Anglers short-changed on recreational fishing licence fees

More than $9 million was collected from anglers in recreational licence fees in 2020-21. See how little of that went back to them.

Recreational anglers are getting little back from the $9.14m they paid in recreational licence fees in 2020-21.

Less than 9 per cent of the licence fees anglers paid to the Andrews Government in 2020-21 were handed back in grants to recreational fishing clubs and projects.

The 2020-21 Recreational Fishing Licence Trust Account tabled in Parliament this week shows that of the $9.14 million collected from anglers just $807,937 was paid out to clubs and projects that directly benefitted recreational fishing.

This contrasts with analysis of previous years’ accounts showing that in 2016-17 more than 41 per cent of anglers’ licence revenue was paid to clubs and other fishing groups, via grants and projects.

Since then the amount being allocated to clubs has steadily declined.

The accounts show the government has drawn down $2m to $3.5m from the trust fund every year since 2016-17 to help funds its Target One million program – aimed at runing events and promotions that recruit a million fishers to the sport by 2020, recently rebranding the program Go Fishing Victoria.

The government has also used about $2m each year from the trust account to cover fisheries enforcement and education plus $800,000 to $1m for administration, committee sitting fees, OH&S and training levies.

But despite these investments current and past trust account reports show the Government’s Target One Million project has fallen well short of the mark, with the total number of recreational licences sold in Victoria falling from 315,182 in 2012-13 to 250,760 in 2020-21.

The latest trust account report also shows that 250,760 recreational fishing licences were sold in 2020-21, including:

37,568 three-year licences

117,944 one-year licences

7044 28-day licences

88,191 three-day licences

1348 hour licences

The Weekly Times has asked Fishing and Boating Minister Melissa Horne for a response on why the Andrews Government has repeatedly cut back grass roots grants to fishing clubs.