Melbourne bay fishers pinged for dropping a line in marine sanctuary

The greater Melbourne area is bouncing back from six months of lockdowns that have largely prevented the region’s recreational fishing community from wetting a line for almost the entire period.

This month’s easing of restrictions saw boaters flood back to Port Phillip Bay as a lucky few fishers, able to sneak onto the water early as travel bans progressively pulled back, all reported good catches.

It is also prime snapper season in the bay.

However, the Victorian Fisheries Authority this week issued a strongly worded warning to boaters after receiving a number of complaints via its hotline that boaters were venturing the Rickett’s Point Marine Sanctuary, near eastern suburban Beaumauris, to wet a line.

It’s turned into something of an infringements bonanza for the VFA, which hit the area in marked and unmarked patrol boats and even jet skis to hand out a “large number” of penalties to fishers breaking the law by either taking fish, or using fishing equipment in a marine sanctuary.

“Investigations are also continuing to identify further possible offending by boaters that left the marine protected area prior to officers being able to speak with them,” the VFA said.

VFA acting chief executive Paul Shea said fishers should familiarise themselves with marine park boundaries before they left home.

“Our marine parks and sanctuaries exist to protect Victoria’s unique and diverse marine environments, now and for the future,” he said.

The Rickett’s Point Marine Sanctuary is one of a number of areas around Port Phillip Bay where fishing is banned.

The VFA’s Vic Fishing app, available via the Apple App store or Google Play store, allows users to identify whether they are inside a marine sanctuary.