SRFR Meeting #53 - 9 December 2018

Statewide Recreational Fishing Roundtable Forum #52

Forum date: Thursday 9th December 2018

Location: Mercure Treasury, 13 Spring Street, Melbourne 3000

Chair's Summary

OUTSTANDING/ONGOING ACTIONS (from previous meetings)

ACTION

Request for 6 monthly report back on PPB health and environmental Yarra River flows. (ARI leading plan)

Discussion/outcome: ongoing

Anthony Forster and Paul Hamer

Involve the broader fishing community in the 2018 Fisheries Regulations Review. The Policy group to provide a timeline for the review (Dallas D’Silva). Allow adequate time for input from the fishing community. Provide for consultation with key stakeholders prior to release to the public. (Consultants contracted to write document to go out for public comment)

Discussion/outcome: ongoing

Dallas D’Silva

NEW ACTIONS – Arising from Meeting #53 – 9th December 2018

 

Distribute ATF PowerPoint Presentation

JM/JAM

Travis Dowling  - CEO VFA - Election Commitments

The State Government has extended its commitment to recreational fishers in Victoria by investing over $27 million on recreational initiatives across the state.

  • Construction of a new $7 million native fish hatchery in the Shepparton region focused on warm water species such as Murray cod and golden perch.
  • Grow fish stocking to 10 million fish per year by 2022.
  • Stock native fish into suburban lakes.
  • Stock eastern king prawns into lake Tyers.
  • Phase out commercial fishing in the Gippsland Lakes to provide a boost to local tourism and recreational fishing.
  • Improve access for fishing and camping by opening up hundreds of kilometres of river frontage covered by grazing licences.
  • Invest $200,000 to develop a recreational fishing tourism plan.
  • Invest $600,000 on fish cleaning tables and platform construction around Port Phillip and Western Port Bays.
  • Allow anglers to use craft with electric motors on specified lakes and reservoirs.
  • Introduce a new Fishing for All program to get more people fishing, including a further $200,00 for the successful Vic fish Kids program.
  • Offer number plates for recreational fishers.
  • Advocate protection of southern bluefin tuna from cuts to bag limits by the Commonwealth.
  • Improvement to fish habitat in Port Phillip Bay by investing $2.5 million into projects for reef development.

Mike Burgess – CEO VRFish

Election commitments:

  • Positive step to have boating access fees going back into facilities.
  • The Gippsland Lakes commercial buyout will turn around the current state of people not catching anything and so not going to the area. The lakes cannot sustain both recreational and commercial fishing. A recovery plan will be essential, including habitat and stocking.
  • The freshwater hatchery plan is revolutionary.
  • The GHCMA are doing a pilot study into fish stock in the Glenelg River.
  • Carp – VRFish are unhappy with the current state of delays with the NCCP.An Eel Management Plan is to be discussed with the VFA, relaying the requirements of recreational fishers.
  • The southern bluefin tuna survey is under way.

Terry George - ATF

Terry presented the Vision and Mission of the ATF regarding their strategic plan for habitat and stocking (see attachment).  A habitat tour was conducted by the ATF, visiting sites that have been identified as needing habitat work.

The 2018 Jordan Scotty incubators achieved a 98% hatch rate.

NEW ACTION: Distribute ATF Powerpoint presentation. JM/JAM

Tim Curmi - NFA

Macquarie perch breeding program

Despite major effort by NFA (Vic) members using both Fyke netting and angling, only captured 2 Macquarie perch from middle Yarra River.  Neither suitable for breeding, so no production this year.

The NFA have been contracted by the VFA to trial an artificial diet for Macquarie perch fingerlings.

Southern Pygmy perch breeding program

Collaborative project with ANGFA (Vic), the NCCMA & City of Greater Bendigo.

Have collected broodstock from a number of sites around Bendigo and are now being bred by experienced SPP breeder at Middle Creek Farm.  Expect full production next year after fish acclimatised to captivity.  Will be limited release into upper reaches of Bendigo Creek soon, with plans for Gunbower and the lower Loddon under the NCCMA Native fish recovery plan.  Project has received interest from the GBCMA & NSW Fisheries

Developing plans for other small bodied endangered natives including Flat-headed galaxias & Southern purple-spotted gudgeon.

New sticker grant

Have new batch of endangered fish stickers after successful small RFL grant.  Stickers are very popular everywhere we go and are leading to better community awareness of endangered native fish, particularly Macquarie perch and Trout cod.

Sevens Creek

Recent on site meeting with stakeholders to discuss and plan future management of the waterway.  In attendance were NFA (Vic), Friends of Seven Creeks, ARI & the VFA.  Developed a 7 point plan of future actions, with Redfin reduction, Habitat improvement and a genetic investigation of the resident Trout cod & Macquarie perch included in the plan.

Will be a riparian planting event mid 2019 coordinated by the GBCMA & NFA(Vic)

Snobs Creek logging

NFA (Vic) in partnership with the ATF recently drafted and released a media release highlighting concerns over proposed large scale clear fell logging in the Snobs Creek catchment. Was sent to over 400 media representatives across Victoria.

Ovens River Challenge

NFA(Vic) & the ATF beginning planning for a catch, measure & release event for the Ovens River.  Aim is to get Cod and Trout anglers together with the main prize for the angler with a combined bag of longest Murray cod and longest Trout.  Tentative date weekend of 6/7 April 2019.

Belinda Yim, VFA & Karen Rees, WIRF

Women in Recreational Fishing (WIRF)

  • There are currently over 1000 WIRF members.
  • There is a monthly newsletter.
  • The WIRF Facebook page is frequented by WIRF ladies showing their catches and participating in conversation.
  • Collingwood footballer Chloe Molloy has been appointed as a VFA Ambassador.
  • The WIRF Strategy is to be released early next year.
  • A WIRF Summit is scheduled for March/April 2019.

Karen Rees went over her Codference presentation, “Cod Girl”, giving an outline of her fishing story that incorporates family and friends.

Doug Braham noted that Southern Fly Fishers will be conducting a Women’s Fly Fishing Day on 17th March. Also that there will be an Australian women’s team in the Commonwealth Fly Fishing Championships 2019.

Marc Ainsworth & Lauren Hall - Communications Officer VFA

VFA Comms for 2018 have produced the following:

  • Media releases – 106
  • Advertising
    • For festivals, events, WIRF, habitat, stocking, Fishing Licence Fees At Work.
    • Using print, radio, flyers, fishing magazines.
  • YouTube – 116 videos
  • Social Media
    • 1185 posts – Facebook 508, Instagram 388, Twitter 289.
    • Content and engagement increased by 20.22% every 3 months since Nov 2014.

Ron Lewis (NFA) requested that the Metropolitan Stocking Group start meeting again. Anthony Forster to lead.

Jaala Pulford MLC – Minister for Fishing and Boating

Minister Pulford outlined the Andrews Governments exciting list of commitments to fishing and boating for the next 4 years.  The Minister noted that the frustrations of boat ramp access have been clearly heard along with many other new opportunities to improve recreational fishing in Victoria.

Minister Pulford was joined by her new Fishing advisor Heidi Flower.

Summary of commitments

  • Construction of a new $7 million native fish hatchery in the Shepparton region focused on warm water species such as Murray cod and golden perch.
  • Grow fish stocking to 10 million fish per year by 2022.
  • Stock native fish into suburban lakes.
  • Stock eastern king prawns into lake Tyers.
  • Phase out commercial fishing in the Gippsland Lakes to provide a boost to local tourism and recreational fishing.
  • Improve access for fishing and camping by opening up hundreds of kilometres of river frontage covered by grazing licences.
  • Invest $200,000 to develop a recreational fishing tourism plan.
  • Invest $600,000 on fish cleaning tables and platform construction around Port Phillip and Western Port Bays.
  • Allow anglers to use craft with electric motors on specified lakes and reservoirs.
  • Introduce a new Fishing for All program to get more people fishing, including a further $200,00 for the successful Vic fish Kids program.
  • Offer number plates for recreational fishers.
  • Advocate protection of southern bluefin tuna from cuts to bag limits by the Commonwealth.
  • Improvement to fish habitat in Port Phillip Bay by investing $2.5 million into projects for reef development.

Brian Mottram and Craig ingram – VFA – Target One Million

Carp

  • There are concerns that the release of the Carp Virus is being delayed by the commonwealth.

Events for 2019

  • Lots of events planned for 2019.
  • The first event is the Hooked on Portland event on Australia Day weekend at Portland.

Snobs Creek

  • The first Murray cod for this season were stocked last week.
  • There is currently larvae of Murray cod, Macquarie perch and trout cod all growing getting ready for release in DEC-FEB.
  • The first Snobs Creek Annual Report has been produced and is ready for print and distribution.
  • Additional trucks and infrastructure are being investigated and planned as part of developing a new native fish hatchery.
  • The Snobs Creek advisory Board is committed to transparency and maintaining an open culture at the hatchery.

Anthony Forster – Manager, Freshwater Fisheries

Codference was attended by about 500. There was a really positive atmosphere. Carl Jacomsen was the keynote speaker.

The Care for Cod program is being rolled out.

The  Freshwater Fisheries Management Plan has been finalised.

10,000 yabby nets have been exchanged, with distribution from 65 tackle stores. The final batch of exchange nets will go out in early January 2019.

Estuary perch will be released into the Maribyrnong River on Friday 14th at the Fishmas Stocking event. An extra 50,000-75,000 estuary perch will be released into the Barwon River for the first time ever.

Vic Fish Stock will have a 4 year plan. Large impoundments could successfully take more stock. There is a plan to expand the breeding of trout cod and Macquarie perch.

Fish from the Big Trout Stocking on the Goulburn River are still being caught 11 weeks after the stocking. This has resulted in strong financial benefits to the region.

The Go Fishing App has been launched. An upgrade is coming to make it more engaging. The club component of the app will soon be live. Over 1000 anglers have signed on.

Estuary perch are growing much larger in lakes than in estuaries. They need to reach 18-20cm before they start taking lures.

Dallas D’Silva – Fisheries Regulation Review

The review of fishing regulations process has commenced.

The VFA consultants are preparing a Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS).  Anglers will be consulted on the content of this RIS.

The new Regulations will commence on 3 Feb 2020.

Chair: Julia Menzies

Secretariat: Julie Morgan

Summary dated: 3/01/2019