Your fees at work 2012-13

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

Large grants program

Through the 2012/13 round of the Recreational Fishing Grants Program - Large Grants Program, over $1.3 million will be allocated to the following 12 projects to improve recreational fishing in Victoria.

Northern ($45,000)

$45,000 to conduct a Feasibility Study into the establishment of a fish migration passage at Broken River Weir.

Port Phillip ($62,000)

$40,000 to construct an all abilities fishing platform at the St Helens Boat Harbour Geelong northern breakwater.

$22,000 to develop a Docklands Recreational Fishing Strategy.

South West ($155,093)

$115,667 to conduct research into the stocking success of Chinook salmon into Lake Purrumbete and Lake Bullen Merri.

$39,426 to construct an all abilities fishing platform at Aire River.

Gippsland ($300,000)

$300,000 to install 120 large wood structures in the lower reaches of the Nicholson, Tambo, Snowy and Mitchell rivers.

State wide ($738,016)

$150,000 to undertake important research aimed at building a stronger, more resilient and valuable Murray Cod fishery in Victoria.

$113,500 to conduct 450 'Fish Right' workshops to promote sustainable and responsible fishing practices to junior anglers.

$38,800 to conduct a marketing and communications campaign to reduce released snapper mortality in Victoria.

$263,206 to develop approaches to monitor and manage the recreational catch of 'western stock' snapper to meet sustainability and recreational fishery objectives.

$114,000 to enable Victorian fishers to more actively contribute and benefit from the development of the Fish Habitat Network (FHN) by including Victorian habitat on the FHN.

$58,510 to improve the breeding/stocking of Macquarie Perch.

Commissioning grants program

Through the 2012/13 round of the Recreational Fishing Grants Program - Commissioning Grants Program $224,916.70 will be allocated to The Victorian Fisheries Authority to produce and distribute the following educational products to recreational anglers:

1. 300,000 copies of the 2013/14 Victorian Recreational Fishing Guide;
2. 200,000 fish length ruler stickers;
3. 20,000 abalone, rock lobster and spiny crayfish measures in three different languages;
4. 500 metal fish length rulers for installation at busy piers;
5. 6,000 abalone pocket cards;
6. 1,000 abalone dive tags; and
7. 30,000 'Know your limits' pocket cards in four different languages.

For more information about applying for grants, please visit Recreational Fishing Grants Program.

Other RFL trust account expenditure

During 2012/13, RFL revenue will also fund:

• Recreational fisheries field services (state-wide);
• The purchase and liberation of native and salmonid fish, made in consideration of, and to complement the planned annual stocking program conducted by The Victorian Fisheries Authority;
• Recreational Fishing Grants Program - Small Grants Program;
• The administration of the RFL and the Grants Programs;
• VRFish;
• RFL sales commissions; and
• RFL and RFGP-related community information.

A report is tabled in Parliament in October each year concerning all RFL Trust Account revenue and expenditure. The Recreational Fishing Grant Program Projects 2012-13 report (PDF - 3.8 MB) is available for revenue spent in 2012/13 and for previous years.