Victoria's rock lobster 'tagging trial' season opens on Friday
Fisheries officers will be out in force this week to ensure fishers adhere to the secoind stage of the state’s trial of a recreational take tagging systemVictoria’s recreational rock lobster season is about to open, so expect to see plenty of fisheries officers around.
The November 16 opening is the official end to months of seasonal closures to protect male and female rock lobsters during the breeding season.
Victorian Fisheries Authority chief executive Travis Dowling said officers would be out on patrol and checking on takes.
“Officers right along the coast, from east to west, will be undertaking patrols focusing on rock lobster fishers,” Dowling said.
“They will be checking recreational fishing licences, inspecting catch bags and boosting community awareness of the three-year tagging trial, now in its second year.”
The tagging trial, introduced to the state last year, requires everyone who catches a rock lobster on a recreational fishing trip to use a coloured tag given to them by the VFA to mark it.
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Recreational fishers can order up to 20 tags at a time, but must report how many tags they used in the previous season.
“The aim of the trial is to quantify the recreational take of rock lobster so that, combined with commercial harvest managed by quota, the fishery remains sustainably managed,” Dowling said.
Tags for this season – they've undergone a change in colour from blue to yellow – are available online via www.vic.gov.au/lobstertag or from selected state government offices at Warrnambool, Queenscliff, Geelong, Lakes Entrance and Traralgon.
Fishers who ordered tags for the first year of the trial will need to report how many they used before they can order tags for this season.
Rules for rock lobster fishing include:
- A daily bag limit of two and a possession limit of four (this limit includes the fisher’s home for priority species such as rock lobster)
- The minimum legal size (carapace) is 11cm for males and 10.5cm for female rock lobster
- Rock lobster tails must be clipped or tail-punched
- Rock lobster with eggs or soft shells cannot be taken
- Rock lobster can only be taken by hand or with hoop nets. Snares, gaffs, hooks and baited sticks cannot be used.
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