Port Phillip Bay fishing update
A celebration of fishing on Port Phillip Bay as 33 of the 43 net fishers call it a dayThe recent inaugural Port Phillip Bay Conference in Altona has been deemed a great success, as the removal of 33 of the 43 net fishers from the bay means 87 per
cent of the previous catch of targeted species will now be available for
the whole family to chase.
That was the good news from Victorian Minister for Agriculture, Jaala Pulford, who welcomed key
fishing industry representatives and recreational anglers to this first think tank and meeting of minds on mighty Port Phillip Bay.
The idea behind the conference was to provide an opportunity to hear fisheries experts talk about the current progress towards the removal of commercial net fishing, to embrace the Target One Million recreational fishing initiative, discuss the health of key fish species in Port Phillip Bay, and share some of the exciting science coming down the line.
"Target One Million continues to grow recreational fishing in Victoria,
creating jobs, supporting local businesses and strengthening our rural
and regional communities by giving families better opportunities to
spend quality time together outdoors," Ms Pulford said.
Ms Pulford also announced the 17 successful recipients of Recreational Fishing License fee large grants worth over $1.1 million, including:
>> More than $76,000 for a three-year tagging program to understand the movements of Victorian King George whiting to their spawning areas
>> $147,000 to create living shellfish reefs and rebuild fish habitat in Port Phillip Bay
>> $25,000 for a flathead stock enhancement study to assess the feasibility of hatchery production of flathead
Overall, the projects across Victoria range from habitat improvement in Port Phillip Bay to infrastructure improvements such as new fish cleaning tables and access improvements.
Presentations at the conference also explored new developments in snapper, kingfish and southern calamari research and the recent habitat improvement efforts in the bay.
Attendees heard from passionate recreational fishing advocate, Rex Hunt, and had the opportunity to participate in a panel to discuss the future of recreational fishing in the bay.
The removal of commercial net fishers from the bay is a key commitment under the Andrews Labor Government’s $46 million Target One Million plan for recreational fishing, which aims to get more Victorians fishing more often.
The Labor Government has now removed 33 of 43 commercial net fishers from the bay. The remaining 10 fishers continue to fish under a strict catch limit, utilising existing fishing methods including nets.
All of which points to one of the most exciting times in angling history in Victoria. More at vic.gov.au/fisheries.
Photo Credit: VR Fish and Haines Hunter.
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