The region is set to share in more than $440,000 for fishery projects, including a study into the region’s southern bluefin tuna population.
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In announcing the funding in Warrnambool last week, Agriculture Minister Jaala Pulford said the $56,030 tuna research project would track the age and movement of the south-west’s population.
“Obviously this has been a quite controversial issue as the federal government seeks to impose some limitations on rec fishing activity in southern bluefin tuna and we continue to discuss those issues with them,” Ms Pulford said.
“A really detailed study needs to be undertaken before we can enter into any sensible, informed discussions with the federal government. It’s something the federal government agreed to fund and our message to them has been ‘let’s get the science done, let’s get the research done and then let’s have a discussion about whether or not the fishery needs some limits placed on it’.
It comes after VRFish, which represents recreational fishers, expressed fears the federal government would make “premature and uninformed decisions” about recreational catch limits for southern bluefin tuna.
Member for Wannon Dan Tehan said the federal government had yet to make a decision about changes to recreational catch limits for southern bluefin tuna.
He said a decision would not be made until after a national survey of recreational catch was finished in December. A decision about catch limits would only be made with agreement from the states and in consultation with fishers, Mr Tehan said.
Five other projects were funded through the state government’s Recreational Fishing Grants Program.
It includes $34,480 to Deakin University to establish a southern river blackfish spawning and recruitment monitoring network in the Gellibrand River catchment; $24,132 to VRFish for a pilot research project on striped trumpeter; $13,761 for the Glenelg Hopkins Catchment Management Authority to create a fish habitat hotspot on the Merri River and develop a local angler education and training program.
Funding will also include $107,545 to develop a “Get Hooked on Fishing” mobile app aimed at children, and $205,000 for Victorian Fisheries Authority scientists to study the movement and post-release survival of gummy and shortfin mako sharks.