Chairperson's Summary #65

10:05  am MEETING OPEN -  Julia MenziesRoundtableChair

Welcome and apologies.

Acknowledgement of the Traditional Owners of all the lands on which we are meeting.

Previous Roundtable actions/ Follow up.

No existing outstanding Actions

Responsible

Status

NEW ACTIONS – Arising from Meeting #65 –10th Sept 2021

  

Adrian Tan to provide stainless steel contact to Chris P.

Adrian Tan

Complete

Chris Padovani to follow up Fisheries enforcing Section 119 of Fisheries Act. Ben to Contact Chris Padovani offline about the act.

Chris Padovani, Ben Scullin

Complete

Julia to circulate 2022 Meeting dates once confirmed.

Julia Menzies

Complete

VFA Updates:

VFA Update- Chris Padovani

King Fish reef rollout has been delayed until the second week of January- a two-day job to complete. Delay due to COVID-19, materials etc. Excited for installation in January with film company to record the process to put on social media and website.

Fish cleaning table program still running- 4 fish cleaning tables going into Patterson River, 2 at Hastings and 1 at Queenscliff (delays due to COVID-19).

Planned launch of the Recreational Fishing Tourism Strategy with ATF and Minister Horne was postponed and cancelled due to COVID-19. New date and time to be arranged in the coming months. VFA working with Minister’s Office for a new date hopefully before the end of the year.

King George Whiting issue with commercial trawlers: Minister is continuing discussions with Senator

Supply of Pipis within Victoria for bait purposes- Parks Victoria won’t grant an exemption to commercial fishers to use motorized vehicles through Discovery Park area.

Question from Brian: Any feedback from the Officers at the Marine Park regarding the protection of the fishery.

Chris: Officers are out and about and compliance is better than last year. The VFA have held discussion with the Ferry to do some educational workshops on the boat.

New Action: Adrian Tan to provide stainless steel contact to Chris.

Better Boating Update- Duncan Hill

Point Richards - Additional 50+ car-trailer parks have been completed. 2022 March – July 2022: Installation of a rock wall to semi-enclosure ramp to minimise seagrass impact.

Rhyll- Car park stage 1 upgrade is complete. February 2022 – August: Installation of longer ramps, second jetty and pontoon and replacing the existing jetty

Mordialloc- Replacement of Governor Road Boat Ramp pontoons complete. March 2022 car park will be reconfigured.

Queenscliff- Formalised overflow car park complete. March – June 2022k Installation of Marine-side ramp lane, pontoons, improved traffic flows and kayak launch.

Hastings- March 2022: Dredging, April 2022: Second pontoon installation.

Cowes Jetty- Works completed: Improved accessibility and reinstate emergency vehicle access of jetty.

Funded Projects:

  • Waranga- Navaid upgrade late 2021, ramp and car park due for completion June 2022.
  • Warrnambool- works to commence 2022.
  • Lake Bullen Merri- construction to commence Feb 2022.
  • North Arm Lakes Entrance- Pontoon replacement due December 2021, second car park February 2022.
  • Maribyrnong- new site identified- undertaking feasibility assessment with Port of Melbourne.
  • Seacombe- construction has commenced, to be completed December 2021.
  • Curdievale (Boggy Creek)- Improvements to seal the existing gravel/clay carpark and drainage upgrade. Due for completion February 2022.
  • Lake Bellfield- Minor boat ramp works due for completion May 2022.
  • Lake Wartook- Improvements to boat ramp trailer parking area due for completion June 2022.
  • North East River Ramps- Improving access on the Mitta and Murray River. Works scheduled to commence in October however high-water levels have delayed start.
  • Mitta River- restore access at Pigs Point
  • Murray River- restore access at 3 locations
  • Ovens River- Upgrade access at 3 locations
  • Goulburn River- restore and upgrade access at 5 locations
  • Anthony’s Nose/Dromana- sand management options
  • St Leonards- concept planning for future upgrades
  • Cannons Creek- concept planning for future upgrades
  • Lake Tooliorook- jetty replacement
  • Lake Purrumbete- jetty replacements
  • Apollo bay- New floating jetties

Victorian Boating strategy to be announced December.  

Events Update: Belinda Yim

Planning for January next year for events to resume face-to-face. Hooked on Portland 22-23rd January first event. The Go Fish Nagambie from the 10th- 13th February and the Murray Codference on the 27th February.

Vic Fish Kids that were postponed in 2021 are scheduled for April-May 2022.

BIA’s Discover Boating Showcase will now be held 23rd-24th April.

Question- Paul Stolz- ATF are suggesting a Trout Fest- Belinda has been in touch with Terry George with a date (May 14th). Waiting on Shire to confirm location availability in Eildon.

WIRF Update: Karen Rees

WIRF- Women in Fishing survey is open; it would be appreciated if the link is shared.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/8D3MHKH

Social media update:

-Instagram page launched in September. Posting daily, leaders are participating with Instagram by providing content through live stories and posts.

-VFA’s Digital Marketing Intern Bea Yates is running the Facebook group and is encouraging the Leaders to post videos of their local jetties and fishing spots to encourage other WIRF members to explore new fishing spots.

Events update:

-WIRFinar- this month there were 2 trout WIRFinars (Online webinars). There is another WIRFinar planned for 29th November.

-‘WIRF Locals’ is launching on 30th November. This will give women a chance to meet other local fishing women with face-to-face meetings planned for the new year.

-We have hosted a couple of virtual trivia nights with the WIRF community via Zoom.

-Cara recently launched a fishing in schools program delivered at her kids’ local school with the hope to be delivered at more schools in the future.

-Go Fish Nagambie WIRF event is being organised for the event next February with sponsors such as Daiwa.

Media update:
-Leaders Cara and Niki on Talking Fishing, Amanda running women’s charters out of San Remo.

- Leaders becoming ambassadors for their brands.
-Leaders have been invited to appear on fishing podcasts.

NFA Update: Ron Lewis

Ovens River challenge- significant number of people contacting organisers.

Macquarie perch spawning program- continuing but difficulties as river water levels change resulting in many of the females reabsorbing their eggs.  

With the captive breeding program of Macquarie perch; males and females were able to be separated this year. Males are performing well. Females unfortunately fight between each other… so will be separated. The live food feeding program will continue and a vastly different result is expected next year.

Fishcare Update- NA as both representatives were apologies

VRFishUpdate: Ben Scullin and Rob Loats

-AGM held 24th November.

-PhD Black Bream study underway.

-Catchment management- black fish survey in East Gippsland.

-Draft Murray Fish Recovery Plan has come out.

-Rock Lobster digital tagging- notes coming out.

-Abalone Virus- there’s been changes to where the biocontrol area is in place (much smaller range). Threat has been downgraded and diving for abalone in specific areas has been banned.

-Lower Moira fish passage blockages due to people building across creeks

Question: when was the last enforcement action from Fisheries of section 119 of the Fisheries Act?

New Action: Chris Padovani to follow up Fisheries enforcing Section 119 of Fisheries Act. Ben to Contact Chris Padovani offline about the Act.

Draft Corner Inlet Fisheries Management Plan has come out- VRFish unable to support at this stage.

The VRFish Board had its annual meeting 24th November. The Board now has a requirement to meet gender equity. Rita Caulfield, Skye Kirne, Jing Jing Nam and Hillier Ingram have been appointed to the Board. Resignations from the Board have come from Russell Conway, John Hotchin, Kris Leckie and Joy Sloan.  One position is still vacant for a female member who will be appointed by the new Board. Rob Loats to continue to be Chair for another two years along with Ben Scullin.

The Burnanga Aboriginal Fishing Club in Shepparton is expected to join VRFish and expertise will be appointed as required to address any Aboriginal issues.

ATF Update-Paul Stolz

-AGM a month ago. Paul was appointed Vice-President.

-Acquittal of RFL large grants- a number of outstanding elements couldn’t be acquitted due to COVID-19. Development of the stream gauge- VFA needs to take lead.

-Web development for regional tourism development plan launch- completed by mid--December. Content development in progress.

-Nariel planting was not able to be undertaken by volunteers- were done by contractors. Substantial work to be done in Autumn for bushfire recovery to continue. Stabilisation works have been done.

-Brochures to be distributed- safe handling of fish, climate change impact, existence of ATF and what is stands for, environment and habitat restoration and repair are topics that will be in brochure.

-ATF is supporting Alpine Angling Club in submitting a request for funding for development of a riparian repair on the Ovens River.

-Reactivating Warrnambool workshop- meeting tomorrow to decide on new date.

-Trout Fest proposed on 14th May at Eildon - Fishcare and VFA to participate.

-VFA to work with ATF to release some of the milestones in the tourism strategy.

Update from meeting about Yank Flathead- Michelle Wenner

VFA staff, Brian Wright, Ben Scullin, Chris Padovani, Adrian Tan, met to discuss the future of the fishery. Met in October and discussed a proposal for the fishery moving forward. Sampling to be collected from around the Bay and discussion about limits of flathead. Acknowledgement of Brian’s work with this. Update to be given in next meeting.

Comms Update- Marc Ainsworth

-Charging towards 10 million fish stocked. 2 million post out soon.

-Media out about bass stocking- 400,000 stocked.

-Nibbles Newsletter- 137,000 subscribers with a 25% opening rate.

Questions and Close

Chris Padovani: Recognise the Albert Park Yachting and Angling Club for winning awards this week.

Robert Loats: Blockages in river- basically road crossings that need to have fish passages. Will contact councils to put culverts in.

Meeting closed 11:50am

Next Roundtable meeting #66 -   TBC

Location/process pending COVID-19 update