Wednesday, 27 February, 2008

CHANCE TO BAG GRANTS TO IMPROVE RECREATIONAL FISHING

Minister Responsible for Fisheries Joe Helper has urged organisations wishing to undertake projects to improve recreational fishing in Victoria to finalise and submit their proposals for financial help from the Recreational Fishing Grant Program.

“Grant applications for projects funded by revenue from Recreational Fishing Licences (RFL) will be accepted up to February 29,” Mr Helper said.

“Last year the RFL funded 17 projects worth more than $760,000 to improve opportunities for recreational fishers.

“They ranged from a contribution to a children’s fishing day at Victoria Park Lake in Ballarat up to a three-year $212,000 plus native fish-stocking and monitoring initiative in the Kerang Lakes near Swan Hill.”

Revenue from the RFL also helps to pay for longer-term statewide initiatives.

These include: regionally-based fisheries officers, the establishment of recreational-only fishing zones in bays and inlets, and the Victorian Recreational Fishing peak body VRFish which represents the views of anglers to government.

“Funds will go towards improving facilities and access for recreational fishers and to recreational fisheries research projects,” Mr Helper said.

“They have also been allotted to education projects including $99,000, over three years for Fishcare workshops and $4,000 for Flathead Fred’s kids’ fishing shows.”

The Fisheries Revenue Allocation Committee (FRAC) has been set up to advise on priorities for the distribution of licence revenues and is seeking proposals for grant program projects in one or more of the following four categories:

Recreational fisheries’ sustainability and habitat improvement (including fish stocking);
Recreational fishing access and facilities;
Recreational fisheries research; and
Recreational fisheries related education, information and training.

For application forms call the FRAC Executive Officer on (03) 9658 4369, the Department of Primary Industries (DPI) Customer Service Centre on 136 186, or visit the DPI website at www.dpi.vic.gov.au.