Fishing Report – Febuary 22, 2018

ANGLESEA

» Fishing reports still slow out of Anglesea
» Pinkies have been caught in slightly numbers
» The occasional whiting is still being caught
» A few flathead out deep
» The odd gummy shark has been caught.

BARWON HEADS

» The river is said to be still producing salmon, trevally and a few King George whiting
» Offshore reports of flathead, snapper and pinkies
» A few gummy shark catches have been reported.

TORQUAY

» Reports of snapper both off the beach as well as offshore are still coming in
» Flathead and King George whiting in close and off the beaches have also been reported
» Salmon in numbers off most local beaches are still being reported
» The occasional gummy shark report has been received
» Spring Creek continues producing some bream.

Remember Torquay Tackle and Sports. For all the best available advice in Torquay on tackle and bait, drop in at the store and see Ross or Josh to ensure you get the most up-to-date information available. Phone 5264 8207.

QUEENSCLIFF

» St Leonards: snapper, pinkies out wide continue. Reports of flathead and improving whiting catches
» A few gummy shark, with squid still being caught
» Point Lonsdale: reports of salmon, trevally, whiting and squid continue
» Queenscliff Harbour is still seeing a few reports of trevally and salmon being caught
» White Lady is seeing an improvement in whiting catches with both squid and flathead also being caught
» Indented Head: flathead and squid continue. Whiting along with the odd snapper are also still being caught. With reports of gummy shark on the 20-metre mark still being caught
» Clifton Springs has reports of both flathead and some nice-size pinkies
» Swan Bay is still seeing some reports of garfish.

A NEW fishery management plan for rock lobsters was launched at the Apollo Bay Seafood Festival at the weekend.

Victorian Fisheries Authority (VFA) Chair Gail Owen said rock lobsters are one of Australia’s most highly prized seafood delicacies and Victoria’s most valuable commercial fishery with a landed catch value of $25 million per annum.

“The commercial rock lobster industry supports fishing and processing businesses across the state, providing valuable jobs in regional ports such as San Remo, Queenscliff, Apollo Bay, Port Campbell, Warrnambool, Port Fairy and Portland,” Ms Owen said.

“Rock lobsters are also very popular with recreational fishers right along our coastline. “It is vital we continue to look after this important fishery by ensuring it remains sustainable.

“Key components of the management plan are new rules that guide the setting of commercial catch quotas each year using the best available science.

“The new plan is the third for the fishery and builds on the excellent work undertaken previously to enhance the sustainability of rock lobster stocks and make the commercial fishery the most valuable wild-caught fishery in Victoria.

Developed through intensive consultation and guided by an independently chaired, stakeholder-based, steering committee.”

Ms Owen said the plan included the threeyear tagging trial that will, for the first time, help estimate the overall annual harvest of rock lobsters by recreational fishers.

“The tagging trial, which began last year, is an Australian-first that has been embraced by recreational rock lobster fishers with more than 4,800 people signed up via the new ‘VicRLTag’ app and website.

“Over summer, fishers have reported using more than 5,000 tags on recreationally caught rock lobster with many more expected through Easter and autumn.”

The Victorian Rock Lobster Management Plan was declared in December 2017.

The management plan specifies the policies, management objectives and strategies for managing Victoria’s rock lobster resource under the requirements of the Fisheries Act 1995 and the principles of ecologically sustainable development.

The objectives for the Rock Lobster Fishery are:

Objective 1: Ensure the sustainability of the rock lobster resource

Objective 2: Ensure a fair and equitable allocation of the rock lobster resource

Objective 3: Ensure optimal economic utilisation of the rock lobster resource

Objective 4: Cost-effective and participatory management

Objective 5: Maintain the ecological integrity of the fishery ecosystem

This management plan introduces a new catch rate-based harvest strategy and a new program to estimate recreational catch. Both are focused on ensuring that the rock lobster resource is managed sustainably, that the total annual removal of stock from the resource by the commercial and recreational sectors is known and that analyses of the stock are accurate.

An important new principle that has been embraced in this management plan is one of continuous improvement.

This is reflected by embedding an annual review process into the science program underpinning the assessment of the rock lobster resource and in the development of annual work plans. This ensures constant evaluation and identification of changing conditions to allow management activity to be directed appropriately and the resource to continue to be managed efficiently and effectively.

To view the new rock lobster management plan, visit vfa.vic.gov.au/lobsterplan.

Photos

I would also like to remind everyone to keep those photos coming in of your big catch! Please forward them to [email protected], with type of fish, weight, length, location and your name. I am more than happy to place your photos in My Big Catch.