Fresh from the boat
Local fresh fish sold straight off the boat.
The Victorian Fisheries Authority is working with industry to enable fresh from the boat (previously known as small sales) permit holders to select fish species such as snapper, whiting, calamari and gummy shark for direct sale from the dock to tourists and locals keen to sample locally sourced fresh fish, as well as local businesses such as restaurants and supermarkets.
Fish caught under the fresh from the boat permits can only be sold locally – to restaurants and businesses within 30km of the home port e.g. Apollo Bay, Mallacoota, Portland, Port Fairy, San Remo and Queenscliff.
Queenscliff sales are restricted to 30km on the Bellarine Peninsula only and cannot sell on the Mornington side of Port Phillip Bay.
Local sales of seafood fresh from the boat mean more benefits for local communities and more opportunities for fishers creating and developing a local network of sales.
Advantages for regional Victoria
- Allows regional restaurants to promote themselves as selling fresh fish straight from the sea to the plate
- Promotes tourism in small towns by giving tourists the opportunity to sample locally sourced fish
- Grows the local economy by allowing licensed fishers to sell their catch close to home
Advantages for commercial fishers and industry
- Provides additional wild-catch seafood opportunities
- Increases productivity by allowing permit holders to target a greater number of species
- Promotes greater engagement between the fishers and local businesses
To ensure sustainability, a two-tonne annual catch-cap applies for all permits, within which 500kg species-specific limits apply.
Local consumers are happy to support the people they know and tourists are happy to pay more when they know the product is locally caught and fresh from the boat.
For further information, call our Commercial Licensing Team on 03 8392 6860 or email Commercial.Licensing@vfa.vic.gov.au.