats when stocking rivers and lakes Re-snagging work on the Ovens and Buffalo Rivers Increase stocking numbers for Buffalo Lake Consider stocking Murray cod and golden perch in Buffalo Lake Angling Clubs given the opportunity to commit funding to stock their local waters Make ‘premier’ lakes ‘premier’ Education programs to target rubbish and littering Promote angler diary program Support Fishcare program in the north Re-introduce the ‘Get Hooked its Fun to Fish’ school program Promote the wild trout fishery opportunities in Victoria and interstate Undertake a stock assessment on Buffalo Lake Work with Catchment Management Authorities to remove blackberries Bairnsdale ideas Consider installing hand rails of fishing platforms Consider stocking mulloway and bream into the Gippsland lakes Investigate the possibility of installing artificial seagrass to replace lost beds in Gippsland Lakes Map crown land access points Consider offshore artificial reefs for Lakes Entrance Implement re-snagging projects to the Mitchell, Tambo and Nicholson Rivers Investigate the use of recreational licence revenue for purchasing water entitlements for environmental flows e.g. the Nicholson River Improve access to the Manns and McLoughlins estuaries in Gippsland Identify ways to improve river health by working with agriculture and urban planners to reduce nutrient and chemical runoff Promote fencing around agricultural land to restrict livestock from entering the water Investigate marine stocking at Metung Enhance fishing facilities on the Tambo River Investigate methods to create fish habitat i.e. excavating deep holes, lunkers and other refugees. Consider removing willows and replacing with native vegetation in Gippsland region Investigate the effect of fire retardants on seagrass beds, in the Mitchell River Consider development of concrete fish habitat Consider funding permanent cameras around boating ramps, linked to web site so anglers can check conditions Fund carp eradication works in the Gippsland Lakes Increase number of Fisheries Officers on the ground. Identify areas where compliance is under resourced Investigate the effectiveness of information produced by Vic Tag, and consider providing funding for analysis of data Investigate the use of concrete pipes, to create fish habitat in the Snowy River. Mallacoota ideas Install cleaning table at Karbeethong and near the information shed at Mallacoota. Discuss concerns with sediment loads with catchment management authority and access to estuary entrance Enhance current fish cleaning table at Mallacoota with a roof, lighting, fish measuring devices, waste removal and improved taps Consider offshore recreational fishing reefs for entrance area of Bastian Point. Re-snagging work at Betka, Genoa and Wallagaraugh Rivers. Consider stocking Mulloway and prawns at Mallacoota Introduce responsible fishing program into in school education and sporting curriculum Support the Gippsland Fishcare group to run more kids fishing clinics Upgrade the Mallacoota jetty to provide a safe area for kids to fish Provide funding that will boost the fish tagging program so that it can be conducted state-wide and have rigorous data analysis Create a new informative website that displays fish species found in each location and relevant fishing regulations Swan Hill ideas Introduce reciprocal licensing for Victoria and NSW Maintain and improve access to fishing locations in the North-East Advocate for changes to land management at popular fishing locations to allow for better carrying capacity of waters Conduct re-snagging works in Charm and Boga Lakes Consider ground-works to create new islands and structures in Kangaroo Lake Enhance native stocking at Kangaroo Lake i.e. catfish Fund the installation of a fish-way at Kangaroo Lake Utilise old pipelines that have been replaced in recent works to create new habitat for fish Advocate for more boat ramps on the Victorian side of the Murray River i.e. Pental Island Consider stocking catfish into Little Murray River Increase stocking of native fish into Loddon Weir at Fernhurst Fund research on study to examine fish movement in the Loddon River Conduct an angler diary program on the Little Murray and Loddon Rivers Undertake carp eradication and movement projects to prevent re-introduction to drought impacted waters Consider stocking larger native fish and utilise local farm dams to on-grow native fish for stocking purposes Fund installation of platforms on Kerang Lakes Install grass habitat and promote protection of grass habitat in water bodies through education Increase education for sustainable fishing and protection of fish habitat at school level Develop partnerships with Catchment Management Authorities for school curriculum (also with Fishcare and Waterwatch) Advocate for rubbish control in waters i.e. clean up rivers program, education, dob in a litterer and on-the-spot fines Enhance facilities for all-access users who would like to fish around the Swan Hill area Patterson Lakes ideas Advocate for the need to build a new boat ramp at Harbour Town to alleviate pressure on other ramps Advocate for a consistent or free boat launching charge across the state Install fish cleaning tables at Patterson Lakes Advocate for increased dredging at Patterson River Implement an audit and on-going monitoring on channel markers Recommend introducing a ‘standing time’ for tie-ups at mooring sites Investigate why floating pontoons were not installed at Patterson Lakes General ideas regarding policy change/amendment Consult with industry to see if the bag limit for snapper outside bay and inlets can be increased Review format of Victorian recreational fishing licence e.g. retainable plastic cards Consider removing trout closed season for stocked sections of the Hopkins and Merri Rivers Investment of monies raised from prosecutions back into the impacted fishery Consider different regulations for stocked Murray cod waters Investigate opportunities to introduce reciprocal licensing with New South Wales Look at ways to permanently protect woody habitat Clarify fishing regulations for spider crab Introduce reciprocal licensing for Victoria and NSW Advocate for the permanent protection of woody habitat Protect large woody habitat at Batyo Catyo and Sea Lake Advocate for the removal of the regulation for inland anglers to wear PFDs at low speeds