August 19, 2020
More than $1-million of your fishing licence fees are set to be reinvested to improve recreational fishing through this year’s large grants scheme.
The 2019-20 recipients have just been announced by Minister for Fishing and Boating, Melissa Horne, with $549,354.61 allocated to 10 large projects. Improving fish habitat, access and infrastructure improvements were among the key projects selected for funding this year.
The East Gippsland CMA will receive $110,000 for the Gippsland Lakes Habitat Restoration project to install woody habitat into the lakes which will benefit key species in the Lakes such as black bream, estuary perch and Australia bass by providing feeding sites and shelter. Ozfish Unlimited will build shellfish reefs in the Gippsland Lakes at Tambo Bay after receiving $23,000 for their Fish Castles project over one year.
The Australian Trout Foundation (ATF) received $110,000 to deliver another year of the Victorian Trout Fisheries Management Program. The management program will address key issues with the wild trout fishery outlined in the recently released Victorian Wild Trout Strategic Plan (2020-2025).
Native fish report card program by the Victorian Fisheries Authority will continue for a further two years after the authority received $120,000 to monitor ten key rivers and nine popular native fish species. The report cards are produced annually and presented to anglers at the Murray Codference to highlight the condition of these key fisheries.
Fishcare Victoria will receive $60,000 for a Fishcare Responsible Anglers Academy program. Fishcare will engage with more than 50 schools and deliver 250 workshops through their education program.
The North Central CMA have received funding for two large projects. Woody habitat will be installed at Box-Pyramid Creek near Kow Swamp ($24,238 over one year). The CMA will also improve fishing accessibility along the Campaspe River at Rochester by realigning in-stream logs to maintain fish habitat and enable safe passage for fishers in boats ($15, 374.41 over one year).
The North East CMA have received $39,381.20 for a Katie Peters Reserve River Restoration Project on the Mitta River. The CMA will install fish habitat into the river adjacent to the Katie Peter Reserve, near Eskdale, which will improve fishing opportunities for fishers.
Access will be improved at a new recreational fishing lake in Rainbow. The Hindmarsh Shire Council will undertake works to create seperate pedestrian and vehicle access points at the lake after receiving $24,921 in funding.
Geelong and District Angling Clubs Association, have successfully secured funding to manage a project to install solar lighting along St. Helen’s rock wall. The project will improve lighting for land based fishers in Geelong.
The RFL Trust Account is also funding two commissioning grants during the 2019-2020 year. The Victorian Fisheries Authority receive $290,000 for communication and compliance products which includes recreational fishing guides, fish length rulers and measures.
The Victorian Fisheries Authority will also receive $163,000 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. This data will assist in informing sustainable management of Victoria’s wild catch fisheries.
Revenue from the RFL Trust Account is also used to fund fish stocking, fisheries officers, Target One Million (Phase 2), VRFish, Fishcare, small grants projects, RFL commissions and administration.
For more information on the successful large grant projects, visit the Victorian Fisheries Authority’s website.
