Your fees at work 2024-25

Every year the Recreational Fishing Licence (RFL) Trust Account allocates the fees you pay for a fishing licence to projects that directly improve recreational fishing in Victoria.

Intermediate Grants Program

The Recreational Fishing Grants Program – Intermediate Grants Program will fund the following 6 projects.

$54,850 to the Australian Trout Foundation for a habitat project at Bridging Waters, just below the confluence of the Buckland River and Ovens River.
$49,979 to the Association of Geelong & District Angling Clubs to reestablish the fly-casting pond at Barwon Valley Park, Belmont.
$26,463 to the Hopetoun Angling Club to safeguard the fishery in Willow Lake by installing an aeration system.
$21,135 to the Australian Trout Foundation for additional electrofishing as part of the Wild Trout Fisheries Management Program.
$19,616 to the North East River Alliance to repair habitat and improve access points on the Ovens River.
$9,500 to the Ballarat & District Angling Association to survey the carp population in Lake Wendouree.

Large Grants Program

The Recreational Fishing Grants Program - Large Grants Program will fund the following fifteen projects.

$220,000 to undertake a Macquarie perch refuge breeding project at Loombah Weir. The Australian Trout Foundation will lead a project to establish a refuge population for Macquarie perch at Loombah Weir, so that on-grown juvenile fish would be available for translocation to bolster existing populations in other area or create new populations.
$195,147 for bushfire recovery habitat works on key recreational fishing streams in the Upper Murray region. The North East Catchment Management Authority will undertake works to improve river habitat in stretches of the Cudgewa and Nariel Creeks, which will benefit important native species such as Murray cod, Macquarie perch and trout cod.
$150,799 for the continuation of the ‘Report cards for key native recreational ﬁsheries’ monitoring program. The Victorian Fisheries Authority will monitor the population abundance and recruitment for six key native angling species (Murray cod, golden perch, Australian bass, silver perch, trout cod and Macquarie perch) at a minimum of five key reference rivers over a two-year period.
$110,000 for widening, safety & accessibility improvements to Griffin Gully jetty, Geelong. The City of Greater Geelong will undertake widening, safety & accessibility improvements to Griffin Gully jetty which is a popular fishing location in Geelong.
$102,833 to install a fishing platform at Lake Cullulleraine, Millewa region. The Millewa Advisory Group will lead a project to install a new fishing jetty at Lake Cullulleraine to provide the opportunity to fish in deeper waters without the need for a boat.
$98,000 for a Gippsland Lakes habitat restoration project. The East Gippsland Catchment Management Authority will increase woody habitat for native fish in the Mitchell, Nicholson, and Tambo River estuaries which will benefit key species such as black bream, estuary perch and Australian bass.
$86,000 for a Catch a Carp education campaign. Fishcare Victoria will deliver a carp education campaign consisting of carp fishing events in five key locations, combined with demonstrations, expert guest speakers, and the development of educational resources.
$85,800 to install a fishing platform at Lauriston Reservoir near Kyneton. Coliban Water will install a floating fishing pontoon at Lauriston Reservoir which will enable fishers with limited mobility to access the water's edge safely, as well as assist fishers with kayaks to launch and retrieve easily and safely.
$80,000 to assess the potential for establishing a Victorian Marine Hatchery. The Victorian Fisheries Authority will assess the potential for establishing a Victorian Marine Hatchery for species popular with recreational anglers.
$71,500 to install two fishing platforms on the Barwon River, Geelong. The Corangamite Catchment Management Authority will install two fishing platforms on the western bank of the Barwon River near Gun Dog Lane, which will provide a safe, accessible, and enjoyable experience at this popular fishery.
$70,000 to install a second fishing landing at Navan Park Lake in Melton to improve recreational fishing access. The Melton City Council will install a second fishing landing that will improve access for recreational fishers, in conjunction with DDA compliant pathways and other park improvements.
$61,688 for a boat ramp extension and facility upgrades at the Upper Coliban and Lauriston Reservoirs near Kyneton. Coliban Water will extend the Premier Mine boat ramp on Upper Coliban Reservoir and install 3 new shelters with picnic tables and 7 other picnic tables for recreational shoreline fishers to enjoy at the two reservoirs.
$60,000 for a series of Healthy Habitats and Sustainable Fishing forums. OzFish Unlimited will stage a series of six engaging public forums across east, west and central regions, with a mix of inland and coastal locations to highlight sustainable fishing practices and the relationship between aquatic habitat and recreational fishing.
$45,000 to upgrade the control panel for the submersible bore pump at Karkarook Lake. Parks Victoria will upgrade the control panel for the submersible bore pump which maintains water levels in this popular recreational fishery and supports healthy fish habitat for stocked species such a rainbow trout and Murray cod.
$20,600 to improve habitat and fishing opportunities by installing timber lunkers and rock seeding on the Little Snowy Creek near Eskdale. The North East Catchment Management Authority will undertake works to improve habitat and fishing opportunities by installing timber lunkers and rock seeding on the Little Snowy Creek near Eskdale.

Commissioning Grants Program

The following two projects will be funded through the 2024-25 round of the Recreational Fishing Grants Program - Commissioning Grants Program.

Informing sustainable management of Victoria's wild catch fisheries

The aim of this project is to collect catch and effort data from recreational fishers at key locations in Port Phillip Bay, Western Port, the Gippsland Lakes, Corner Inlet and the coastal Lakes Entrance fishery. The information is vital in providing measures of stock abundance, population structure, mortality and the effectiveness of bag and size limits.

The cost of the project is $178,400. This will enable 216 catch and effort survey days to be undertaken across Port Phillip Bay, Western Port, Corner Inlet and the Gippsland Lakes and Lake Entrance coastal fisheries which will involve interviewing and recording catch details from about 4,000 fishers.

Communication and compliance products

The aim of this project is to continue the range of products that assist recreational fishers to understand and comply with fishing rules, without having to refer to legislative documents that are often difficult to comprehend.

The cost of this project is $282,054. The Victorian Fisheries Authority will produce and distribute the following products to anglers. Up to:

135,000 copies of the 2025 recreational fishing guide (including 10,000 in Chinese and 5,000 in Vietnamese)
100,000 fish length rulers (50,000 saltwater and 50,000 freshwater)
20,000 Murray cod length/weight rulers
15,000 Murray spiny and general freshwater crayfish measures
13,000 rock lobster measures, and
13,000 abalone measures

Other RFL Trust Account Expenditure

During 2024-25, RFL revenue will also fund:

Increased fish stocking across Victoria, including iconic native species such as Murray cod, golden perch and Australian bass, and the highly sought brown trout, rainbow trout, and Chinook salmon
The deployment of Fisheries Officers to deliver enforcement and education and protect our valuable fisheries
Programs to get more Victorians fishing, which has included even more fish stocking as well as the staging of the Hooked on Festivals and other community fishing events at various locations across the state.
VRFish, which advocates recreational fishers’ views to the Government to inform fisheries management
The Victorian Fishcare program, which delivers responsible fishing education and events to the community
Projects approved through previous rounds of the Recreational Fishing Grants Program for access and facilities, education, information and training, recreational fisheries research and fish habitat improvement
The costs incurred in the administration of the Recreational Fishing Licence, Grants Program and the Recreational Fishing Licence Trust Advisory Committee.

2024-25 Recreational Fishing Licence Trust Account Report

A report is tabled in Parliament each year concerning all RFL Trust Account revenue and expenditure. Once tabled, the 2024-25 Recreational Fishing Licence Trust Account Report is available for revenue spent in that and previous years.

(Click here to view the report)