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Recreational Fishing Initiative

access trail sign

Improving access tracks.
a stream

Installation of fish ladders to improve fish migration and production.
Fishing platform on Barham River

Fishing platform on Barham River.
fish in a marine park

Developing new recreational fisheries.
a bench for preparing fish on a jetty

Upgrading recreational fishing facilities.
an improved access track

Improving access tracks.

Recreational fishing is big business in Victoria. More than 721,000 Victorians go fishing annually, spending $825 million on associated goods and services.

The Victorian Government has demonstrated a strong commitment to improving fishing opportunities, through the Recreational Fishing Initiative:

1. Better access and facilities

  • Deploying eight new recreational fishing reefs
  • Improving angler access to piers, jetties and roads
  • Upgrading boat launching facilities
  • Building fishing platforms and cleaning tables.

2. More fish stocking

  • Stocking popular fish species in waterways recovering from prolonged drought or bushfires
  • Funding the operation of Fisheries Victoria’s new native fish production facility at Snobs Creek
  • Establishing new fisheries with Murray cod, Australian bass, trout cod, Macquarie perch and freshwater catfish.

3. Better engagement with anglers

  • Conducting public forums to gather ideas about recreational fishing improvements
  • Establishing a Fisheries multicultural liaison team, comprising two specialist officers to better connect with this growing part of the fishing community
  • Improving advisory information for fishers, including the Victorian Recreational Fishing iPhone application, multilingual signage, publications and our website.

4. Improving fish movement

  • Installing fish ladders in conjunction with water and land managers.

5. Protecting spawning fish from commercial netting

  • Working with recreational and commercial fishers to implement measures to protect spawning fish stocks near some river mouths.

6. Strengthening fisheries compliance

  • Target fisheries patrols to peak fishing periods on weekends, public holidays and at night.

7. More fisheries research

  • Conducting priority research and development for recreational fishing e.g. monitoring recreational fishing reefs and refining fish stocking strategies.