FISHERIES Victoria are currently consulting recreational fishing representative groups on arrangements to open the barramundi fishery at Hazelwood Pondage.
So far the plans include:
- Open the Hazelwood fishery on 2 December, 2016. This will allow time for the boat ramp to be extended, the car park to be upgraded, a new overflow car park to be constructed and new signage to be installed to clarify where land and boat-based fishers can fish. It will also enable the 5,000 stocked barra to grow bigger.
- Introduce a daily bag limit of zero barramundi, making the fishery catch-and-release only. A risk assessment will be conducted in the meantime to determine whether barramundi in Hazelwood Pondage meet food safety standards.
- Cap the number of boats (powered and unpowered) that can fish to a maximum of 25 per day. This will match new carpark capacity and ensure a quality fishing experience on the water. There are no plans to limit the number of land-based anglers.
- Hold a free “barra ballot” for anglers with boats to register their interest in 1-2 day periods when they’d like to fish.
For more information visit the Fisheries Victoria website.
