Your fees at work 2016-17
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.
Large grants program
Through the 2016/17 round of the Recreational Fishing Grants Program - Large Grants Program, $702,000 will be allocated to the following 13 projects.
Fisheries-related research ($361,004)
$88,604 over one year to assess the post-release survival of swordfish from recreational fishing.
$116,000 over two years to continue research and management of wild trout fisheries.
Fisheries sustainability and habitat improvement ($273,694)
$15,000 over one year for instream habitat restoration in Hughes Creek.
$23,716 over one year to install instream habitat in the mid Goulburn River around Mangalore.
$63,910 over one year for in-stream habitat and riparian restoration in the lower Buckland River.
$72,250 over two years to install instream habitat in the upper Goulburn River.
$98,818 over one year to increase fish habitat in the Little Murray River.
Fisheries-related education, information and training ($38,358)
$8,158 over one year to construction a public fishing information shelter in Balmoral.
$30,200 over one year to provide recreational fishers with a greater understanding of the biology and status of the dusky flathead recreational fisheries and populations in various Gippsland estuaries.
Fishing access and facilities ($28,944)
$14,582 over one year to install a fish cleaning table at Point Richards on Corio Bay.
$14,362 over one year to install a fish cleaning table at Indented Head on Corio Bay.
Commissioning grants program
The following two projects will be funded through the 2016/17 round of the Recreational Fishing Grants Program - Commissioning Grants Program.
Informing sustainable management and optimisation of Victoria's wild catch marine and estuarine recreational fisheries
The aim of this project is to collect creel survey data to assist with the expansion of the angler diary program and inform future fisheries management decisions.
The cost of the project is $130,000. This will provide for over 135 individual sampling days and will cover the Port Phillip, Western Port, Corner Inlet and Gippsland Lakes fisheries.
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 $219,800, whereby Fisheries Victoria will produce and distribute the following products to anglers:
- 200,000 copies of the 2017 Victorian Recreational Fishing Guide
- 150,000 fish length ruler stickers
- 19,000 'Know your limits' pocket cards, in three different languages
- 11,000 abalone, rock lobster and spiny crayfish measures in three different languages
- 5,000 Murray cod length/weight rulers
- 4,000 abalone pocket cards
- 250 metal fish length rulers.
Other RFL trust account expenditure
During 2016/17, 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 Fisheries Victoria
- recreational Fishing Grants Program - Small Grants Program
- the administration of the RFL and the Grants Programs
- VRFish
- Fishcare Victoria Inc.
- RFL sales commissions
- 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 Licence Trust Account 2016/17 Report (WORD - 3.9 MB) is available for revenue spent in that and previous years.