Fish bites: More abalone woes for Victoria
No more rego stickers for SA boats; Prospect Reservoir discussion paper releasedA section of Victoria’s coastline near Portland in the state’s west has been closed to abalone and crayfish fishing after a damaging virus was detected in two abalone in the area.
The new ban follows closures introduced last year after an outbreak of Abalone Viral Ganglioneuritis, a disease that can kill the abalone.
In response, the Victorian Fisheries Authority has closed a section of coastline and water to all recreational and commercial abalone fishing, rock lobster fishing, and all recreational and commercial netting, including using hoop nets, until November 15.
The area stretches south from Portland Harbour to west of Cape Sir William Grant, including Lawrence Rocks.
To control the spread of the disease, anyone catching abalone in any other part of the state cannot use it as bait, including the gut, and must dispose of the abalone shell or gut on land rather than back in the water.
The Victorian Government has published a handy guide to help manage the spread of the virus.
SA dumps boat rego stickers
Registration stickers will not be needed for boats in South Australia from September 1, meaning more than 60,000 boaters in the state will not need to fit a new one each time they re-register their boat.
The move from the SA Department of Infrastructure and Transport is based on feedback from boaters, who overwhelmingly said the stickers did not last long in the tough marine environment.
Under the changes, the state’s boaters will still receive an annual renewal notice and a confirmation that their boat is registered once the annual registration fee is paid.
Prospect Reservoir options tabled
The NSW Department of Planning and Environment has published a discussion paper looking at expanding the recreational use of Prospect Reservoir in Sydney’s west.
The proposed changes to the landlocked reservoir’s use came in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic when stay-at-home orders gave Sydneysiders within a 5.0-kilometre limit of the harbour and the city’s pools access to the water while those in the western part of the city had no access despite the reservoir’s location.
The discussion paper floats the idea that the reservoir be opened to recreational activities such as fishing and kayaking, but powered boats – both electric and fossil-fuelled – are likely to be banned to preserve water quality.
Those who plan to take advantage of opening up the reservoir for recreational use are invited to have their say on the discussion paper.
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