Fisheries Victoria
'A fortnightly round-up of recreational fisheries management issues'

Fish-e-Fax Issue 205, 27 September 2007

Snapper fishing controls tightened

Recreational catch limits and the minimum size limit for snapper fishing will be tightened in time for the 2007 spring season following concerns from anglers that existing regulations are too generous.

From 1 October 2007, the minimum legal length for taking snapper from Victorian waters will increase from 27 to 28 cm, and the amount of larger fish that can be taken by recreational fishers will be reduced.

While the overall daily bag and possession limits for snapper will remain at 10, these limits will include a maximum of three snapper measuring 40cm or more, instead of three measuring 50 cm or more.

This change will still allow a few big fish to be taken as ‘trophies' or for the table, but will make it harder for recreational fishers to take commercial quantities of fish and sell them, which is illegal.

The changes follow extensive consultation since November 2006 when representatives of the recreational fishing community first suggested a need for change.

Fisheries Victoria subsequently developed a Discussion Paper with various snapper fishery management options, and circulated it widely for comment in May and June 2007.

More than 1,000 written submissions were received from the public and from angler diarists who target snapper and help to monitor the health of Victoria's snapper fishery by keeping accurate catch records throughout the year.

This feedback complemented opinions gathered from over 1,100 anglers during creel survey interviews conducted in Port Phillip Bay and Western Port over the last two seasons, and provided a good snapshot of current community views on what constitutes responsible recreational snapper fishing.

The changes to snapper fishing size and catch limits have been introduced by Fisheries Notice and will be included in the 2007/08 Victorian Recreational Fishing Guide due out in October 2007.

These changes will also be promoted widely through fishing tackle shops, fishing clubs and associations, recreational fishing websites and fishing magazines.

North East Fishery Management Plan released

Recreational anglers, government agencies, and other stakeholders now have clear guidance on fishing issues in the North East region of Victoria, through the release of the North East Fishery Management Plan.

The Plan, which is a culmination of work since December 2005, was declared in the Victoria Government Gazette on 23 August 2007 by Joe Helper, Minister for Agriculture and specifies management arrangements for recreational fishing activities in the North East region for the next five years.

Included in the Plan is a process for classifying streams in the North East region to fulfil the Brumby Government's election commitment to recreational fishing. It also outlines strategies to assess the sustainability of the recreational harvest of popular species including trout, Murray cod, Murray spiny crayfish and Macquarie perch.

There is also a strategy to measure the social and economic benefits of possible alternative trout fishing regulations, and a process for improving angler access, which will be implemented by Victoria's Recreational Fishing peak body, VRFish.

The area covered by the Plan aligns with the area administered by the North East Catchment Management Authority.

A stakeholder steering committee helped Fisheries Victoria with the preparation of the Plan and the process was overseen by the Fisheries Co-Management Council (FCC). The steering committee included representatives from VRFish, the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE), Goulburn-Murray Water, local Aboriginal groups and the North East Catchment Management Authority.

All submissions received were considered by the steering committee, the Executive Director Fisheries Victoria and the Minister for Agriculture prior to the finalisation of the Plan.

The implementation of the Plan will proceed with the assistance of a Reference Group, which will be established shortly.

The Plan can be viewed the DPI website or copies can be obtained free of charge by contacting the DPI Customer Service Centre on 136 186.

Stocking update

The following waters were stocked by Fisheries Victoria during the month of August, 2007.

Date:	Water:	Species:	Number:	Date:	Water:	Species:	Number:
15/8/07	Eildon Lake	Rainbow trout	5000	24/8/07	Karkarook Lake	Rainbow trout	500
16/8/07	Lillydale Lake	Rainbow trout	500	27/8/07	Kennington Reservoir	Rainbow trout	295
20/8/07	West Barwon Reservoir	Rainbow trout	3000	29/8/07	Karkarook Lake	Rainbow trout	500
22/8/07	Lake Pertobe	Rainbow trout	200	30/8/07	Eildon Pondage	Rainbow trout	320
22/8/07	Hanging Rock	Rainbow trout	300	31/8/07	Mooroopna Rec. Reserve Lake	Rainbow trout	200
22/8/07	Nursery Reservoir	Rainbow trout	500