Port Phillip Bay to go net-free from Friday

The move is the result of a process that started in April 2016 when the first of the 43 commercial net licences were removed in the wake of an Andrews Labor Government election promise to preserve Port Phillip Bay for recreational fishing.

A buyout of most of the licences has gradually reduced the number of net fishers in the bay, and has included the complete ban of all commercial netting in Corio Bay off Geelong in 2018.

Of the 10 remaining commercial net fishing licence holders on Port Phillip Bay, only eight have taken up an offer of converting their licence to longline fishing, mainly to catch snapper for Melbourne restaurants, while two have declined compensation packages.

One of the fish species likely to be in short supply are local pilchards, one of the more viable commercial netting catches in Port Phillip Bay that are sold as freshly frozen bait or in retail fish shops as sardines.

The closest pilchard supplier to Melbourne is based in Lakes Entrance – another fishery where inland netting has been removed – with commercial fishers warning the loss of the Port Phillip supply will drive down supply and drive up prices throughout the state.

Longline licence holders have argued the catch limits will struggle to make commercial operations prove viable. Under the new arrangements, eight of the 10 remaining licence holders will continue to fish under a strict catch limit and using non-net methods.

Under the licences, commercial longline fishers will each be allowed to catch up to 11 tonnes of snapper, a tonne of shark and two tonnes of bycatch including flathead. Other species commonly targeted by recreational fishers including King George whiting, calamari, yellowtail kingfish and mulloway are banned as commercial catch.

Commercial boats can also be used for recreational fishing when not longlining for profit.

The move to remove net fishing from the bay has cost the state’s taxpayers around $27 million. The removal of net fishing and replacing it with longline fishing quotas is expected to return about 600 tonnes of fish each year to recreational fishers.

According to the Stet Government, recreational fishing is worth more than $3.9 billion to the Victorian economy, supporting 33,000 jobs and encouraging more than 840,000 Victorians to go out on the water each year.