Victoria building up to COVID-19 fishing bonanza?

The state declared a state of emergency in response to the coronavirus outbreak on March 16 in an attempt to control the spread of the virus. Two activities considered non-essential under the declaration have included recreational boating and fishing.

However, once the bans are lifted, one of the state’s biggest recreational fisheries – Port Phillip Bay – is expected to yield some of the best conditions that recreational fishers have seen for some time.

The Victorian Fisheries Authority said once the current COVID-19 restrictions were lifted, fishing would be “better than ever”.

“The government has invested $27 million to remove 90 per cent of commercial net fishing licences in the bay,” VFA fisheries policy, management, science and licensing director Dallas D’Silva told boatsales.com.au.

“This has meant 500 tonnes of more fish are now available for anglers to enjoy every year.

“Snapper, whiting and calamari are all in great shape.”

D’Silva said despite the lockdowns, the VFA was “continuing to invest licence fees on fish stocking, restoring reefs, access improvements and infrastructure”.

The VFA has said that Victoria’s recreational fishers would not receive refunds on their fishing licences in response to the coronavirus lockdowns.

“Recreational fishing licence money goes into fish stocking, access and infrastructure. It will continue to be invested to make sure that when we can fish again there will be plenty of fish to catch,” the VFA said.

“This money also funds fisheries officers who are continuing to patrol the waterways.”

However, the boon in Port Phillip Bay fishing was not expected to be shared along the state's coastline, where for one club south-west of Melbourne any easing of self-isolation restrictions was likely to have no effect, both on and off the water.

"We have two commercial fishermen operating here and their catches are normal for this time of year," Lorne Aquatic and Angling Club commodore Keith Miller told boatsales.com.au.

"The autumn and early winter is always the best weather for fishing and is our peak season for snapper. It’s also good for flathead and whiting," Miller said.

"As we don’t have a boat ramp we don’t have a huge amount of anglers fishing here at this time of year so I don’t believe it [lifting COVID-19 restrictions on boating and fishing] will make a lot of difference."

Victoria has more than 838,000 recreational fishers contributing $7.1 billion in both indirect and direct economic value to the state.

The State Government aims to have more than a million recreational fishers by the end of this year as part of a $35 million campaign to encourage the activity.