Recreational Fishing Grants Working Group Meeting 20

Recreational Fishing Grants Working Group Meeting #20

19 March 2014 - Location: Department of Environment and Primary Industries, 1 Spring Street, Melbourne

Independent Chair's Summary

This was the 20th meeting of the Recreational Fishing Grants Working Group.

Key items discussed included:

• 2013/14 Recreational Fishing Grants
• Progress in establishing the Snobs Creek fish stocking advisory board
• Procedure to refer matters to the Working Group seeking urgent funding from the RFL Trust Account

2013/14 Recreational Fishing Grants Program

The Working Group completed a quantitative assessment, in consideration of the grant program criteria, of the 43 Large Grant applications and three Commissioning Grant applications received.  Consequently, the Working Group supported a total of 23 proposed projects (20 Large and three Commissioning) seeking funding of almost $3.8 million (GST inclusive as applicable) over three years from the RFL Trust Account. 

Supported projects will be recommended to the Minister for Agriculture and Food Security for funding consideration. The Minister will announce the successful projects in due course.

Progress in establishing Snobs Creek fish stocking advisory board

Recruitment for the Snobs Creek Fish Stocking Advisory Board has been delayed and is now being finalised. It is now anticipated that members of the board will be formally invited to join, and that it will become operational during April 2014. A draft Terms of Reference for the board is currently been finalised. 

Procedure to refer matters seeking urgent funding from the RFL Trust Account

The role of the Recreational Fishing Grants Working Group is to provide advice to the Minister on the expenditure of all RFL Trust Account funds, taking account of the Working Group's Terms of Reference, established commitments to fund specified programs, fisheries management plan commitments relevant to recreational fishing, and any Ministerial directions. 

Occasionally, there may be a need for DEPI/Fisheries Victoria to refer a matter to the Working Group for urgent, out-of-session consideration. Such matters will be outside of the cycle of the annual Large Grants Program and assessment through the SmartyGrants online system.

The Working Group endorsed a procedure which outlines how to refer matters seeking urgent funding from the RFL Trust Account to the Recreational Fishing Grants Working Group.

Next meeting: To be confirmed.

Rob Loats

Independent Chair

Recreational Fishing Grants Working Group