Anglers have the power of numbers, boycott fishing licences

David Webb writes:

I moved to Victoria from North Queensland almost 8 years ago. During that time I have fished on average once per week. I have fished all of the popular fishing spots around the bay and more recently most of the launching ramps. In all of that time I have never been approached by a fisheries inspector.

Why? In Queensland it seemed that no matter how remote your fishing location there was a 50/50 chance that an inspector would check your catch. In Victoria there is no one doing the policing of the fisheries and as a result thousands of undersized fish are killed every week by uncaring anglers around Victoria. So what?, you might say. Well let me tell you that in the last 8 years I have been fishing with 1kg and 2kg breaking strain line. I have caught thousands of fish in that time and yet only two of them have bothered the drag or taken line off me. I have perhaps kept a half dozen or so feeds of the fish that I have caught because the rest have been too small to consider.

When we were forced to puchase a licence to fish we were told that the money would go back into the fishery. The only results that seem to have happened is that the Government has introduced poorly researched no-fish zones purely to restrict the enjoyment of recreational fishermen. But since there is no one to police these boundries there is no point in doing it any way.

I recomend that we all refuse to puchase a fishing licence and that we all start writing to the government and inundating them with harrassing letters untill they decide to take a serious look at the recreational fishery in Victoria.

You should know that we take part in what is the largest participation hobby/sport in Australia and the value even eclipses the value of the gambling industry. We have the power of numbers. We can make a difference. All it takes is a little organisation and a little caring.
(24 September 2002)

Michael.R replies:

I doubt if you would get any support with a boycott of fishing licences. Unfortunately when it comes to fishos they tend to be very laid back and apathetic. When it came to the marine parks we only had 3 people from our club turning up to the meetings. We did an interview with 'The Age' which was published and only had 4 adults attending that session. In the last 2 years I have had my fish and licence checked twice and I fish just about every week. If we boycott our licences it would mean less money for fisheries, etc. This would have a negative effect. You would certainly have more clout with the local polititian if you say "I pay my licence, etc., etc., now what are you doing to fix this and so on". And because you purchased your $20 licence they should have more funds to do what is required.
(18 October 2002)

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