Liberals to spend $20m buying back commercial fishing licences if re-elected on November 29

HOBSONS Bay anglers have welcomed the Government’s promise it will end commercial fishing in Port Phillip Bay if re-elected.

Fairy Penguin full speed ahead in New Seal and Penguin enclosure at Taronga Zoo

HOBSONS Bay anglers have welcomed the Government’s promise it will end commercial fishing in Port Phillip Bay if re-elected.

Premier Dennis Napthine said last week the Government would spend $20m buying back commercial licences if it won this month’s election.

The election promise followed calls to ban commercial net fishing in the bay after 25 penguins that washed ashore dead at Altona Beach in September were found to have died after becoming entangled in a commercial fishing net.

RELATED:Calls renewed for commerical fishing net ban in Port Phillip Bay

Hobsons Bay Sport and Game Fishing Club president Lou Falzon said commercial fishing threatened the environmental health of the bay.

“It’s in pretty good shape so we really want to keep it that way. Banning commercial fishing would mean less stress on the bay,’’ he said.

Newport Williamstown Anglers Club president Sam Tsakalofas said a long-time member of the club believed commercial fishing had depleted the bay of fish and that it’s ban would return stocks to what they were 30 or 40 years ago.

“This will be a big boost for anglers. It will better our catch so our juniors can learn about fishing as they’re the future of this sport,’’ he said.

“Some areas of the bay get netted numerous times a week and small fish get caught in the net and get killed.” - Sam Tsakalofas

“Banning commercial fishing would allow those small fish to grow and reproduce.’’

But Seafood Industry Victoria executive director Johnathon Davey said commercial fisheries had operated sustainably in the bay for more than 170 years and a ban could result in significant job losses.

He said the ban would also threaten fresh local seafood supplies.

“What Dr Napthine is doing is creating two classes of Victorians, a minority, who recreationally fish and will be given all access to fresh local fish and the majority, who for whatever reason do not recreationally fish and will be given no access to fresh local fish,’’ he said.

Opposition agriculture spokeswoman Jacinta Allan said Labor had already begun reducing commercial fishing in the bay when in power.

Labor would shortly release fishing policy and give recreational fishers a real choice on November 29.​