VOLUNTARY BUYBACK OF COMMERCIAL NETTING LICENCES APPLAUDED…

Victorian recreational fishing bodies stand united in support of Government announcement.

On Saturday May 28th at the Rex Hunt Futurefish Foundation Ball, Premier Steve Bracks, announced that the Victorian Government will allow recreational anglers to use fishing licence revenue to seek expressions of interest for a voluntary buyback of commercial netting licences in Victoria’s bays and inlets and the Gippsland Lakes.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Futurefish Foundation, Merv McGuire, said today that the Foundation was encouraged with the Premiers announcement, however reiterated that “it is the end goal of the Victorian recreational fishing peak body, VRFish, the Australian Fishing Tackle Association and the Rex Hunt Futurefish Foundation to completely rid our bays and inlets of commercial netting”.

“Hopefully the voluntary buyback is a start to reaching that goal” Mr McGuire said. He went on to say, “It is important that the Government fully appreciates the recreational anglers ultimate position” and said, “the Futurefish Foundation is looking forward to working with the Fisheries Revenue Allocation Committee (FRAC) and VRFish to ensure that the maximum outcome can be achieved from this decision”.

Mr McGuire expressed the need to monitor the buyback program as “even though the funds would be available initially from Treasury and then repaid from recreational fishing license monies, it is important that enough funds are left in the ‘tin’ for other ongoing projects”.

Mr McGuire concluded by announcing that the Futurefish Foundation, VRFish and AFTA would again meet with the Premier Bracks and Minister Cameron around September/October this year following the completion of the Governments current investigation into the resource allocation within our bays and inlets and the Gippsland Lakes.

Stay tuned….