Fishers ‘snapper’ up Melbourne’s more relaxed COVID-19 limits

The Better Boating Victoria website this morning showed the Altona boat ramp car park full to overflowing as boaters took advantage of an easing of the travel restrictions, which now allow them to roam up to 25km from their home or workplace, with no time limits.

Images also started flooding social media showing boaters were taking advantage of the annual snapper run, with some decent-sized fish landed.

However, the changes don’t suit everyone in greater Melbourne who lives further than 25km form the nearest boat ramp, many of whom have had to target carp in the nearest freshwater system rather than hit Port Phillip Bay or Western Port.

Fishers who want to meet up with friends can now meet outdoors in groups of up to 10 people from a maximum of two households. However this is limited to social interactions, meaning you can meet up to go fishing and a play on the beach, but not all jump on a boat to wet a line – the latter is considered recreation.

The big change for regional Victoria is that licenced tourism services that operate open-air vehicles – think fishing charters, whale-watching and coastal eco-tours – can operate, as long as two sides of the vehicle are open to the elements.

Victoria recorded four new COVID-19 cases overnight as it comes off the back of the second wave of coronavirus infections sweeping the state.

It currently has had more than 20,000 confirmed cases of the virus.

Today’s slight easing of restrictions comes as the state endures almost five months of some of Australia’s harshest quarantine measures, including the introduction of a $5000 fine for breaching travel restrictions – the largest fine ever handed out.

Melbourne boaters still potentially face a $1600 fine if they travel outside their 25-kilometre limit to launch a boat, and are still not permitted to venture outside the greater Melbourne exclusion zone separating them from rural Victoria.