November 27, 2025
Photo: Victorian Fisheries Authority, Merri River habitat
We all know healthy fish habitat makes fishing happen – so we’re always thrilled to hear when new projects are announced that will improve fish habitat across Victoria.
Four new fish habitat projects have been funded through the latest round of Fish Habitat Improvement Fund grants, recently announced by the Victorian Fisheries Authority, to improve fish habitat at four sites across the state.
Near Mornington, OzFish Unlimited will create shellfish reefs approximately 300 metres into the bay. Shellfish reefs are fantastic for the marine environment – they boost fish habitat, improve water quality and biodiversity.
Also in the bay, following the decline in abundance of kelp and micro algae forests due to native sea urchins overgrazing, The Nature Conservancy will restore golden kelp and micro algae forests in Port Phillip near the Jawbone Marine Park off Williamstown. The project aims to reduce urchin numbers before planting kelp into these areas.
In northern Victoria, the North Central Catchment Management Authority will install several rock piles, armoured banks and cod nesting structures into the Gunbower Creek and National Channel between Torumbarry and Gunbower. This habitat will benefit native fish species like Murray cod, golden perch and Murray crayfish.
To support populations of the endangered blackfish in Victoria’s south-west, Glenelg Hopkins Catchment Management Authority will increase in-stream habitat in Brucknell Creek and place structure into the Merri River.
In 2022, the Victorian Government announced a commitment of $2.5 million dollars to improve fish habit across Victoria’s marine, estuarine and freshwater fisheries as part of its Go Fishing Victoria plan.
