FOLLOWING last weekend’s Victorian election the state’s anglers are preparing to pressure Labor’s new Premier Daniel Andrews to phase out commercial netting in his first term of government.
Last month Andrews promised to spend $20 million phasing out commercial netting licences by 2020.
The push to speed up the phase out process follows a recent angler march in Geelong to support the netting bans on Port Phillip and Corio bays, as introduced by the outgoing Coalition Government, and supported by Labor.
About 700 recreational anglers marched down Moorabool St to Cunningham Pier for the rally, which was led by fishing identity Rex Hunt.
“We can’t afford to just let it happen by itself because we’ve seen in politics, priorities change,” Geelong’s Geoff Wilson told the ABC.
“It has become a feral industry with no codes of practice, no quotas as to what can be taken and all with the blessing of the various government agencies that control it.”
Wilson said commercial netting had “pushed recreational fisherman aside”, destroyed sea grasses and disturbed schools of fish.
But commercial fishers like Louis Hatzimihalis said there was room for both recreational and commercial fishing.
“We’ve been fishing together for 170 years,” he said.
He said Mr Andrews’ plan to buy back commercial netting licences and ban the practice would have a huge impact on the state’s economy.
Anglers at last month’s rally being addressed by Rex Hunt.
Read more at: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-12-02/anglers-pressure-government-to-speed-up-netting-phase-out/5935212
