THE future of volunteer group Fishcare Victoria has been secured thanks to ongoing funding allocated by the Victorian Coalition Government.
Minister for Agriculture and Food Security Peter Walsh said $200,000 per year would be provided to the group from the sale of recreational fishing licenses, so it could continue its valuable work educating the community about sustainable recreational fishing practices.
“Fishcare Victoria is a fantastic volunteer organisation that distributes educational material and offers assistance to recreational fishers,” Mr Walsh said.
“On top of that they also collect important recreational fish catch data and visit schools and angling clubs.
“Previously, the group has been allocated funding from recreational fishing license funds each year – so they could never be sure exactly how much money they would have.
“This ongoing funding gives Fishcare certainty each year and allows the group to plan ahead with its different projects.”
Mr Walsh said this included ‘learn-to-fish’ workshops, school visits, public events and playing a role in habitat restoration.
“Over the last three years, Fishcare Victoria has run more than 1,000 ‘Fish Right’ workshops for junior anglers,” Mr Walsh said.
“The group has also delivered the ‘Get Hooked – it’s Fun to Fish’ program to schools,
ensuring children know the basics and can enjoy fishing with their families on holidays.
“All this great work deserves a secure funding foundation, which is why an annual contribution from license fees is a good investment for all Victorian fishers.”
Fishcare was established in 1995 based on a Western Australian model, which has since been adopted in various forms in South Australia, New South Wales and Tasmania.
