VRFish, the Victorian recreational fishing peak body, welcomes the passing of the Outdoor Recreation Bill which ensures the establishment of Fishing, Hunting, Outdoors Victoria to manage fisheries, game management and other outdoor activities enjoyed by Victorians.
VRFish Chair Rob Loats said: “We look forward to working with the new department Fishing, Hunting, Outdoors Victoria to continue making fishing better for Victorians and achieve better access to public land for all outdoor enthusiasts.”
In Victoria, there are over one-million recreational fishers and many also enjoy other outdoor activities that will be supported through the new authority.
Fishing, Hunting, Outdoors Victoria (FHOV) will merge the Victorian Fisheries Authority and Game Management Authority, to provide greater support to Victorians who enjoy getting outdoors. Under FHOV, a Land and Aquatic Access Panel will also be established to provide advice back to the Government regarding community access to public land.
“FHOV will be empowered with the promotion and management of recreational fishing, boating, game hunting, and camping before growing to encompass other outdoor activities. It will make it easier for more Victorians to enjoy our great outdoors, provides a single point of information for bush users and demonstrates the Government’s commitment to supporting outdoor recreation,” said Loats.
The amendments to the Outdoor Recreation Bill, including the change of name to FHOV, recognise the importance of fishing to the Victorian community. Recreational fishing contributes $8.14-billion direct and indirect output to the Victorian economy and supports 36,000 jobs.
“Access is a key concern for recreational fishers, and the new Land and Aquatic Access Panel provides an opportunity to address big access issues identified by fishers and should result in better access to our public land for all outdoor users,” he said.
VRFish encourages responsible recreation in our great outdoors and, through its Naturally Vic campaign, has developed best practice guidelines to encourage people to leave the great outdoors better than how they found it.
